Cats twist their way into people’s lives and become essential family members, often like siblings to human children. The Goodbye Cat features seven stories exploring how this happens and how it feels from the cats’, and humans’, perspective. The stories are simply written, but so very lovely. In my favorite story a husband who’s unprepared for a baby, saves a kitten and by taking care of it, learns how to care for his human child as well.

My only regret is that I didn’t realize this spoils The Travelling Cat Chronicles, which I’ve wanted to read and whose characters are met here in a story that is set after the novel. I'm worried there'll be no surprise element left if I read it, but it might still be worth a try.