This is such a warm, cozy book about finding community and family!

Cat's People definitely reminded me of other cozy Japanese novels (especially the Travelling Cat Chronicles) due to the nature of human lives and a cat's life intertwining. Each of the characters had their own personalities and I did feel quite connected to each of them and able to relate to their struggles and worries. Some of the plotlines did feel a bit rushed to me, I wish we had gotten more time to digest some of the conflicts.

All in all, though, this was such a warm book and I would highly recommend it for anyone (though especially cat people!) who is looking for a comfort read!

A sweet and heartwarming tale of a disparate group of people building the found family they needed so badly. The gimmick that brought them all together was a stray cat that they each interacted with and cared for.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

Tanya Guerrero has written such a wonderful little book about finding one’s family.

The story centers around a black street CAT who has interacted with numerous people in one NYC neighborhood. It is the cat who brings all of the people together in different ways. We start with the lonely barista who champions the cats of the neighborhood. Then to a recluse writer who is looking for someone to share his life. We also meet the friendly mailman who is looking for his life’s purpose. Then there is the widowed Bodega owner and a young woman searching for a sibling.
The author blends each individual voice plus the cat’s thoughts together beautifully. We are able to learn a lot about each character and the satisfaction of seeing them become family because of the cat.

The author’s style reminds me of a cozy Japanese novel. The writing is not overly flowery. It is just sweet, kind, and moves the story gently along.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press for the digital ARC.

A stray cat that goes by many names brings together a group of people and creates a found family in this heartwarming book. Nuria is a self-proclaimed cat lover who takes time to feed the neighborhood cats pays special attention to this hesitant cat who quickly becomes her favorite. She soon finds notes from the reclusive Collin, a best-selling author, who has taken note of her care and love of Cat. These quizzical notes have her conversing with a nameless stranger and making a connection still wondering who is sending them.
This book is told from different perspectives- even Cat’s. He is friends with the mailman, Omar, Lily, who is new in town, and Bong, who owns the local Bodega. Each of these people play and important part in his life. When he becomes ill, this brings them together to help him. This touching book about connections is one you will be thinking about long after you are finished.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I’m a dog person more than a cat person but I really loved this sweet book. It’s about Cat (he goes by different names) who is a stray cat and five human lives that are intertwined with his. The POV is told from Cat’s as well as the human characters that come across Cat. While the characters could have been fleshed out more- it was still a cute, light book perfect when you need a palate cleanser or uplifting. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/Delacorte Press for the advanced reader copy.

Are you a cat lover or perhaps curious what life would look like from a cat’s perspective?

Meet Cat - a loveable black stray cat who's seen a lot in his 11 years on the streets of NYC. He’s also met a lot of people like The Rainbow Lady (Nuria) who brings him food every day, Awkward Neighbor Guy (Collin), whose alley Cat lives in, The Cheery Mailman (Omar) who he accompanies on his delivery routes, The Sad Bodega Man (Bong) whose wife used to feed him treats before she died, and Bright-Pink Person (Lily) - Nuria’s sister. They’re all wonderful characters who stole my heart!

The magic of this story is the way Cat brings these five together in the most unexpected ways and how they, in turn, return the kindness to him, each in their own ways. The ending was particularly touching and might just bring a tear to your eye. It’s sweet, charming, heart-warming and a nice dose of kindness and compassion in a time when that type of message seems to be sorely needed!

It’s a slower, slice-of-life type story with fairly simple writing. That’s not a criticism - I only mean that it doesn’t get bogged down by flowery language or overly detailed sentences. It’s told in omniscient 3rd person and is simple and straight to the point, as would seem appropriate since the story is being explained at least in part from a cat’s POV. I’m not surprised to learn that this is Guerrero’s first venture into the adult market coming from a kidlit background.

This isn’t primarily a romance, though there’s a thread of it here. My only minor complaint is that it was a little insta-love for my taste, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment.

If you need a quiet, feel-good book featuring an adorable cat and an eclectic found family - this is a sweet choice. It definitely makes me want to go get another cat! 🐈‍⬛

★★★ ½

As a dog person, I went into this books hoping to enjoy it but definitely not expecting to love it. The premise is unique and well-executed. This book follows Cat, a stray in NYC, and the 5 people who interact with him. I adored each of the characters and their stories. Their stories weave together throughout the book and we watch their lives collide through their own perspective, as well as Cat’s. This story was bittersweet and heartwarming in equal measure. I would have liked a little more resolution for a few of the characters, but that’s understandably difficult to achieve when there are so many. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this read for cat and dog people alike!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC provided in exchange for my honest review!

Cat’s People was such a special and beautiful story. It’s focused on many different characters who are so different, whether it be age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, etc. Despite those differences, they are all interconnected, especially with the help of my favorite character, Cat. Told in multiple POV’s, my favorite by far was Cat’s POV. A stray kitty cat who is so smart and loyal. He brings these unlikely cast of characters together in the most beautiful way. There were times in this book that were SO sad, but also so hopeful in the end. I absolutely adored it!

Cat’s People by Tanya Guerrero
Anticipated Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Four Stars- ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and the author for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: This heartwarming novel centers on five strangers whose lives become intertwined over the course of one summer, all through their shared love for a stray cat named Cat. Núria, a barista who volunteers to care for neighborhood strays, begins finding mysterious Post-It notes from a secret admirer at the spot where Cat lives. As Núria puzzles over who might be leaving the notes, she finds herself connected to four other people: Collin, a reclusive bestselling author; Lily, a young woman searching for her half-sister; Omar, a neighborhood mailman going through a crisis; and Bong, a grieving widower who owns a bodega. When Cat falls ill, these five strangers come together to care for him, discovering the deep, unexpected connections that can emerge from simple acts of kindness.

I found this to be a lovely story about love, healing, and the unexpected bonds that form through shared experiences.The book cover got me and of course that it was about “cats”.

The perfect lil book for those of us who love cats, period.

🐈‍⬛ REVIEW: CAT’S PEOPLE 🐈‍⬛

By Tanya Guerrero

📖 SUMMARY: Told from multiple points of view, including that of our titular character (a cat), CAT’S PEOPLE is the story of a stray cat that brings together five strangers. Núria, a member of a stray cat caretaking group, starts finding notes at the spot where her favorite stray lives. Unbeknownst to her, there are a handful of other people who regularly take care of Cat: Collin, a homebody author; Lily, a young woman searching for her half-sister; Omar, the neighborhood mailman; and Bong, a grieving widower who owns the local bodega. When Cat gets sick, these strangers band together and find more than just fellow cat people.

💭 THOUGHTS: Me the whole time I was reading this: 🥰 Truly, this is a warm hug in book form.

Thank you to @ random house @ netgalley for the ARC. This comes out April 1!

✨ MADE ME FEEL: like adopting a stray black cat of my own… and I literally did

🥰 YOU’LL ENJOY IF: you’re a cat person and love found family stories such as THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA or THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES

This was such a sweet story about a cat named Cat and the people who love him. The characters are wonderful and I really enjoyed their stories. If you love cats like I do, you will enjoy this story. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

This was a lovely book centered around a stray cat who became the focus of several people in a Brooklyn neighborhood. Each of these people was a little lonely and had their own life challenges. The chapters are told from each person's point of view- including the cat's! We never know the cat's exact name, because each person that knows the cat has come up with their own moniker for him. In turn (and this is hilarious), the cat has come up with names for all of his human friends who help to feed and care for him: Rainbow Lady, Sad Bodega Man, Awkward Neighbor Guy, and Cheery Mailman.

This was what I would call "lite reading", in that it was a charming, easy, and gentle read. It was a story that showed that everyone has their own problems, quirks, and yearnings, and the satisfaction/fulfillment of being kind and helpful to others.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Delacorte Press who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

Tanya Guerrero’s “Cat’s People” was an absolute TREAT! With several likable and unique characters’ lives all intertwining because of a stray black cat in Brooklyn …it was just perfect. This novel was fast paced, humorous, smart, and so heart warming. Highly recommend this book for every animal lover out there! I am looking forward to reading more from Guerrero in the future. Thanks for spreading light on animal rescue, TNR and most importantly, compassion for all creatures 💜

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital ARC copy in return for my honest review.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest review.
This is a sweet and heartwarming book about a black stray cat that brings joy and people together. It’s told from all of the characters POV including the cat’s. I enjoyed this book.

Heartwarming with bittersweet moments, this story made me tear up—both happy and sad. Cat was remarkable, unknowingly connecting the characters in a touching way. Nuria was kind and relatable, Collin’s love notes were adorable, and Bong and Omar were equally endearing. The story beautifully highlights the power of kindness for both humans and animals. A must-read, especially for cat lovers—but even if you’re not, it’s brilliant.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for allowing me to read this early! Cat’s People was just the book I needed, a super heartwarming story about a cat and the many people in its life. This is such a short and sweet novel that has great characters and a beautiful ending! This is a perfect book to help get you out of a book slump!

A black cat comes alive in this heartwarming book as the main character.

This story has its share of charm with a blend of humor from a sleek stray and at the same time sadness from lonely people in a Brooklyn neighborhood.

Every cat person can relate to characteristics profiled in the book such as when a fury paw wakes them up at the crack of dawn just so they can eat and get the day started. Anyone that owns a cat will know all the swift moves a cat can make and there are many.

In this book a cat appears to be human with different meow sounds and gestures. The name of the cat is “Cat.” Let’s call it quirky as part of the charm is how Cat names people: Rainbow Lady, Sad Bodega Man, Cherry Mailman, and Awkward Neighbor Guy. Short chapters focus on a handful of neighbors that bring food, shelter and attention to the stray. In return there is a presence of affection as each person has issues.

It’s the type of book you look for when you want to be inspired with kindness from neighbors who reach out amongst each other. It’s a breeze as long as you like cats. If not, it may not as much fun. But it’s one you won’t forget.

My thanks to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of April 1, 2025.

This was a very good, feel good read, perfect for anyone who loves cats! I love how Cat connected all the characters, and didn't even realize himself how many people he'd touched and how they all came together in the end. I did find I wanted a little more depth from all the characters. Omar for example spent the entire book trying to decide what he wanted to do with his life, and then his revelation really felt like it came out of left field. But, I still loved him, and all the others. A great, light read that's sure to turn any bad mood around!

One stray cat. Many lives touched. Not sure how else to sum this up, but this is the gist. Yet there is so much more to it. As humans, we go about our lives and rarely see what is around us. This book takes the reader on a short journey that shows how we are all connected. How is this done? Through the eyes of a stray cat. 
The cat is feral yet allows one woman to feed him periodically. He also goes to a small store to get more food from a kind woman. He periodically sees the postman as he walks up and down the streets. Then there is the mysterious guy who finds the cat fascinating in his own way. These characters are connected though several have never met each other. They have their own challenges in life (death, family…) yet are drawn together by this one animal. Even their challenges are faced because of their connections with the cat. 
The best part of this story is unique connectivity through an animal most people would simply ignore. Some characters have to warm up to him, but they are still drawn to him as they face life. Even the small cat has his challenges, but they learn to lean on each other. 
Many chapters are simply told through the eyes of the stray cat. We get a little bit of info about his own past and how he views the world around him. Same world as those humans navigate but seen differently. 
The rest of the book is seen through the eyes of a barista, writer, postman, bodega owner, and a cashier. We learn of their troubles and how they view the world around them. Same world, different perspectives. Yet they are drawn to each other and become a "family" mostly through their care of the stray cat. The small animal brings them together to show how all those challenges can be faced easier with someone by your side. 
I'm afraid if I go on that I'll give too much away. A great read that makes you think. To me, that is one sign of a good read. Though the reader knows most of what the characters don't, it is the way the characters are drawn together that keeps the story interesting. 
I highly suggest you read this book.

I adore this book. An ode to community and connection- and the importance of lending a hand where you can. Perfect for fans of The Travelling Cat Chronicles and We'll Prescribe You a Cat. A heart-warming story and a reminder that, even if it’s in small ways, we are able to make our community a kinder place.