The Nakagyo Kokoro Clinic for the Soul sits on the fifth floor of a nondescript building wedged between two tall structures in a back alley in Kyoto, Japan. Patients visit this famous psychiatric clinic for help with their mental health. In Syou Ishida's WELCOME TO THE KOKORO CAT CLINIC, they leave with a prescription for a cat and a deeper appreciation of the healing power of felines.

Fuko Hatta is the first to seek out the clinic’s services when an upcoming job presentation leaves her anxious and worried. With Bena's prescription, Fuko witnesses how the cat reacts to her family and different stimuli. Bena listens as Fuko practices her presentation and gives her the support and encouragement she needs, while also inadvertently reconnecting Fuko with a former classmate. In subsequent stories, a new father faces challenges after his first child changes the family dynamic; a thirty-year-old illustrator struggles to pay her bills and find passion in her artwork again; an eighteen-year-old loner grapples with self-confidence and takes on the responsibilities of several cats after they are abandoned.

WELCOME TO THE KOKORO CAT CLINIC is like medicine for the soul. From the diverse set of characters who populate the clinic to the animated and quirky cats that accompany them through their mental health journey, this novel delivers on its premise that animals can heal humans. The strength of the novel lies in the richly drawn characters, with their detailed backstories and current struggles. From family dynamics, expectation failures, underemployment, lack of self-confidence, and the need to let go of what others think, the stories remind us of our shared human experiences. They also remind us that there is no single path to happiness and that no one knows us better than ourselves (and our cats). The themes are universal, the struggles authentic, and the emotions heartfelt. Sometimes the cats are the direct cure, and other times it is the action of behaving like a cat or partaking in their care that brings awareness. Each story will bring a smile to your face or a touch of sadness to your heart, and all stories in WELCOME TO THE KOKORO CAT CLINIC deliver a magical tale.