Last Updated on 24 January 2026 by Vanessa
In the literary autobiography The Cat With Three Passports by CJ Fentiman, a young woman with a troubled past moves to Japan with her boyfriend to teach English. Living there for three years, she’s deeply influenced by Japanese culture and the cats she cares for. They help her heal her emotional wounds, reconnect with her UK family, and find happiness and a purpose in life.
So far, the book has been translated into five languages, and won an award at the International American Book Festival for Narrative Non Fiction.
It’s my top read this year. Let me tell you why.
The story
The Cat With Three Passports starts in 2004 in Osaka, Japan, where expats CJ and her boyfriend Ryan teach at the country’s biggest language school. CJ is unhappy with Osaka’s shoebox apartments, bright neon lights, and crowded streets, finding it unlike the Japan depicted in the media.
Her inner voice urges her to flee uncomfortable situations, a pattern echoed by her family and ancestors. However, just as they plan to go to England, CJ and Ryan secure teaching jobs in Hida-Takayama, a rural area in the Japanese Alps. This setting fulfills CJ’s desires for a more traditional Japan.
Most of all, the apartment they receive comes with two cats, Iko and Niko. It’s all CJ needs to make Japan finally feel like home.
As a cat lover with a huge heart, CJ quickly starts “collecting” more cats – strays she finds near her home. One of them is Takashi, a hungry and sick kitten she finds on a busy street, nursing him back to health and giving him shelter temporarily.
But the cat that affects her the most is Gershwin, a silver tabby with bright green eyes discovered in front of a nearby temple. Gershwin becomes her companion during travels across Japan and eventually back to Australia.
These former noranekos (stray cats) profoundly impact CJ. They shape her perspective on life, teach her to appreciate the present moment, and influence her future career decisions.
At one point, CJ and Ryan relocate to a remote area of Japan to teach at British Hills, an English language school in Fukushima Prefecture’s snowy mountains. It’s a place surrounded by wilderness, where”bombs” go off several times a day to deter bears.
This move reveals the significant challenges of traveling with pets. However, these obstacles help build what would become CJ’s future career: helping other people travel with their pets.
The teaching jobs in Takayama and at British Hills, along with the cats in their lives, form the backbone of this autobiographical book and the author’s personal growth.
CJ also shares her trips across Japan and the events she attends. These include but are not limited to:
- Takayama Hido Festival: An annual event renowned for its elaborate floats or “yatai” paraded through the streets, accompanied by traditional music and performances.
- Obon: A three-day Japanese Buddhist event held in the Gifu Prefecture in mid-August. It honors the spirits of ancestors and welcome them back home. It involves various rituals such as cleaning graves, hanging lanterns, and offering food and incense at household altars and temples.
- Nasu Animal Kingdom: A popular wildlife park that devotes one wing to domesticated cats. Twenty fluffy felines roam next to short-haired tabbies and perform in a cat show where they jump through loops, climb five-meter tall trees, and navigate obstacle courses.
- Tashijorima: A small island in Miyagi Prefecture, known for its large population of feral cats. It’s the most famous of the many Japanese cat islands and attracts visitors from all over the world who come to observe and interact with the local felines. Cat-shaped resorts add to the island’s charm.
- Tokyo: The bustling capital city of Japan, where the author visits a cat café.
Review
The Cat With Three Passports by CJ Fentiman is the best book I read his year.
It seamlessly combines travelogue, cat tales, and personal growth, penned in a style that’s delicate, refined, and honest.
While all these elements have their merits, the author shines particularly in transporting readers to her life in Japan from 2004 to 2007. Thanks to her vivid descriptions, it feels as though we are right there with her. From the serene landscapes of Takayama to the eccentric British Hills school and its snow-clad surroundings, we get a good idea of the atmosphere of these places so we can relish every experience alongside the author.
We also gain insights into several Japanese quirks and traditions, like the shift from hot to cold drinks in Takayama on the first day of summer, or the significance of eating unagi (raw eel) on Fish Day.
A central theme is ikigai, which represents finding a sense of purpose and fulfillment in life by doing a job you love. It’s about discovering what brings joy and meaning to your existence. CJ finds her own ikigai through her love for writing and animals, catalyzed by Japanese culture and her feline companions.
The continuous presence of cats throughout the story is just the icing on the cake. CJ’s bond with Gershwin, the “Ninja Attack Cat,” is heartwarming. This is the pet that will ultimately become “the cat with three passports” and follow her back to Australia.
“Weaving through all of our time here was Gershwin. He was our touchstone, our connection to the rice paddies, narrow streets, and cats curled under a kotatsu,” CJ writes in her book. “As long as Gershwin was with us, we would always be tied to this land unlike any other.”
What I loved even more, however, was the author’s dedication to rescuing stray cats and supporting animal charities.
It’s remarkable how these cats find CJ, not the other way around. Iko and Niko came with the teacher’s apartment in Takayama, while others stumbled upon her when they needed her help the most. In turn, each cat contributed to her happiness and personal growth, shaping who she is today.
On top of that, CJ’s warm and kind personality shines not only in her care for rescued cats but also in her interactions with people she meets in Japan and the friendships she forms. That alone makes this autobiography a must-read.
If there’s one book you need to pick up now, it’s The Cat With Three Passports.
The book ends with you, Ryan, and Gershwin going back to Australia. After returning to Australia, how has life been?
Since coming to Australia, I have written three books, and I’m currently working on my fourth. The first one, Travelling with Pets, was inspired by my experience living in Japan, moving to Australia, and searching for accommodation that allows cats. It’s now on its sixth edition and has been featured in many newspapers, magazines, and on the radio. The book meant I had to travel extensively with my cats to various places: caravan parks, mountain cabins, and hotels along Australia’s East Coast. This also became a popular website to share information about traveling with pets.
Have you adopted any more cats or other animals since then?
I have rescued and adopted three cats since leaving Japan.
Ricky Bobby was a stray tabby and part of a cat colony I was feeding in Sydney. We found Lulu, a light-colored tabby, on the street. And, more recently, during the pandemic, we adopted Backer, a gray domestic shorthair who was a bottle-fed kitten living in Queensland. I also have a lively Egyptian Mau called Ryō.
What do you miss most about Japan and its cat culture?
I’ve recently returned from Japan, and I really miss the element of surprise that comes with being there. You never stop learning in Japan, and I love the complete randomness of the country.
For example, I discovered a Neko Omikuji (or fortune telling for your cat) at a Zen Temple in Tokyo. The day before that, in Ryogoku, where the sumo tournament is happening, I walked past a sign to a restaurant selling Dorayaki (a red-bean pancake-like patties) with cats and sumo players on it. And let’s not forget the Giant 3D cat Shinjuku, which is a must see.
Are there any cultural differences in the way people perceive and interact with cats between Japan and Australia that you found particularly intriguing?
Australians view cats with caution because they are an imported species and decimate the local indigenous wildlife. Therefore, all my cats are kept indoors here.
But in Japan, cats are considered lucky. They appear in many TV adverts and even have temples dedicated to them like Gotokuji Temple, located outside of Tokyo, a perfect stop for any cat-lover.
Among the cat-centric places you visited in Japan, like ‘cat island‘ Tashirojima and the cat cafes in Tokyo, which do you recommend most for cat lovers and why?
Gotokuji Temple, as I mentioned before, is great. It’s believed to be the original place of the Maneki Neko.
You can even take the cat train (or Maneki Neko Train) on the Setagaya line. But they don’t run all the time, so you’ll have to plan your trip accordingly not to miss out.
Another favorite of mine is a lesser-known bookshop called Nyankodō. It exclusively sells cat books. As a writer and book lover, it’s purrfect for me. Jimbocho’s famous used bookstore is in the same neighbourhood,
What’s your favorite “cat destination” in Australia?
I enjoy visiting the cat cafes in Sydney. At Catmosphere Cat Café in Surry Hills, you can even do yoga with cats. The recently opened Jiji Rescue Cat Café in North Willoughby, founded by Yuki Arai who migrated from Japan, has helped rehome over 50 cats so far.
How did you learn to write so beautifully, and who inspires you as a writer?
Growing up, my aunt was a journalist, and I watched her write up articles in her bedroom. We had a shared love of animals and writing, so she was my first inspiration. Many writers have inspired me. I always read travel memoirs, so in that category, it would be Bill Bryson, Elizabeth Gilbert, or Somerset Maugham. I also like fiction writers Haruki Murakami and Hase Seishū.
Have you received any memorable feedback from readers about your book? If so, what stood out to you the most?
Yes, I am lucky to receive lots of messages through social media. Just recently, an Italian girl contacted me saying the book inspired her to find her own ikigai and move to Canada. During the pandemic, a Japanese girl living in New Zealand told me she was feeling homesick, but the book helped her overcome her sadness. The Cat With Three Passports is going to be published next in Serbian and Thai, so it’s always nice to hear how people from other countries and cultures relate to it.
Finally, if you could travel anywhere in the world with Gershwin, where would you go and why?
Italy! I have an obsession with all things Italian: the food, the people, the fashion, the cities. I love their attitude to life.
Italians have a saying, “Dolce far Niente,” which means “the sweetness of doing nothing.” It’s not about laziness, but about finding joy in moments of idleness or stillness. We live in a world where technology often distracts us from appreciating the beauty of our surroundings, the people we encounter, and the wonders of nature. Therefore, I believe this phrase holds significant wisdom and truth, particularly when experiencing Italy’s rich culture. It’s very Zen.
Conclusion
Did The Cat With Three Passports by CJ Fentiman pique your interest? The paperback and Kindle versions are out now and available in five languages from Amazon US, Amazon FR, etc.
You can further support CJ’s work by sharing this article with your friends and on social media.
Disclosure: I received a PDF copy of The Cat With Three Passports from author CJ Fentiman, for the purpose of writing this review. All opinions, however, are my own.
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on the links, Traveling Cats will get a small commission.
Pictures courtesy of CJ Fentiman.
Also check out these other cat books:
- Avalon: a heartwarming true story about a Turkish Van cat who became a horror movie star
- The Zen of Cat
- Travels of Suki the Adventure Cat
- Nala’s World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride around the Globe
- Sigrid Rides: The Story of an Extraordinary Friendship and an Adventure on Two Wheels
- KeeKee’s Big Adventures
2 responses
super cute cats!
We have had done a couple international moves with our kitties!
The authors Cat has such beautiful spotted markings. A very pretty Puss indeed.