Spotlight on: We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat by Syou Ishida

About the book:

Courtesy of the publisher

It’s time to revisit the Kokoro Clinic for the Soul.

Though it’s a mysteriously located clinic with an uncertain address, it can always be found by those who need it. And the clinic has proven time after time that a prescribed cat has the power to heal the emotional wounds of its patients. This charming sequel introduces a new lovable cast of healing cats, from Kotetsu, a four-month-old Bengal who unleashes his boundless energy by demolishing bed linens and curtains, to tenacious and curious Shasha, who doesn’t let her small size stop her from anything, and the most lovable yet lazy cat Ms. Michiko, who is as soft and comforting as mochi.

As characters from one chapter appear as side characters in the next, we follow a young woman who cannot help pushing away the man who loves her, a recently widowed grandfather whose grandson refuses to leave his room, the family of a young woman who struggle to understand each other, and an anxious man who works at a cat shelter seeking to show how the most difficult cats can be the most rewarding. This moving, magical novel of interconnected tales proves the strength in the unfathomable bond between cats and people.

How it starts:

With thanks to the publisher

1

Kotetsu, Noelle,
and Bibi

Moé Ohtani suddenly became aware that the ground beneath her was dank and soggy. She scanned her surroundings. Unknowingly, she had wandered into a dimly lit alleyway. Just a moment ago, she had been walking down the lively Kawaramachi Street. One of Kyoto’s premier shopping districts, the street was always bustling with tourists and young people, and the crowds only grew larger from evening into the night. Usually, on her way back from school, Moé and her friends would join the throng, hitting up cafés and shops. But today, she was alone.

Yes, she had headed west on Takoyakushi Street to avoid the crowd but somehow ended up in an unfamiliar location. Standing in a cul-de-sac, she didn’t recognize the narrow, old-fashioned block that towered before her. The door was open, revealing a hallway extending into its depths.

Where on earth . . . ?

She had been so out of it. It was precisely why she’d been called unreliable and accident-prone. Still, this was the first time she’d actually gotten lost because she had been distracted. She let out a deep sigh.

The best way to avoid seeing her boyfriend would be to wander around a bit. She could go to a friend’s place, whine and fuss, and act like she hadn’t noticed anything. She’d ignore her phone. Yes, she could continue to be oblivious. Would that delay the breakup? Or would he end things anyway with a text? It would probably hurt less that way.

She stood still, eyes fixed on the gloomy building. If only her situation would change while she stood right here in this shadowy alley. If only some higher power could flick a magic wand to prevent the impending breakup. Anything would do. She wanted to run away from it all, to look the other way. But her pointless time-wasting only amplified the pain.

For the first time in a while, she was about to see her boyfriend, but the thought brought no joy. If anything, she almost wished it wouldn’t happen. She sniffled and turned her back to the building.

Just then, a small voice called out, “Hey, you there!”

About the author:

With thanks to the publisher

Born in 1975 in Kyoto, award-winning author Syou Ishida is a keen supporter of rescue cats. Her debut in the series, We’ll Prescribe You a Cat, has been a runaway international bestseller. We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat is the second volume in the series to be published internationally. Volume 3 has also been released in Japan and will be published in the English-language next year.

My thoughts:

First of all, I think that the cover of this book is clever and perfect. It invites readers, old and new, right in.

I adored meeting the cats and people. I liked the clever way in which there were connections between one story and the next.

We’ll Prescribe You Another Cat is part of a trend toward books that offer characters who are facing issues in their lives. A bit of magic goes a long way in these stories. To me they seem to reflect an antidote to troubled times and a chance for some optimism and hope as is the case here.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 02 September 2025