We’ll Prescribe You a Cat Summary, Characters and Themes
We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida is a heartwarming Japanese novel that blends magical realism with the soothing companionship of cats.
Set in contemporary Kyoto, the story revolves around the enigmatic Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul, a place that offers unique therapy: prescribing cats to those in emotional distress. Through five interconnected tales, the novel explores themes of healing, self-discovery, and connection, all guided by the quirks and wisdom of feline companions. With its tender storytelling and charming premise, the book reveals how the smallest gestures of care and love can lead to profound personal transformation.
Summary
Nestled in a hidden alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul is no ordinary establishment.
Accessible only to those in desperate need, this mysterious clinic prescribes cats as therapy, transforming the lives of its visitors in unexpected ways. Each chapter of We’ll Prescribe You a Cat tells the story of a patient, their struggles, and their healing journey, brought about through the playful, wise, and occasionally challenging presence of their feline companions.
1. Bee
Shuta, a young corporate worker drowning in workplace stress and ethical dilemmas, stumbles upon the clinic when he reaches his breaking point. Prescribed a gray cat named Bee, Shuta is skeptical of the unconventional treatment. Initially detached, he grows attached to Bee after learning the clinic euthanizes unclaimed cats. Through his bond with Bee, Shuta discovers the courage to confront his toxic work environment. By the time he attempts to revisit the clinic to express his gratitude, it has disappeared—underscoring its mystical nature.
2. Margot
Middle-aged Koga feels out of place at work and alienated at home, especially from his teenage daughter. His first prescribed cat, Margot, strains his family life due to his wife’s cat allergy. Frustrated, he returns to the clinic, which then offers him a calico cat named Six-Patch. This time, Koga bonds deeply with his daughter over the cat. Six-Patch becomes a bridge between Koga and his family, as well as a symbol of renewal at work. Koga learns to connect empathetically with others, embracing change rather than resisting it.
3. Koyuki Tank and Tangerine
Megumi, a working mother burdened by childhood guilt, accompanies her anxious teenage daughter, Aoba, to the clinic. They are prescribed Koyuki, a white cat reminiscent of Megumi’s long-lost kitten. As they care for Koyuki together, Megumi and Aoba confront their unspoken emotions, bridging the gap in their strained relationship. The process helps Megumi heal her past and Aoba feel heard, creating a stronger bond between them.
4. Tank and Tangerine Mimita
Tomoka, a perfectionist handbag designer stuck in a stagnant relationship, struggles with control issues. Through the clinic’s prescription of a Ragdoll cat (variously referred to as Tank or Tangerine), Tomoka is forced to reevaluate her rigid expectations. The cat teaches her the value of flexibility and the importance of living authentically, ultimately leading her to reassess her life priorities.
5. Mimita, a Scottish Fold
Abino, a grieving geisha, has been unable to move on from the loss of her beloved cat Chitose. When the clinic prescribes Mimita, a gentle Scottish Fold, Abino is initially resistant. Over time, Mimita helps her confront her grief, allowing her to process her sorrow and open her heart again. This poignant journey of healing becomes one of the book’s emotional highlights.
Through these interconnected stories, We’ll Prescribe You a Cat gently explores the transformative power of compassion, connection, and the human-animal bond, leaving readers with a sense of warmth and hope.
Characters
Shuta and Bee
Shuta is a young corporate employee who feels overwhelmed by job-related stress and ethical dilemmas. His internal conflict revolves around witnessing unethical practices in his workplace but not knowing whether to expose them, leave his job, or continue to ignore them.
This anxiety spirals out of control, impacting his personal life. When Shuta is prescribed Bee, a gray cat, he initially questions the effectiveness of this unconventional treatment.
His emotional transformation begins slowly, with Bee offering comfort through her presence, though at first, Shuta is skeptical. His true emotional growth emerges when he is faced with the threat of Bee being euthanized if returned.
This fear propels him into a deeper emotional connection with the cat, which helps him gain the courage to address his personal life and career more decisively. By the end of his arc, Shuta has experienced a personal awakening, and his actions reflect his newfound strength and ability to take control of his life.
Koga and Margot/Six-Patch
Koga is a middle-aged office worker and father who feels disconnected from both his family and his workplace. At work, he finds himself overshadowed by a younger colleague, while at home, his relationship with his wife and teenage daughter has grown distant.
His prescription begins with Margot, a tortoiseshell cat, though his wife’s cat allergy complicates the situation. Koga’s emotional journey takes another turn when he is given Six-Patch, a calico cat, after attempting to return Margot.
Through the cat’s influence, Koga begins to reconnect with his daughter, and his new openness extends to his professional life, helping him develop a more empathetic approach toward his colleagues, including the new female manager.
Koga’s arc is about regaining relevance in his personal and professional life through the subtle but profound impact of the cat, which helps him rediscover empathy, communication, and emotional connection.
Megumi, Aoba, and Koyuki
Megumi, a working mother, and her teenage daughter, Aoba, are central to a story about unresolved grief and emotional distance. Aoba feels unheard and isolated, struggling with social pressures at school.
Megumi, on the other hand, carries deep guilt from her childhood over abandoning a kitten named Yuki. This unresolved trauma affects her relationship with Aoba.
When they both visit the Kokoro Clinic, they are prescribed Koyuki, a white cat that resembles Megumi’s childhood cat. Koyuki’s presence forces Megumi to confront her past and unresolved feelings about the kitten she abandoned.
As Megumi processes her guilt, she becomes more attuned to Aoba’s struggles, which leads to a mutual understanding. Aoba, in turn, gains insight into her mother’s emotional baggage, and together they begin to heal their strained relationship.
Their story highlights the power of shared emotional experiences and the importance of listening and understanding in family dynamics.
Tomoka and Tank/Tangerine
Tomoka, a driven handbag designer, is a perfectionist who struggles with feelings of unfulfillment in both her professional and personal life. She is stuck in a stagnant relationship with Daigo, who doesn’t seem to meet her expectations.
Through her time with the cat(s) – Tank and Tangerine – Tomoka is confronted with her controlling tendencies. These tendencies are reflected not only in her approach to her business but also in her relationship with Daigo.
Caring for the cat(s) forces Tomoka to reevaluate her expectations of herself and others. She is faced with the challenge of whether to maintain her rigid standards or learn to embrace flexibility.
Tomoka’s emotional breakthrough lies in her willingness to accept imperfection and recognize that her perfectionism has been a barrier to emotional connection and personal growth. Her time with the cats nudges her toward emotional openness and personal change, particularly in her relationship with Daigo.
Abino and Mimita
Abino is a modern-day geisha who is struggling with the grief of losing her beloved cat, Chitose. Despite her professional success, Abino cannot let go of the sorrow surrounding Chitose’s disappearance, which has left her emotionally closed off.
She is reluctant to bond with another cat, fearing the pain of another loss. When prescribed Mimita, a Scottish Fold cat, she initially keeps her distance, but Mimita’s gentle nature gradually helps Abino open up.
Abino’s emotional breakthrough comes when she finally allows herself to grieve fully for Chitose, breaking free from the emotional barricade she had built around herself. Mimita plays a crucial role in this process, offering Abino the emotional support she needs to heal.
Her journey is one of emotional vulnerability, as she learns to accept grief and find healing through the unconditional love of her new feline companion.
Themes
The Transformative Healing Power of Emotional Vulnerability and Unconventional Therapy
In “We’ll Prescribe You a Cat,” the central theme revolves around the transformative power of emotional vulnerability and healing through unconventional means. The book takes an interesting turn by presenting an enigmatic clinic that offers cats as “prescriptions,” an idea that seems outlandish at first but becomes a profound form of therapy for the patients.
Each character in the story is at a low point in their life—be it through career crisis, family disconnection, perfectionism, or unresolved grief. The idea that a living creature, like a cat, can provide the emotional support needed to heal shows the novel’s strong advocacy for emotional openness.
It challenges the conventional methods of therapy and self-help, instead showing that sometimes, embracing something as simple and natural as the companionship of a cat can spur the necessary reflection, emotional growth, and self-realization. The vulnerability in allowing themselves to care for the animals and, by extension, their own emotional wellbeing is a key part of their journey toward healing.
The author beautifully illustrates that healing doesn’t always come from traditional or scientific solutions but from unexpected sources that encourage one to nurture and open up emotionally.
Shared Struggles and Healing Journeys
The second significant theme in the novel is the subtle yet powerful interconnection between the lives of the clinic’s patients. Each of the five primary stories stands on its own, yet a gentle undercurrent runs through them, revealing that the struggles of one character are often echoed in the lives of others.
Characters make passing references to previous patients or catch glimpses of one another, creating a sense of shared humanity and communal healing. The concept that the clinic is accessible only to those truly in need and that once the healing process begins, the clinic vanishes, further strengthens the idea that these journeys are both individual and collective.
The interconnectedness between the characters suggests that healing is not just a solitary endeavor but part of a larger, universal human experience. It draws attention to the idea that our struggles—whether in the professional, familial, or emotional realms—are not unique but shared by many.
Through empathy, understanding, and support, healing can occur. This theme paints a poignant picture of how interconnected human lives are, despite our differing backgrounds and circumstances.
Finding Balance in Independence and Support
Another central theme of the novel is the complex relationship between self-discovery and the necessity for external help. The patients in the book are dealing with significant inner conflicts—identity crises, strained relationships, and existential doubts—yet it’s only through the intervention of a seemingly mystical external entity (the clinic and its cats) that they are able to work through these issues.
This presents a delicate balance between independence and the need for guidance or support from external forces. At first, many of the patients are reluctant or skeptical about the idea of a cat helping them resolve their personal struggles.
However, as they engage in the process, they learn that it is through this external help, often a catalyst for reflection, that they can unlock the answers within themselves. The cats are not the ones who directly solve their problems, but they act as a mirror for the patients, offering them a chance to nurture and reflect.
This theme highlights how sometimes, in our quest for self-discovery, we need a helping hand or a push from something—or someone—external to help us recognize our own strengths, emotions, and needs.
Confronting and Healing From Past Trauma Through Compassion and Connection
The theme of confronting and healing from past trauma is one of the novel’s most emotionally charged elements. Several characters in the book, such as Megumi, who harbors guilt from abandoning her childhood cat, and Abino, who struggles with the death of her beloved cat Chitose, are unable to move forward in life due to unresolved emotional wounds tied to their past experiences.
In these cases, the cats serve not only as companions but as symbols of healing. The process of caring for these animals forces the patients to confront the painful memories they’ve tried to suppress.
The act of nurturing another being opens a pathway to self-compassion, allowing the characters to address and heal deep-seated emotional scars. For Megumi, the cat Koyuki brings her to terms with the guilt she’s carried for years, while Abino’s journey with Mimita helps her let go of the grief that’s haunted her since the loss of Chitose.
The novel suggests that healing is not a linear or straightforward process, but one that requires compassion, understanding, and connection—not just with others, but with oneself. The gentle companionship of the cats plays a crucial role in guiding the characters to confront their pain, showing that healing from trauma often involves embracing vulnerability and allowing oneself to feel and process the past fully.
The Illusory Nature of Traditional Success and the Value of Personal Fulfillment and Emotional Balance
Another significant theme that runs throughout the stories is the illusory nature of traditional success and the importance of personal fulfillment and emotional balance. Characters like Shuta, the corporate employee, and Tomoka, the handbag designer, are driven by societal standards of success—Shuta’s anxiety over workplace corruption and Tomoka’s perfectionism in her business and personal life are both manifestations of the pressure to conform to external expectations.
However, the presence of the cats in their lives forces them to rethink their definitions of success. Through their interactions with the animals, they are gently guided toward recognizing that true fulfillment comes not from meeting societal benchmarks but from achieving emotional balance and personal satisfaction.
For Shuta, it’s the realization that he has the power to make decisions that align with his values, while Tomoka’s time with the cats helps her understand that letting go of perfectionism and embracing imperfection can lead to greater happiness and contentment.
This theme suggests that the pursuit of external success often leads to emotional burnout, while inner peace and fulfillment come from recognizing one’s emotional needs and prioritizing personal well-being over societal accolades.