cat as cat can

There is a pet shop in Japan where you can rent a cat. The rental is for 3 days, 2 nights, and there are rules. Only feed them the food provided by the shop. Make sure they always have their blanket with them, and never wash the blanket. These cats, The Blanket Cats, use their blankets as comfort, as a place where they belong while they are moving from place to place. But who would want to rent a cat?

There’s the woman who wanted to take one last trip to the mountains and the seaside. She had always felt a kinship with black cats and had often rented a black cat to take with her on her weekend trips. The cat she had taken originally had been retired, so her last couple of trips had been with a younger black cat. The woman liked them both. But when she showed up to rent her black cat this time, she was offered her original cat, her original companion, so he could have one last trip also. But it turns out the woman has secrets about this trip, and no one to tell except the cat.

There’s the 12-year-old boy who wants his dad to rent a Manx. His dad is a little loud and can be overbearing, but he is vigilant about his son, making sure that he is doing okay at school and not getting bullied. He has read several parenting books and is always watchful of the signs of bullying. His son does tend to be quiet, and his father has concerns. So when the son suddenly wanted to rent a cat, his father agreed. But he did make sure to ask if it was because he was being bullied at home. What the father doesn’t know yet is that there has been trouble at school, and it will take one intelligent cat to help them name the problem and move forward.

There is the 30-year-old woman who is supposed to be getting married. Her family’s cat passed recently, after a long and happy life. But now her grandmother is coming for a short visit, and they need a cat, preferably one that looks almost exactly like their cat Ron-Ron. Grandmother had always loved spending time with Ron-Ron, and since this will be her last visit, the family wants to offer her what seemed to be her favorite part of the trip. The woman searches pet shop after pet shop for a suitable replacement, but she finds nothing. She is referred to the rental shop, and there she finds a cat that will work. And not only does the cat help her grandmother have a good weekend, it helps restore the woman’s faith in family.

The Blanket Cats is a collection of stories filled with magical realism based on the special magic that cats bring to our lives. Originally written in Japan and translated into English, each chapter about one of the blanket cats offers insights into the human condition, elicits laughter or tears, brings back memories or makes hopes rise.

I love a book with a cat in it, and I have grown into a fan of magical realism. I enjoyed reading The Blanket Cats, but I have to admit that there is more sadness in these pages than I originally expected. These characters all ring true, with their challenges and their grief. The cats help, both the characters and me, but there is still a lot of sadness. I had to grab my own cat and get some snugs of my own to help with that.

Egalleys for The Blanket Cats were provided by G.P. Putnam’s Sons through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.