You’re generally a dog person or a cat person. Very rarely, are you both. I’m biased toward dogs, having always had a pet or two while growing up. Cats used to scare me. Something about the way they moved their bodies sent a shiver down my spine. Then a friend got a cat and I was forced to make friends with her, and even follow her (the cat) on Instagram. Yes, the cat has a separate Instagram account. That might not surprise many people these days as most pets seem to have social media accounts with their humans as managers. But I was in shock for quite a while—I was following a cat. Worse, the cat wasn’t even following me. My friend told me cats were easier to care for—they didn’t require as much attention as dogs, kept pretty much to themselves, and were cleaner too. I was intrigued. Not so much as to get a cat myself but enough to read books where cats made regular appearances or were central characters. I have to admit they were fun, and reading such books has now made me less scared of cats. ‘She and Her Cat’ by Makoto Shinkai is a series of interconnected short stories about the connection between people and their pets as well as people themselves. There’s a devoted cat named Chobi who wills his young owner to end a faltering relationship that’s causing her much anguish. There’s a spirited young cat who grows up under the care of a gifted artist who misunderstands her boss’ enthusiasm for her paintings. Cookie, a kitten, hatches a plan to persuade her reclusive owner to go outside after the death of her friend. Then, finally, there’s a woman who has dedicated her life to caring for others. She learns an invaluable lesson in independence from the feral cat that replaces her wise old dog.

These vignettes capture the cat’s complex thoughts, emotions, and behavior with such clarity that you are left marveling at how they can be great companions while being so fiercely independent. Since the narration goes back and forth between the cats and humans, it feels really refreshing. You don’t have to love cats to fall in love with this book. There’s a lot of wisdom and warmth in these stories. My only complaint is that the stories were too short and sometimes you didn’t get to know the characters very well. Otherwise, She and Her Cat is a comforting read that’s just right for the weekend.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60049848-she-and-her-cat Four stars She and Her Cat Makoto Shinkai & Naruki Nagakawa Translated into English by Ginny Tapley Takemori Published: 2022 Publisher: Atria Books Pages: 180, Hardcover