Stray Cats

by Irene Carolina A. Sarmiento

Eighth graders Elisa Paz and Raquel Madria are unstoppable as bruhas in the magical world they’ve created together. But when Raquel goes missing, Elisa discovers a different reality—one that is unjust and ever present, yet often ignored. The only one willing to help Elisa find her lost friend is Oscar Santos, a talking cat. Together they search through clamorous city streets, bustling plazas, gloomy districts, and holy hideaways, where they find unlikely monsters lurking dangerously close to home

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

207 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2023

About the author

Irene is an occupational therapist who works with children with special needs. Her first book, Spinning (Anvil, 2009), is about a little boy with autism. As an author, her stories have won awards from the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Foundation, Philippine Free Press, and Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards.

Reviews

[Gerald The Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book deals with serious topics like: kidnapping, child-trafficking, at division ng mahihirap at mayayaman with the elements of Philippines folklore, magical realism, and a talking cat.

Ang inexpect ko, magiging adventurous ang atake ng librong 'to ala Percy Jackson vibes wherein nananalo ang mga bida, giving us, the readers, the satisfaction and happiness dahil sa success ng mga niru-root nating characters pero I was wrong.

This is soooo close to reality!

It frustrates me because the injustice and the pagpili na magsawalang-bahala-na-lang-because-it-does-not-affect-me-or-my-family is soooo close to the truth na this does not provide escapism, but a wake-up call, na all of these ugly and horrible things are happening in real life, most especially sa mga bata, and we cannot do anything about it because of our justice system at lalo na if you're an eight grader na wala pang masyadong boses.

Kitang-kita ang harsh reality of life here in the Philippines sa librong 'to; the poverty, the half pinoy-half american kids in Olongapo na nadiscuss din sa Gapó ni Lualhati Bautista, the prostitution, at marami pang iba! Backdrop sila ng istorya ni Elisa na hinahanap ang best friend niyang si Raquel.

I like Raquel as a character pero nalulungkot din ako para sa kanya. I also love how the Batibat, Kapre, and Tikbalang are used as villains in this book. They are scary because hindi paranormal ang atake ng paghahasik nila ng lagim. Reyalidad, lagim na nangyayari sa totoong buhay. And Elisa? She's one strong girl, brave, and the best best friend. Inexpect ko na Oscar Santos will be extraordinarily stronger, pero it ended up being a normal cat... with its limitations.

The ending of this book is realistic. I was left sad and unsatisfied because it's not a feel-good kind of ending. But with the book's themes and vibes, understandable na ganoon siya natapos.

I will end this review, praying and hoping na maging matagumpay at maganda ang buhay ng lahat ng Raquel sa bansang ito at na sana makahanap tayong lahat ng kaibigan na katulad ni Elisa, handang pumunta ng sementeryo at 4AM at magbayad ng 600 pesos sa tricycle para lang makita at matulungan ka.

Thank you sa free physical copy of this book, Ateneo Press. Oo, libre 'to, pero hindi nun para maapektuhan ang review ko ha.

[Hamila ♡ ̆̈ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book goes deep into the life in the Philippines and highlights the social issues that are often ignored. For sure many or some of the readers will relate to the story. Through the eyes of the protagonist, the readers are faced with the harsh realities of the world, from the rich and the poor to abduction, child trafficking, and prostitution.

Each chapter is raw, and honest and confronts the harsh realities of many in the Philippines and also the courage of the characters. The author weaves a web of emotions and drags the readers into a world where darkness and light coexist in a fine line.

As the story ends, there’s a bittersweet feeling that lingers, a longing for closure and resolution that is not easily found. I felt not satisfied in the end. Maybe this open-endedness is like real life where not all problems can be solved. Yet, amidst the darkness, there’s a glimmer of hope that shines through, a belief that better days will come. It’s this glimmer of hope that guides us through the shadows, that even amid adversity there’s always a brighter tomorrow. :)

[kutingtin · Rating 3 out of 5]

went into this thinking it would be like The Cat who saved books of the Philippines but as expectations go, it is definitely not! 😅 Stray Cats (more like Stray Kids) mirrors the dark issues looming in our country like kidnapping, child trafficking and corrupting the poor. It spans around 5 years since the disappearance of Elisa’s childhood best friend Raquel with the help of Elisa’s faithful cat Oscar, they roam the streets of Manila, Subic and back proving that a true friend will never give up on you no matter what, no matter how long 🙏🏻

[Janina Gatmaitan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like how the modern Philippines was represented in this book. There were also mythical creatures mentioned here that mirrored the bad guys. I was scared for Elisa to go on this journey looking for Raquel because of what might happen to her, but I admire her courage to pursue it no matter what.

The book was able to illustrate modern Manila and the harsh realities of living here in the Philippines. From prostitution, child trafficking, kidnapping, the divide between rich and poor, the book was able to delve on these topics without going in to too much detail. Yung sapat lang para alam mong meron at meron pa din dito.

Magandang eye-opener / reminder na all of these are still happening and we all have our own ways to help the society as much as we can, katulad ni Elisa who has the grit and passion to search for answers and never stop believing in the good of humanity.

[Arnel Uyaco · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not the usual fantasy/adventure that some readers would expect. It has great discussions of the harsh realities in the Philippines, and how they are seen and handled in the perspective of an eighth grader. I liked how the villains were well-represented using familiar Filipino mythical creatures, and how Oscar the cat subtly having a hand in the events that transpired.

Although understandably this may actually be an open-ended story, I am still ultimately hoping it gets a continuation, and closure!

On another note, I also hope the author also considers a short side story mentioned to be made into a full book as well.

Overall, a great read!

[Sheena Forsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

15th read from my Filipino TBR so far this year & a very good one at that.

Outline of the story:
8th graders Elisa and Raquel are friends & although in their teens, they’re still young enough to sometimes pretend that they’re witches. That is, until one of them goes missing and a talking cat shows up at Elisa’s to let her know that Raquel was abducted and that they have to save her.


This moreish novel is steeped in Filipino people & culture, the shadowy aspects of city life and merges the classic coming-of-age tale with a dose of magic realism. More importantly, it deals with some fairly hefty topics like trafficking, class division and bigotry and makes it accessible to younger readers without dumbing it down. I got so into this that I spent a Saturday reading well past 4 A.M. I can only hope that there’s a second book coming after this, but if you struggle with open endings I’d hold off on this for now.

[Jud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Horror mirroring reality is always the scariest kind of stories

[Mela Pineda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it because it was realistic and it tackled the real issues we have in the Philippines, while also mixing in a bit of fantasy. Was sad with the ending though, but it only solidified why this book is a great read.

[Ivan Labayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

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Date: August 6, 2025
Author: ivanlabayne
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Pattern recognition is easy with enough compulsion, motivation. When I squint my eyes hard enough, I see patterns mushrooming, psychedelic. Delicately placed there—these patterns—as if only waiting to be uncovered, let bloom.

Some weeks apart, I was reading Hau, and then Zafra, and then Sarmiento, and I noticed patterns involving young girls, female leads, class divisions in the unraveling of the plot.

In Sarmiento’s Stray Cats, the upper-class protagonist Elisa, looking for her lower-class friend Raquel who disappeared, taken by human traffickers, apparently. In Hau’s Tiempo Muerto, another Ra-kel (or maybe Ra-sel?), only spelled differently: the lower-class Racel doing care work abroad, and her childhood friend, the upper-class Lia, the daughter of the boss of Racel’s mom, the mom who has now disappeared. In Zafra’s The Age of Umbrage, the prodigious lower-class Guada, and her upper-class counterpart, Emilia, who again, was the daughter of the boss of Guada’s mom. In the first two, the two girls either used to be (Racel and Lia), or are (Elisa and Raquel) close friends, despite the evident difference in class standing. It was only in The Age of Umbrage where the two girls had not much of a relationship; Guada had more moments with Emilia’s two brothers, Gabriel and Guillermo. With Gabriel, Guada struck a deal after she saw him made out with a girl in the library. With Guillermo, Guada watched Fellini and other Criterion Collection films, talked about scifi novels and other cultural stuff with “taste.”

A house of affluence—that of the parents of the upper class female lead—is present in all three. This houses both girls—boss’s daughter and servant’s daughter—and where much of the events take place. Sarmiento’s second chapter, “Raquel Disappears” begins with a description of “The Paz House was a two-story structure built in the 1950s. The ground level had a brick exterior, while cream-colored wooden panels made up the second floor. It had large sliding windows blocked by grills to ward off burglars, and mosquito screens to keep out flying pests. … It was the house in which Elisa’s mother, Miranda Paz, formerly Miranda Santiago, grew up” (Sarmiento, 6).

[Ronabear · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not okay.

This story follows a girl desperate to find her missing best friend, Raquel. She sets off on a mission to bring her home, and along the way she receives unexpected help from an orange cat named Oscar Santos. What starts as a determined search slowly unfolds into something bigger, stranger, and far more heartbreaking than she ever expected.

At first, the book feels like an adventure with a hint of whimsy, especially when elements of Philippine mythology begin to appear. This blend makes the journey engaging and atmospheric, and it keeps you curious about what lies ahead. As the story progresses, the tone shifts, and that shift is what truly stays with you.

I was not prepared for the ending. It is more than a twist; it is a reality check. The story forces you to face uncomfortable truths about inequality and the harsh conditions many people live with every day. Raquel’s fate becomes a painful reflection of how privilege shapes our understanding of the world, and how easily justice slips away from those who have the least.

The ending left me sad and reflective. How many Raquels are being sold off to pay debts? How many remain trapped in cycles of poverty because of broken systems and poor governance?

Stray Cats is not just an adventure. It is a powerful reminder of the realities we often overlook.

[Nicole na may H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is actually an adventurous one, and also a cute one! I've had lots of laugh to it, especiallh when Elisa has conversations with her father. But just like to other readers, I bought this book because I thought it will be about cats and their bond with the main character. Well, there really is, but it feels like they are really just filler characters to just say that there are cats in the book. The established start of the book about Oscar Santos actually had potential. But unfortunately it was not emphasized all throughout the book.

Despite this, the longing of Elisa find her friend is very evident to her actions, and I really love how speculative fiction was combined with a young adult or an adolescent book. What really is happening to Elisa's surrounding is an awakening for her, especially that she grew in a well-off family, which is great as both of her parents have their jobs aligned to community and she and her friend have different worlds to live by. It's an awakening to the readers that are on the same class as she is, but it is also an awakening for growing adolescents like her from what they could faced to the world. This makes the established perspective great in consideration to the advocacies of the book. Unfortunately, these things are really happening in reality, and the ending being a cliffhanger also hits us back to that reality.

[Jelyn Antoinette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I almost DNF-ed this book. But let me start with the good parts. I really like the theme and potential of the story. It’s a relevant and timely topic—child trafficking isn’t something I come across often in books, so I was curious to read this one.

Unfortunately, the subplots took up more space than the main story itself, which was disappointing. There were so many side stories that my mind would wander, and it became hard to stay focused on the main plot. I pushed myself to finish because I really wanted to see the theme explored and believed in the potential of the book, but by the end, I still felt disappointed.

I’m hoping there will be a second book that improves on the pacing.

On a personal note, I grew up in Olongapo, and I noticed some inaccuracies in how the city was portrayed. The book suggests that when you get off at the bus terminal, you'll see a lot of half-Filipino people, but that's not really true. Most of the people living in Olongapo, including my family and friends, are pure Filipinos. Yes, there are half Filipinos there, but not to the extent that you'll see them everywhere you go. I mentioned this to my boyfriend, and he found it a bit odd, too, as it doesn’t reflect what we know about Olongapo.

[henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, credit where credit is due. This novel is written in clear, lyrical voice while avoiding the unnecessary frills that are often the bane of Filipino writers in English. Irene Sarmiento does a good job of creating strong female characters, and they come in varying degrees of likability: Miranda, Nanay, Chief Inspector Dalisay, Bethany, and Elisa herself. Also, that cover is so cool; it's what made me but the book in the first place.

Here's the thing, though. This book over-promised and under-delivered. It had such a huge potential, narrative-wise: a talking cat helping a teenage girl solve a mystery involving a missing friend. It set up the adventure well, with the prospect of the protagonist, Elisa (and the reader) encountering various monsters from Filipino mythology and folklore. But it spent too little time on that adventure and too much on subplots which are infinitely less interesting. And although that ending teased the possibility of a sequel, it felt so rushed and mishandled.

An additional half-star for that awesome, mysterious non-binary character The Lady of the Hippopotamus, sometimes known as Bhoy.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

[Jona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ang ganda ng YA story na ito, binasa ko siya na parang bumalik ako sa mga panahong bata pa ako at mahilig magbasa ng mga kuwento sa diyaryo.
Gustong-gusto ko ang mga eksenang puno ng realidad gaya nung Quiapo setting, jeepney rides, at pati ang paghalo ng mga elementong pantastiko gaya ng kapre, tikbalang, etc. Sobrang rich ng world-building; naramdaman ko talaga ang amoy, ingay, at kulay ng Maynila sa mga pahina.
Si Oscar Santos, bilang pangalan ng isang pusa, ay medyo kakaiba sa una. Parang hindi karaniwan na ipangalan ang ganito sa alagang hayop—pero in the end, naging memorable at unique siya. Siguro ang tanging kulang para sa akin ay mas maraming interaction pa sana ni Raquel at Elisa sa unang bahagi ng kuwento.
Pagdating sa ending, naiwan akong may tanong, may part 2 pa kaya ito? Dahil hindi ganap na nagsara ang kuwento, umaasa ako na may kasunod pa.

Highly recommended ko ang librong ito. Magaan basahin sa kabila ng mabigat na tema, at kaya mo siyang tapusin sa loob ng dalawang araw, gaya ng ginawa ko.

[Trishia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I commend Sarmiento’s vivid description of the scenes.

On the sub-plot on Juan Bala: Time Travailer, I find it difficult to relate it to the frame story. The character of Sebastian lacks identity as well.

The book may be examined through the Marxism and feminist approaches. There are a lot of issues integrated into a single novel that I thought lacked depth. Aside from the tail and ability to talk, Oscar Santos could have additional qualities that would lead to Raquel. The clues regarding the tikbalang, Batibat, and Kapre were indirectly about Raquel.

The novel speaks about social classes and the different versions of reality. The conversation between Bethany and Elisa on page 135 is an example. Bethany pointed out that bad things can never happen to Elisa because obviously because of her social status. What about Raquel?

Anyway, the cliff-hanger ending is understandable; however, I feel like there should have been more clues about what happened to Raquel.

[shaira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book thinking this would be a whimsy YA almost middle grade magical realism adventure book and I'll be hihi-haha-ing because the orange cat has the same name as my favorite F1 driver who drives an orange car. OH BOY, I WAS IN FOR A TREAT!

Just like the protagonist, Elisa, the rose-tinted glass had slowly come off and I was just being hit after hit of the cruel realities of living in the Philippines: the class division, human trafficking, and overall general safety for children and women. The whimsy was gone and it slowly felt like a horror book that mirrors our reality. It presents the privilege that allows people to overlook other realities.

This was is a heavy hitter book for a YA book. I loved the imagery of juxtapositions, and of course, the very heart of the story— seeing the good and being stubborn enough to continue hoping.

[aya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the book's effort to mix the themes of young adult, coming-of-age, magical realism, and social commentary into a compact read. It particularly tackled heavy discussions on human trafficking, poverty, and colonial influences but never veered off from accessibility—which might be a crucial factor in engaging the young Filipino readers.

I went into this expecting the author would utilize the stray cat network as a narrative tool in finding Raquel. When a cat disappears from its neighborhood, we would usually talk to the community strays to help the lost find its way back home. While this doesn't happen, I eventually settled more with the concluding parallelism between strays and children. The ending may not be satisfactory for happy-ever-after-truthers, but it remains grounded in reality. It is, after all, a problem bigger than Eliza and Oscar Santos.

On a sidenote, for cat parents like myself, I'm totally curious with the conscious choice of having a ginger cat play the all-knowing sidekick of Elisa Paz, when oranges rarely have the chance to borrow a single brain cell (an inside joke of sorts), but love this representation nonetheless! :D

(some favorite lines)
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Today, Elisa witnessed a small portion of the darker legacy left by the States....the cast-off junk that did not make the cut for the American market but would likely meet the low standards of brown people across the globe.
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Tsinelas, Tagalog for flipflops, were the unofficial footwear of the Filipino plebeian. High class commercial establishments sometimes required closed shoes to effectively ban the tsinelas crowd.
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To be poor in a poor country is to be punished for your whole life.
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[Weenah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author skillfully utilizes metaphor and fantasy to create a realistic and relatable story that tackles a topic that the Filipino society often avoid and overlook - human trafficking. “Stray Cats” brings you to various genre - thriller, drama, adventure, action, horror and comedy. This book heightens one’s societal awareness and awakens the sense of humanity. After finishing the book, it leaves the reader with important thoughts to ponder on. Thus, it is an effective and well written novel.

[Therese Capili · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazingbook!! I enjoyed every page. As somebody who grew up in the Philippines and loves the Philippines, I enjoyed reading about the streets of Manila. I love the Philippines and Irene did a great job “flying me back home” through her nostalgic, creative and imaginative descriptions. At the same time, Irene wrote about the sad realities of child exploitation, poverty and important issues that are often overlooked, ignored and hidden.

[Alissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tbh nearer 2-2.5 for me but I know I'm the problem. YA hasn't appealed to me in ages but I wanted to read more Filipiniana and I read this because it was an interesting premise.

It shows the ugly truth of the country and has magic realism elements. I just found the characters so unbearably annoying. Just not a book for me but would work for a younger audience.

[Jd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book as it delved into Philippine culture for what it is as it took me down memory lane in parallel with the unfolding of the story. The story evokes awareness of the societal issues that aren’t easy (often disheartening) to discuss with kids in the current generation. This was compelling yet a light read and very much enjoyed it to the end.

[Dana Hammonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a creative story and so detailed. The author does a good job at placing you right into the character’s shoes. I truly enjoyed the read and loved how it transferred me to another country opening my eyes to the good and the troubling aspects of what it could be like growing up there. I’m hoping to read more from this author!

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! The plot, characters, and mostly everything was amazing! I couldn’t stop reading it all afternoon. This is one of my top favorite books! - Melina (9)

[chamomiles · Rating 3 out of 5]

“She knew she had to do something about the world around her. She learned that the worst thing one could do about evil was to ignore it.”

[Lady Bookaneer · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️3.9

[Edward · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay read overall, but I loved how it delves into the complexities of life in the Philippines. The use of Filipino mythology as symbolism and metaphor was interesting.

[Mike Dunkirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greatt book..very Compelling

[Ma Luisa Marquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent 😻😻😻😻😻

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. It’s a cool concept and reads like a Japanese novel.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great story! I love how Irene shares the Filipino culture in this lil adventure