'Purr-fect' books to add to your TBR list

Cats have long held a special place in literature.

Our feline friends have tickled the imagination of many writers since the beginning of time. Japanese literature, in particular, is known for several noteworthy titles about cats. Bestselling Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, for instance, is famous for having cats in his novels. The great Japanese writer Natsume Soseki had a most memorable narrator in the form of a world-wise kitten in his classic work I am a Cat. 

Here are other titles inspired by cats:

How to Train Your Human: A Cat’s Guide by Babas, Translated by Katherine Gregor

In Babas’ How to Train Your Human, an intelligent Italian cat instructs its fellow felines in the “elaborate arts of human domestication.” Since its publication, the book has been a sensation and has been translated into 14 languages. This clever and oftentimes funny reversal of POV allows readers to make better sense of this very special relationship we share with the cats in our lives.

The book is translated from Italian by Katherine Gregor with black-and-white illustrations by Andrea Ferolla. 

We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

This award-winning and bestselling Japanese novel has won the hearts of readers with its delightful stories bound by the same theme: a person going through a rough patch or inner turmoil and being prescribed a cat.

If you’re a fan of contemporary Japanese novels, with their straightforward prose, then you’re going to love this one that’s written by Syou Ishida and translated from the Japanese by E. Madison Shimoda.

I Am a Cat by Sōseki Natsume

Sōseki Natsume's comic masterpiece I Am a Cat is a satirical look into the foolishness of upper-middle-class Japanese society during the Meiji era. Written from 1904 through 1906, it follows the whimsical adventures of a world-weary, overbearing, and nameless stray kitten who comments on the foibles of the people around him.

This book is purrfect, not only for cat lovers, but also for Japanophiles, as it is a window into Japan’s Meiji Restoration period, a pivotal moment in the country’s history that’s marked by major political, economic and social upheavals. 

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

An instant international bestseller, The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa continues to delight readers around the world. With Arikawa’s simple yet evocative prose, the novel follows Nana the cat and his owner, Satoru, as they embark on a special journey that will teach them courage, gratitude, loyalty, and, like most stories, love.

Cat's People by Tanya Guerrero

Cat’s People tells the tale of Cat, a loving and clever yet cautious black street cat with a troubled past. Living under the hedges in Brooklyn, NY, Cat values her independence but feels inexplicably drawn to five lonely humans who visit her regularly: a reclusive bestselling author, a cherished neighborhood mailman, a grieving widower, a checkout girl from Georgia, and the colorful “Rainbow Lady.”

When Cat falls seriously ill, these strangers come together, forming unlikely friendships that change their lives.

Calvin and Hobbes Portable Compendium

One of the most famous comic strips of all time, and widely considered “the last great newspaper comic,” Calvin and Hobbes is a daily American comic strip created by cartoonist Bill Watterson that was syndicated for a full decade, from 18 November 1985, to 31 December 1995. 

It follows the humorous, yet also thought-provoking, antics of the titular characters: Calvin, a precocious and mischievous six-year-old boy; and his friend Hobbes, a sardonic tiger.

At the height of its popularity, Calvin and Hobbes was featured in over 2,400 newspapers worldwide, and reruns of the strip continue to appear in more than 50 countries.

Kawaii Kitties: Learn How to Draw 75 Catsin All Their Glory by Olive Yong

Popular Instagram artist Olive Young, creator of Bichi Mao, deftly captures cats — well, in all their glory — in this easy-peasy guide and no-sweat crash course to kawaii cat aesthetic.

Stray Cats by Irene Sarmiento

An uplifting work which brims with references to Philippine folklore, Stray Cats follows the adventures of 13-year-old Elisa Paz, who joins forces with a talking orange cat named Oscar Santos to find her best friend, Raquel Madria, who has gone missing. 

The Sad Cat by Michelle Sarile Alagao 

This tender, heartwarming children’s book sees the titular sad cat asking his friends what they do when they feel sad. Written in gorgeous rhymed verses, the book aims to help young readers better understand complex emotions such as sadness. 

Written by Michelle Sarile Alagao and illustrated by Enid Din, the book has parallel English and Filipino texts and also provides tips for parents and caregivers on how to help children manage their difficult emotions.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki

The Full Moon Coffee Shop is set in a mysterious coffee shop in Kyoto, this coffee shop is unlike any other. It has no fixed location, no fixed hours, and it appears at random. Strangest of all, it’s run by talking cats.

All titles are available at Fullybooked.