Similar in mood to the legendary The Tell-Tale Heart, a story about an evil deed and how a guilty conscience will always give you away. A quick and fun read.

"Tomorrow I die. Tomorrow I die, and today I want to tell the world what happened and thus perhaps free my soul from the horrible wight which lies upon it."

An unnamed narrator is in prison telling a Gothic horror story of adopting a black cat, drinking heavily, and mentally descending into madness. In a drunken fury, he commits several acts of violence. Was the alcohol or the black cat the reason for his turn to evil?

This is a dark psychological tale portraying a man descending into insanity, paranoia, and guilt. I decided to read one of Poe's creepy stories for Halloween week (although I personally love black cats).
3.5 stars.

قصة تقليدية..

اولین روز سال جدید رو با داستان‌های ادگار آلن پو شروع می‌کنم

No no no, you PET the kitty not KILL the kitty. Guy had it coming, lets be real.

Okay but seriously this story does slap, I love how there is a bit of a parallel with eye horror to The Tell-Tale Heart and how the tension increases along with his descent into the bottle. Been there. Just remember to give all the cats you see some snuggles for me.

This could've been a weak 3 stars--the overall plot was ok, and the ending successfully creeped me out, especially with the illustration that came with the version I read. But it just so happens that I have a black cat, and it just so happens that I tend to easily project myself and people/things around me into stories I read... So unfortunately I have to take a star off for what happened to the poor animal.

Read this one decades ago... going to re-read this winter

کوتاه، زیبا و ترسناک.

8.8/10
Huge spoilers coming.

In Poe’s classic horror tale, the love a man has for his cat gradually turns into hate and ends up with murder. The strange thing is that the man, right after brutally kills the poor animal, wants to find a new one to fill the gap. Of course, as in the first time, his sympathy changes to an unexplainable hate, only that this time it’s not the animal that will become his victim, but his own wife. With criminal mind he will cover his traces, but not for long, as divine justice will give him the end he deserves.

Poe, being the freaking genius he is, did something very smart. He makes you feel the same gradually hate with the protagonist, for the protagonist. And in the same way he didn’t really care for his wife or the cat, you don’t care about him, because he is a bad and arrogant person.

Poe is a literary genius. Maybe I am just a sucker for titles dealing with cats. But, Poe is famous for a reason. As much as I say Stephen King is the master of horror....I have to say, Poe is the original horror master. Such a creative mind, beautiful words and prose.

Espeluznante relato. No apto para amantes de los gatos.

A sickening story. Not good for cat lovers.

I think I might have to give this one the Most Unpleasant Narrator of All Time award.

It's true, animal abusers tend to be psychopaths.

Here, Poe gives us a disturbing glimpse into the mind of a man who shows no remorse for his deeds and is eager to blame outside factors for his own decisions. The story, published in 1843, still has the ability to shock, even today.