I had no idea what I was in for when I started this book. How freaking cute!!!! I loved the intercepting of their lives all around sweet, sweet Cat!

Cute!! Reminded me of The Traveling Cat Chronicles, but set in Brooklyn aka my home, so that was fun. Love a cat bringing wayward souls together. The writing isn’t too deep, but if you’re looking for a nice breezy read to give you back some faith in humanity, you could do much worse.

A beautiful story of connection; a rom-com for found family. I am going to be having some talks with my cat about her stepping up her game to find me my people

Cat has always been weary of humans, because sometimes humans can be awfully mean to him just for being a stray cat. But every once in awhile there's humans who can be very nice. Cats favorite humans are the rainbow lady who feeds him everyday, the cheery mail man that he helps with his daily route, and the bodega owner that has the soft treats.

The story of Cat and his people was so sweet! I cannot wait to physically own this book so I can tab all of my favorite parts. So far in 2025, this is one of my favorite representations of being a human and how important community can be - even through a connection of the local stray cat.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Tanya Guerrero for the ARC copy.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is about a stray cat and how it unites the people he interacts with during the day. I thought this book was ok. It was good enough for me to keep reading, but not so good that I couldn't wait to go back to it. I enjoyed the characters of the book and the story of their lives. If you are a cat lover than you will LOVE this one.

I have been waiting a feel good easy and lovely book and this was it and to top it off, it has a cat as a narrator. I love the selection of characters that are all brought together by Cat. This story has found family, coming of age, grief, family drama. It made me laugh and cry multiple times and was just over just a lovely story of 5 strangers coming together for the love of a cat.
While Nuria was a focus of the story and I loved her story with Colin and Lily. I truly connected with Omar. He was just a ray of sunshine. He brought light and love to everyone he met. He was there for Nuria when she need a fake boyfriend, he was there when Bong needed a shoulder to cry on. He seemed to having everything together and really know what was going on but inside he knew that being a mail carrier wasn't his calling. Through helping cat he truly found a passion where his good nature and loving personality could truly shine.
The Lily and Nuria story was interesting also. Two kinda of loss souls that you know are going to come together. I pretty much cried my eyes out on the phone call where Nuria confronts her mother and she tells her she should connect with her sister.
I love Bong and Lily's father daughter relationship and how they are both dealing with grief.
I LOVE the Colin and Nuria letter writing. Colin learning to be true to himself and brave and listen to Cat was just so fun. The whole secret admirer thing could have been so cringy but it was so special. I loved how he kept going to visit her in the coffee shop.
This was just a lovely lovely book of people coming together and I recommend to all that love good people stories and of course a good cat storytelling!

Cat’s People marks author Tanya Guerrero’s debut in writing a novel for adults, and she does it beautifully. This heartwarming feel-good story tells the story of five people in Brooklyn that are brought together by a stray cat in the neighborhood. My thanks go to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the invitation to read and review. This book is for sale now.

When I first received the call to read this book, I was leery. That pink cover with a cat on it; I thought it might be cloyingly sweet. I let the widget sit in my file for a while. However, Goodreads friends—people that are not dimwits—really liked it, and it occurred to me that my own selections were a little on the dark and heavy side, so I went back and retrieved it. It was a good choice. Because I was running a little late with it, I checked out the audio version from Seattle Bibliocommons, and it made a delightful travel companion when I found myself driving across the state line for a semi-emergency within my family. Even Ox, my oversized beagle, seemed to find it soothing. Reader Elena Ray does a wonderful job.

I’m not entirely sure whether the protagonist here is Nuria, the woman that volunteers for a local group that feeds stray cats in the neighborhood, or Cat himself; this would make a nice book club discussion question. Nuria is single and a bit at sea in New York, the city where her mother told her not to move. However, she begins finding post it notes in the area where she feeds Cat; they are from a secret admirer.

The admirer in question is Collin, a successful author who’s also single, lonesome, and very shy. Collin sees Cat outside in the cold, so he builds him a small house with a bed, and he puts it in his courtyard. Others in Cat’s orbit are Omar, the mailman who’s going through a crisis of his own; Bong, the owner of Nuria’s favorite Bodega, who’s grieving the loss of his wife; and Lily, the sprightly newcomer who’s come to the city to find Nuria. All of them are brought together when Cat becomes ill.

I have never said this about a novel for adults before, but this book is adorable! The tone is perfect, balancing the cares and anxieties of the humans with acts of kindness by each that remind us that humankind is inherently good.

Recommended to those that need something a little bit light and fluffy, even dog people.

This was a cute, clever, and heart warming story. It's told from Cat the neighborhood Alley cat's perspective. He talks about the people in the neighborhood; esp Rainbow Lady who helps take care of Cat and feed him. But what this book is really about are the interactions and relationships between the various people that centers around Cat. There is the Mailman, the owner of the Bodega who not long ago has lost his wife, when she passed away. The conflicts in Rainbow Lady's life, as Cat puts it, she is beautiful, colorful, and happy on the outside, but he doesn't think that's how she feels inside. I enjoyed this book and think you will too. Check it out for an interesting read.

I enjoyed the story. I thought there were all types of characters which made it interesting to see how it would come together. I also enjoyed the cat's point of view.

This was a very cozy book. I enjoyed the story but the writing just fell a little flat for me. The chapters were also so short that it sometimes made it difficult especially in the beginning to follow who was telling which part.

Loved this story!!! Adorable, loved the cover, the journey, the characters! Definitely a recommended one for cat lovers everywhere!

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House-Ballantine, and Tanya Guerrero for an ARC of this book!**

"I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior." - Hippolyte Taine

Cat (as he is affectionately known) has had to fend for himself on the unpredictable streets of NYC for many years...but he doesn't always mind. After all, despite the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple, he's affectionately adopted a couple of his 'people'...and you'll want to take a 'paws' in your day to meet them! The most important, of course, just happens to be Núria (who he lovingly refers to as Rainbow Lady), head of the group the Meow-Yorkers, a collective of ailurophiles in the city who feed the strays and keep them safe. Núria is in her twenties but isn't living the stereotypical life by any means: she has shied away from the hamster wheel of dating and prefers a quiet night at home...after a quick visit with her favorite black furry friend notwithstanding.

All of that is about to change, though, when this sly and wise feline sees a stranger leave a Post-It note for Núria...and he sees it as a sign. There are so many potential 'suspects', however, that you won't be quite sure who is the behind the kind gesture. Bong (known to Cat as Sad Bodega Man) has been reeling ever since the loss of his beloved wife (a woman who kept Cat hanging around by ALWAYS supplying the treats)...but would he be brave enough to make this bid for connection to a complete stranger? Omar (Cheery Mailman) is searching for meaning as he reaches middle age...but does he hope a fellow feline fanatic could give him new purpose? Collin is a handsome, well-known author who likes coffee enough to keep showing up at Núria's coffee shop...but COULD he even know about her 'second job'? Or could Lily, (Bright Pink Person...her hair color, of course!), who is on a journey of discovery in the city be the one reaching out to the woman she suspects is ACTUALLY family?

Once this found family starts to form, however, EVERYTHING changes...and when their beloved Cat gets sick, the new group finds themselves wanting to come together like never before. Can these new, tenuous relationships withstand the stress of potentially losing the tie that binds them all? Or have the harsh streets of New York claimed not only their beautiful feline friend, but ALL of these budding relationships as well, leaving ALL FIVE of these lonesome souls worse off than they were before?

I'll be honest: in terms of an easy sell, the publisher could not have PICKED a more enticing cover, title, and synopsis to get me to gobble this book up. A feline focused cozy with found family, beautifully written characters, heartwarming (and at times heart-wrenching) emotional scenes, AND a bit of romance?

SIGN. ME. UP!

Of course, when I started reading and realized that our feline MC was going to be NARRATING this one (or at least parts of it), some of those reservations returned...but let's just say they didn't last for too long. For as quickly as all of these characters got wrapped up in loving this Cat...I have never felt more at HOME as a Cat Person than I did losing myself in the sweet and sweeping pages of this book!

I normally worry when there are so many main characters and a conceit that feels a bit contrived, like this one could have had...but my fears were quickly allayed. By the time we had gone through a chapter or two from each of the characters, not only did I feel like I KNEW them, but they were easily identifiable with a clear tone, voice, and perspective of their own. From Núria's insecurity to Lily's trepidation, Bong's grief, and Omar's search for more meaning (and okay, even Collin's quiet pining), all of these characters felt relatable to perspectives I had in my twenties, ones I am currently dealing with in (gulp!) middle age, and even a take on some of the complicated emotions and situations I might have to contend with in my later years. The bond that sings between all of these characters, though, is their capacity for love and their yearning for connection...and THIS was the melody that played throughout.

While the Cat serves as a conduit for connection, in a sense, Cat becomes such an important character with its OWN personality, wants, and desires, that you'll get just as invested in the outcome for this special feline as you will for all of his human fans. Although I have very little to compare this to in terms of feline narration (I don't feel like Catriona Ward's House on Needless Street is QUITE the right comp...if you've read it, you'll understand why!) Guerrero did an admirable job of making the conceit feel fun and 'fuzzy'...well, at the very least it'll make you feel fuzzy INSIDE! (And if you're allergic to cats like I am, that's certainly preferable!) While the book deals with some heavy subjects and plenty of complex 'human problems' there is an air of mischief and meddling at all of the missed connections between the cat and his companions that keeps this book feeling cozy rather than calamitous...and by story's end you'll feel as snuggly as though Cat had taken a nap on YOUR lap!

And while cats themselves might get a bad rap for being standoffish, moody, or self-centered...when you meet THIS Cat, I promise you'll finally agree with the age old adage:

Cats, do indeed, RULE.

4.5 stars

What a cute & cozy cat story! While the story kind of ambles along, much like the titular Cat, this novel is a nice palate cleanser when you've been reading thrillers and horror. We get to know some of the people in Cat's life, all of the different names they have for him, and how their lives are interconnected. Overall, a sweet cat story.

Man this book got me! I loved it and this is the perfect book to gift every cat lover and owner! It's a wonderful story so glad I got to read it!

Cat’s People by Tanya Guerrero is a heartfelt and refreshingly original story that blends a coming-of-age journey with a touch of magical realism. The way the story explores identity, family, and belonging, especially through the lens of grief and growth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am not a cat person but this story captivated me and it shows that love of animals is not only for dogs but for cats and cat people!!! Funny, heartfelt and just a very enjoyable read!!!

Cat lovers, gather ‘round! Cat’s People is a novel following a stray cat in Brooklyn and the people in his orbit. Each chapter is centered around a different character in Cat’s universe, including Cat himself. This was a clever way to layer in a more complex plot in what could otherwise be a basic story. As a cat person, I especially loved the sections told from the cat’s POV! I’m not surprised that the author is originally a children’s writer - the writing is definitely on the simpler side, but I wouldn’t expect too much complexity in a story about kitties. In all, a cozy, easy, and sweet story for cat lovers of all stripes.

Thanks to the publisher, Delacorte, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

This is a "barely" 3 star book that had all the potential to be 5 stars. I loved the concept of the stray cat and the people he encounters. All of them have endearing, interesting storylines. But there were a few things that really detracted. First, the language. Tons of F-bombs, SH-bombs, GD-bombs. Why? It was so unnecessary and made the offending characters much less likable, especially Collin and Nuria. Second, the politics. Are they mentioned? No. But are they obvious? Big Yes. The gay mailman, the lesbian sister, the kid named after Bernie Sanders? Please don't cram your agenda down my throat. Don't authors care that this alienates readers? So, a mild three stars for a book that deserved better treatment.

This was so fun. As a self-proclaimed cat lady, obviously the title and cover drew me in, so I was surprised when I realized I was actually enjoying the storyline as well. It's told in third person from multiple points of view and alternating character chapters, and I think that added to the back story and getting to know the 5 main characters individually. This was a cute, fun, and entertaining book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨5/5 stars!! ✨

**This was kept as spoiler-free as possible**

TW: This book contains mentions of sexual assault.

Cat’s People follows a black, sassy cat named—of course—Cat. 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛

The story weaves through the lives of five people whose paths cross with Cat every day, and eventually with each other. This was such a unique and beautifully written story. I felt every emotion that Cat and all the others experienced. I’m a MAJOR cat lady, so I had a feeling I’d love this book and it totally warmed my heart.

The book introduces us to:
•Núria, a barista in her late 30s who loves cats and volunteers to make sure they’re safe and cared for ☕️🌈

•Omar, the neighborhood mailman who adores his job and the people he meets, though he dreams of something more. He’s also a big animal lover 💌📫

•Collin, a 40 yo NYT bestselling author struggling with writer’s block who finds love in an unexpected place (maybe thanks to a certain cat and another character, you’ll have to read to find out!) 📖📝

•Bong, a widower who lost his wife a year ago and copes with his grief by chatting with anyone who will listen, all while running his bodega and spreading wisdom wherever he goes 🍱🏪

•Lily, fresh out of high school and moving to New York to begin a new adventure and reconnect with a loved one 👯‍♀️🛒

Honestly, I LOVED this book. The short chapters made it super easy to follow, and switching between characters kept things fresh and engaging. I really enjoyed how their stories slowly intertwined and it kept me guessing who would meet or connect first.

One of the side characters, Mrs. Lewis, is so lovable as she’s Omar’s “work grandma,” and you can just feel the love and hope they have for each other through the pages.

This book gives off so many themes like hope, found family, forgiveness, finding yourself, and love. I recommend it to anyone who wants to get out of their comfort zone and try a slightly “non-traditional” book (since it’s told from Cat’s perspective a lot), or anyone who loves animals, especially cats, and is looking for something heartwarming 💖💖

🐈‍⬛”Those were the sounds of his favorite people. As long as he could hear them, he was safe. Cat had finally found a home to call his own.” 🐈‍⬛

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title. I really enjoyed the premise of this book and the comfort read aspect. However, I was not able to get into this story. With this being the case, I was unable to finish it.