The Goodbye Cat

The uplifting new Japanese cat novel from the million-copy bestselling author of The Travelling Cat Chronicles

The perfect read for cat lovers

'Quirky and life-enhancing' The Times Biggest Books of the Autumn 2023

Against changing seasons in Japan, seven cats weave their way through their owners' lives.

- A needy kitten rescued from the recycling bin teaches a new father how to parent his own human baby
- An elderly cat hatches a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner may be together for ever
- A colony of wild cats on a holiday island shows a young boy not to stand in nature's way
- A family is perplexed by their cat's devotion to their charismatic but uncaring father
- A woman curses how her cat constantly visits her at night

Bursting with empathy and love, The Goodbye Cat explores the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down.

A huge bestseller in Japan, every page is a joyous celebration of cats and how we cannot resist sharing our lives with them.

'A book for every cat lover. An enchanting insight into the mysterious world of cats and their humans' celia Haddon, author of Being Your Cat

Includes seven beautiful cat drawings

Readers Adore The Goodbye Cat

- 'Wonderful! These cats are charming and truly come alive. The book is full of human - or rather, cat kindness'

- 'Irresistible. This is the first time since The Travelling Cat Chronicles that I cried my eyes out over a book'

- 'I'm glad I didn't read it outside because I couldn't stop crying. Truly life-enhancing'

About the Author

Hiro Arikawa is the million-copy bestselling author of The Travelling Cat Chronicles. Her brand new homage to cats, The Goodbye Cat, brings together seven cats as they weave their way through their owners' lives. Featuring all the irresistible wit, wisdom and warmth that thousands of readers across the world love so much in her storytelling. The Goodbye Cat is published into multiple languages.

Hiro Arikawa lives in the city of Takarazuka, Japan.