A friend of mine, who is a huge cat-lover despite her alarming cat allergies, once told me that the most admired trait in a cat (that is arguably transferable to the human realm) is that we as humans need to earn their trust in order to be anywhere near them. Any form of stroking or mere poking of a cat is a real privilege.
In this novel, Satoru and his cat, Nana, embark on a journey to meet Satoru's old friends and relive his childhood memories. As a reader, I was under the impression that a mildly important convenience, such as moving to a new city, switching jobs, or moving to a pet-unfriendly home, was causing Satoru to find Nana a new home. But this story was so much more than that.
This is a story that reveals the best in people. It shows a man's desire to fix his marriage, though his approach of enticing his wife home with a cat may be too strategic and superficially insincere. We learn about family, dignity, and the importance of being at peace with oneself. This story recognizes that every person can be their own source of solace and kindness, and that the world will protect genuine, giving intent.
Nana the cat, the ostensible focus of the novel, serves as an unashamed, much too logical voice, and brings in comic relief. Nana reminds us to celebrate simplicity, embrace all that is straightforward, and to quit inventing meaning behind all that happens. Simply let what happens happen. Observe events with detachment, leap and follow true instinct; these reactions to circumstances will seem like the simplest thing to do when we are able to sit back and fully accept reality for what it is. Basically, be a cat.
My heart jolted during Satoru's last moments in the hospital. Nana actively chose to return to the life of a stray cat if he could not be Satoru's cat; no level of pampering or care could convince him to be someone else's cat. The level of loyalty and connection between cat and man was so pure. There are no excruciating thoughts of loneliness or worry from Nana the entire time he roams around the hospital as Satoru received his cancer treatment and lived his last few days of life. Nana embodies loyalty to its fullest, and he does so effortlessly.
The greatest surprise came in the last few chapters as we learn about Satoru's painful past of having been abandoned by his biological parents, but receiving the purest love from his parents, the people who raised him. Satoru reminds me that pain can always be transformed into compassion and kindness. Loss can be the greatest fuel for good deeds. We are not our past, but we are how we choose to pave our path forward with all the pain we carry. After all, Nana, the cat that, at first, seemed so indifferent, acknowledges Satoru's bravery and compassion:
I get it. Having Satoru take me in as his cat, I think I felt as lucky as he did. Strays, by definition, have been abandoned or left behind, but Satoru rescued me when I broke my leg. He made me the happiest cat on earth. I'll always remember those five years we had together. And I'll forever go by the name Nana, the name that - let's face it - is pretty unusual for a male cat.
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