If Cats Disappeared From The World cover art

If Cats Disappeared From The World

A moving and thought-provoking tale for fans of cosy Japanese fiction

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

$8.99/mo after trial ends. Cancel anytime
Try for $0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for $7.92

Buy Now for $7.92

About this listen

The million-copy bestseller, perfect for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

What would you do if you were told you only had days left to live? And what would you give up for just one more day? Genki Kawamura's If Cats Disappeared From The World is a tender, whimsical tale of love, loss, and the quiet miracles of everyday life.

A thirty-year-old postman lives a simple life, with only his cat, Cabbage, for company. But when an unexpected diagnosis turns his world upside down, he is faced with an impossible choice. The Devil appears to him, dressed in a Hawaiian shirt, and makes an offer: if he makes one thing in the world disappear, he can have an extra day of life.

As the days tick by, and with Cabbage by his side, he begins a journey that might just lead him back to the people he thought he’d lost. Before it’s too late . . .

If Cats Disappeared from the World is a life-affirming meditation on what we leave behind – and what we hold onto until the very end.

‘If you're a fan of The Guest Cat (or even just cats generally), you'll love this’ – The Sunday Times

 Animals Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Magical Realism World Literature

Critic Reviews

A warm, quirky novel on life, love, family estrangement and what remains when we are gone with a surprising emotional charge.
If you're a fan of The Guest Cat (or even just cats generally), you'll love this.
This brief existential enquiry into life’s priorities is gently charming.
A moral tale.
A poignant, affecting story about facing up to one's mortality, taking responsibility for one's choices and deciding what truly holds value.
Reminiscent of Johnathan Livingston Seagull, this was a quick read – it only took me a few hours – but it will stay with you long after you finish it.
All stars
Most relevant
I struggled to finish this book, hoping for the lacklustre opening chapters to reveal something special. Sadly predictable and in most cases annoying at the lack of depth to the characters choices.

Lacklustre story but listened in entirety.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is the story of a man who has been told he is about to die. The devil appears wearing a Hawaiian shirt, and offers him an extra day to live at the price of removing something from the world. Day one, a world without chocolate...

Gloriously narrated by Brian Nishii, who has become my No 1 male narrator...

beautiful story, fabulous narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I really enjoyed this one! Of course like everyone else I was drawn in by the title. Cats disappearing from the world would be truly awful! But there’s a little more to it than the title or synopsis leads on. Without spoiling anything, this story is very simply written, straightforward and predictable in most ways, however, gets you reflecting on the meaning of life. I recommend it, if you’re after something easy to listen to, narrated beautifully and likely to make you just a bit emotional.

A simple yet impactful story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The movie is brilliant. The book is at a different level. Unique and beautiful! I have tears rolling down my eyes reading it.

Amazing book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I really struggled to listen to this book. it was so plain and depressing.
I could not connect with the character in anyway. I perceived him as lazy, boring and unwilling to work on himself. he may nor have actually been that way, but that's how I perceived him.

zero connection!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.