49 pages 1-hour read

Syou Ishida, Transl. E. Madison Shimoda

We'll Prescribe You a Cat

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2024

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

A 25-year-old employee at a demanding brokerage firm suffering from severe burnout and insomnia. He seeks out the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul to escape his toxic work environment. Instead of traditional medication, he receives an unusual animal prescription that shifts his daily priorities and responsibilities.

Key Relationships

Patient of Dr. Nikké

Caretaker of Bee

Subordinate to Emoto

Coworker of Kijima

Coworker of Yuina Sakashita

Employee of Jinnai

Acquaintance of Satsuki Jinnai

A 51-year-old middle manager at an outsourced call center. He feels alienated both at work and within his own home, blaming his stress on the cheerful demeanor of his new supervisor. His inability to sleep drives him to seek help at the mysterious clinic, leading to a shift in his family dynamics.

Key Relationships

Husband of Natsue Koga

Father of Emiri Koga

Subordinate to Hinako Nakajima

Patient of Dr. Nikké

Caretaker of Margot

A mother preoccupied with social validation and appearing competent to other parents. She brings her fourth-grade daughter to the clinic for help regarding school cliques. Her strict parenting style and impatience mask unresolved trauma from her own youth.

Key Relationships

Mother of Aoba

Patient of Dr. Nikké

Caretaker of Koyuki

A successful handbag designer whose strict perfectionism drives away her staff. She struggles to maintain total control over her professional life while tolerating complacence in her personal life. A clinic visit introduces chaos into her carefully curated apartment, forcing a change in perspective.

Key Relationships

Romantic Partner of Daigo

Business Partner of Junko

Patient of Dr. Nikké

Caretaker of Tank

Caretaker of Tangerine

Employer of Mitsuki

Professional Connection to Abino (Ami Takeda)

A 26-year-old geiko living and working in Kyoto. She carries profound grief over the disappearance of her previous cat and feels responsible for the loss. She maintains a serene public exterior while privately struggling to find closure and move past her sorrow.

Key Relationships

Caretaker of Chitose (Cat)

Caretaker of Mimita

Client of Dr. Kokoro Suda

Housemate of Shizue

Coworker of Yuriha

Employee of Ioka

The eccentric young doctor at the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. He prescribes cats instead of medication and offers unusual advice to his stressed patients. He operates entirely outside the bounds of traditional psychiatry, matching specific animals to specific human needs.

Key Relationships

Coworker of Chitose

Doctor to Shuta Kagawa

Doctor to Yusaku Koga

Doctor to Megumi Minamida

Doctor to Tomoka Takamine

A manager at a prestigious brokerage firm. He publicly shames employees and forces them to cover his unethical business practices. He rules his department through intimidation and views his subordinates purely as tools for his own advancement.

Key Relationships

Manager of Shuta Kagawa

Manager of Kijima

Supporting Characters

The brusque, aloof nurse at the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul. She assists Dr. Nikké in matching patients with their feline prescriptions. She possesses a highly pragmatic demeanor that sharply contrasts with the doctor's whimsical nature.

Key Relationships

Coworker of Dr. Nikké

Connected to Abino (Ami Takeda)

The imposing owner of a construction company. Despite his tough exterior and gold chains, he is deeply compassionate and a passionate cat lover. He runs his business like a community and offers support to struggling young people willing to work hard.

Key Relationships

Husband of Satsuki Jinnai

Employer of Shuta Kagawa

Admirer of Bee

Jinnai's wife, who helps run the construction company. She shares her husband's fondness for animals and helps provide a supportive presence for their workers. She still carries the memory of a beloved pet that passed away years earlier.

Key Relationships

Wife of Jinnai

Employer of Shuta Kagawa

Admirer of Bee

The cheerful new deputy general manager at the call center. Her constant enthusiasm and habit of offering praise initially frustrate her older colleagues. She works hard to create a positive environment in a notoriously high-stress workplace.

Key Relationships

Manager of Yusaku Koga

Yusaku's wife, who maintains a quiet distance from her husband. She obtains allergy medication so she can interact with the household's new animal, leading to a shift in their strained family dynamic.

Key Relationships

Wife of Yusaku Koga

Mother of Emiri Koga

Caretaker of Margot

Yusaku and Natsue's college-aged daughter. She is interested in social media and tries to help her father understand the emotional effort required to give genuine compliments to others.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Yusaku Koga

Daughter of Natsue Koga

Caretaker of Margot

Tomoka's easygoing, unemployed boyfriend. He handles cooking but lacks ambition, creating unspoken tension in their relationship. His carefree nature directly opposes his partner's need for strict order.

Key Relationships

Romantic Partner of Tomoka Takamine

A kind, elderly veterinarian running the Suda Animal Hospital. He provides medical care for the area's animals and rescues abandoned pets from difficult situations, offering a grounded form of healing.

Key Relationships

Veterinarian to Abino (Ami Takeda)

Veterinarian to Tomoka Takamine

Acquaintance of Ioka

A gray female cat with golden eyes prescribed to a stressed brokerage worker. Her actions directly disrupt his stagnant routine and force him to take on new responsibilities.

Key Relationships

Prescribed to Shuta Kagawa

A mixed-breed tortoiseshell cat prescribed to treat insomnia. Her vocal habits alter the quiet, distant atmosphere in a fractured household.

Key Relationships

Prescribed to Yusaku Koga

A tiny white kitten with a black patch on one ear. She bears a striking resemblance to a pet from her caretaker's past.

Key Relationships

Prescribed to Megumi Minamida

Cared for by Aoba

A fourth-grade student struggling with classroom cliques. She pushes her mother to take her problems seriously and shows natural skill in caring for animals.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Megumi Minamida

An energetic American shorthair cat. His excitable behavior causes significant messes in a highly controlled environment.

Key Relationships

Prescribed to Tomoka Takamine

A serene, blue-eyed Ragdoll cat mistakenly prescribed at the clinic, matching her caretaker's orderly aesthetic perfectly.

Key Relationships

Prescribed to Tomoka Takamine

A calico cat with declining health. Her disappearance leaves a lasting emotional impact on her owner, driving much of the surrounding narrative.

Key Relationships

Cared for by Abino (Ami Takeda)

An affectionate Scottish Fold prescribed to a grieving geiko to help her process a difficult loss.

Key Relationships

Prescribed to Abino (Ami Takeda)

An employee at a toxic brokerage firm who quits abruptly, leaving his coworker to handle suspicious client documents.

Key Relationships

Coworker of Shuta Kagawa

Subordinate to Emoto

An accountant at a brokerage firm who assists with client documents and shares vital office news.

Key Relationships

Coworker of Shuta Kagawa

A business partner at a handbag design firm. She recognizes the signs of severe burnout and suggests seeking professional help.

Key Relationships

Business Partner of Tomoka Takamine

The deputy director at the City Cat Rescue Center. He bears a striking physical resemblance to a clinic doctor.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Yusaku Koga

A wealthy building owner and patron in Kyoto who supports local veterinary rescue efforts.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Dr. Kokoro Suda

The proprietress of an okiya (lodging house) in Kyoto. She provides a stable living environment for the geiko residing there.

Key Relationships

Housemate of Abino (Ami Takeda)

A geiko living in Kyoto who quickly and easily bonds with new animals brought into the lodging house.

Key Relationships

Coworker of Abino (Ami Takeda)