Picture Book Born from Reporting on Cat Rescue Activities, Hogoneko Sotsugyoshiki, to Be Released in May 2026

This picture book was created by Urara Takahashi, author of the children’s nonfiction book Cat Rescue Activities Nekokatsu! Lives Saved by Forever Homes, based on her reporting on rescue cat activities at the rescue cat cafe Nekokatsu. It is told from the perspective of a foster volunteer who temporarily cares for rescued cats. For this picture-book adaptation, Takahashi revisited the homes of foster volunteers who work with Nekokatsu. The story depicts the time spent caring for rescued cats before sending them on to new families, portraying the kindness, responsibility, farewell, and hope that arise from facing small lives. The book is supervised by Tatsuya Umeda, representative of Nekokatsu. At the end of the book, it includes his message, “A cat’s life is shaped by the people who become involved with it.” The picture book is published with the hope that readers will become people who make cats happy, offering both children and adults an opportunity to think about what it means to connect and protect lives. A foster volunteer temporarily keeps and cares for ownerless rescued cats at home until an adoptive family is found. By managing the cats’ health, helping them become accustomed to people, and providing a safe home environment, foster volunteers play an important role in reducing euthanasia. The story begins when three kittens arrive at a family’s home. Because they are rescued cats, they are called “hogoneko.” Their mother explains that the person who found them brought them to an animal welfare center, a place that accepts cats unable to survive on their own. She decides to keep them at home temporarily until the kittens become healthy, get used to people, and are ready to be adopted by a new family. The story is told through the eyes of a volunteer parent and child who care for the cats until new owners are found. Bibliographic details: Title: Hogoneko Sotsugyoshiki; Author: Urara Takahashi; Illustrator: Tama Tamaki; Supervisor: Tatsuya Umeda; Publisher: Iwasaki Shoten; Price: 1,760 yen; Format: A4 variant, 36 pages; Distribution date: May 15, 2026; Release date: May 19, 2026; ISBN: 978-4-265-83260-6. The book will be sold at bookstores across Japan, online bookstores, and other retailers. The release date may vary by store depending on product arrival.