Welcome To The Kokoro Cat Clinic by Syou Ishida

 

Four individuals find support for the issues they are dealing with through the Nakagyo Kokoro Clinic For The Soul, which prescribes cats to help alleviate those problems. 

Welcome To The Kokoro Cat Clinic by Syou Ishida follows on from We'll Prescribe You A Cat (you can find my review here) and We'll Prescribe You Another Cat (read my review here), and is a lovely addition to the series.

As with the previous books, we meet individuals who are dealing with issues in their day-to-day lives. Fuko is nervous about giving a presentation at work. Kōtarō is a relatively new father and is feeling stressed. Orié has lost focus in her life and career. Ao is retreating from not only her family, but people in general. Seeking out the elusive and mystical Kokoro Clinic for the Soul, they meet Dr Nikké and nurse Chitose. Both Dr Nikké and nurse Chitose are strange individuals; they display such cat-like qualities such as condescension, playfulness, boredom, curiosity, and stealth, that you begin to wonder about their true nature. 

This book deviates slightly from the previous books in that only two of the characters are prescribed a cat. Kōtarō is taught how 'to cat', to learn some of the feline traits that will help him to deal with his stress, and thus be a better husband and father. 

I found Ao's story the most emotional one. In We'll Prescribe You Another Cat there are references to a cat hoarding situation that took place in the building which houses the clinic. Through Ao's tale we learn more about it. Retreating from society, Ao is happy to look after the cats in a shelter, forming strong bonds with some of them. When the shelter goes out of business, Ao is left struggling to care for the cats which are abandoned. 

Similarly to the previous books, we see that cats offer us so much. Their presence can help us to de-stress, offering moments of calm or distraction from everyday life. By watching their actions, we can also gain insight into behaviours we could adopt to improve our lives, allowing us to reflect on what is important.

Author Details

Born in 1975 in Kyoto, Syou Ishida is an award-winning author. Her debut in the series, We’ll Prescribe You a Cat, has been a runaway international bestseller and has been the subject of numerous news articles, including in the Guardian and the New York Times. We'll Prescribe You Another Cat is the second volume in the series to be published internationally. The third volume, entitled Welcome to the Kokoro Cat Clinic in English, has been noted for its increased emotional depth. Its big themes will resonate with readers and cat-lovers everywhere.