Do you know “Blanket Cats”? It is originally a Japanese fiction book written by Kiyoshi Shigematsu. And it was first translated into the Thai edition “Let the cats hug you” in February 2021. This is a truly remarkable story that will touch your heart and comfort you and I would gladly recommend everyone to read this book.
The book is mainly about “Blanket Cats”, a store with seven trained cats of different breeds and characteristics. Those cats are all fond of their blankets. And that is the reason why the store is called “Blanket Cats”. This store is where you can rent a cat. However, there are rules when it comes to renting a cat. First, you can only keep the cat for three days and two nights, because if it is longer than that, the renter will feel attached and the cat will be worried if they are not coming back to the store. Second, you can’t buy a cat and if you want to rent the same cat, you have to wait for one month at least. Third, the cat can only eat and sleep in what the store gave them. And the most important rule is that the cat’s blanket needs to be laid the same way as when they were rented, and even if they are dirty, the renter must not wash them. The book tells the stories of seven different people with seven different backgrounds and their rented cats. Those seven rented cats play a very big part in changing their renter’s life. They are a mysterious protagonist, a weird supporting character, a funny scene-stealer, or even a unique extra. All the stories reflect human life and tell truths about us and they all share the same point about relationships between people, with lots of details in each story. Some of the stories are about a Russian Blue cat and the man who was forced to quit his work, a woman with her lifetime companion, the “black cat” and more. Each of the cats is special in their own way. Some of them might help you fix your problems, see the world in other ways and understand people’s feelings. And this is the reason why the story has left me something to think about after finishing the book. I reflected on myself and thought back on my relationships with some people and how to fix them.
On reading the description of the book, you might be a little bit skeptical of it at first. But just open your heart and try reading this book. It is a lot better than you expected it to be at the first glance. It will give you more warmth and joy than you can imagine. As soon as I started reading the book, I couldn’t put it down, because I was so excited to read another story after the last story. Like I did, you will feel that tingling feeling in your heart as you read the book. You might also cry when you finish that one chapter or one page in the book. Moreover, you will notice yourself smiling at the cuteness and the naughtiness of the cat in the stories. Sometimes you will feel that the book hit you at the right spot, when you have had the same experience like the characters in the stories have, after that, the stories will pat you on the back and comfort you. The book is so well written that it feels like you can understand what the people in the book were feeling. In addition, the book should appeal to those who are cat lovers, it will certainly be a perfect fit for you. And for those who are not, this will also be a great book for you to read. It will warm you up just like a nice coat with your favorite hot chocolate in cold winter, like all those movie scenes you’ve watched.
The main point of the book is that “Whether your day is good or bad, contented or miserable, there will always be that warm blanket waiting for you at the end of the day”. And sometimes life just doesn't need that magnitude of happiness. Just a little is fine for you to move on. One point that I wanted to add for you, who are reading this, is that the author has defined those seven cats as a hope that will always be a light up for us and the translator also defines them as the spark of the idea. I have read this book before and for me, those cats are the little unexpected and unpredictable things that will guide me through my hard times. What about you? What will be the definition of your “Blanket Cats”?
Has this book been filmed as an anime or manga? I feel like I have seen it before. Anyways, your essay really persuaded me to read it. I think most Japanese anime or fiction gives us a different aspect, another perspective that we might never have seen. They are always good at playing with our emotions too, which I I really like.
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