Summary of My Beloved Monster by Caleb Carr

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This book does not in any capacity mean to replace the original book but to serve as a vast summary of the original book.

Summary of My Beloved Monster by Caleb Carr: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook

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Caleb Carr, the #1 bestselling author of The Alienist, tells the extraordinary story of Masha, a half-wild rescue cat who fought off a bear, tackled Caleb like a linebacker, and bonded with him as tightly as any cat and human can. After building a three-story home in rural New York, Caleb met Masha, a Siberian Forest cat who had been abandoned as a kitten. For seventeen years, they were inseparable, governing the house and the surrounding fields and forests. Caleb's life-long study of cat behavior and experience with previous cats helped him understand Masha's inner life. Their bond goes beyond academic studies and experience, making it an inspiring and life-affirming story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookRix
• Release date: Apr 18, 2024
• ISBN: 9783755475088

Book preview

PART ONE

YEARS

The author describes their life as a cat and a woman, living together in a house that became more hers than their own. They shared habits such as writing, hunting, and sleeping, but the larger sense of life was ultimately ruled by the seasons. Both of them had injuries and illnesses, but they never stopped fighting against them. The comfort of each other during convalescence was more important than the pain resulting from reckless attempts.

The author and their cat, Masha, lived a lifetime that left a lasting impact on their lives. They were both trying to push past the limitations of time, often dangerously and to each other's dismay. The comfort of each other's company during convalescence was more important than the pain they experienced.

The author's story is a testament to the unique qualities of a cat, who expanded the limits of courage, caring, and sacrifice. Masha's life was the kind of life most cats can only dream of, living in small apartments and houses with human intentions but with unchangeable wild parts of their souls. The author believes that the experience of being alone with a cat for so long and in such wild country depends on the individual cat, and that Masha lived it.

THE ENCOUNTER

The author recounts their experience driving through Vermont, a state where many New Yorkers feel ambivalent due to its self-satisfied and hostile nature. The author was particularly concerned about the kennel disease that plagued animal shelters in northeastern America, which required adopting animals from clean and uninfected locations. The author's previous companion, Suki, had been claimed by indoor-outdoor felines, and the author had to wait two weeks before visiting approved shelters to ensure they were not carrying the disease.

The author's last companion, Suki, had been claimed by indoor-outdoor felines, and the prospect of waiting another two weeks was disappointing. However, the author's recent move from a small cottage into a large new house in the Taconic Mountains made them realize the importance of renewed companionship. Living at the foot of a mountain called Misery, where predatory fauna is abundant, the author felt the need for companionship. Additionally, the author was dealing with chronic health problems that had led to a solitary life, pushing the tooth-and-claw sensation over the line and pushing the importance of having another living thing to share those long, looming months.

The author visits the Rutland County Humane Society, a shelter for cats, to meet potential adopters. The shelter is located in a small community called Pittsford, and the atmosphere is controlled urgency. The shelter has more cats than pictured on their website, and the author is told that they have more cats than they advertised. The shelter is a small, rambling single-story building, surrounded by dog kennels and other signs.

Upon entering, the author notices an overload of business, with cages of various types containing cats stacked three and four high against one wall. The author asks a passing attendant about an elderly recluse who had been raided a couple of days earlier, and found sixty cats struggling to survive in what was supposed to be their home. The author is informed that the first order of business was to find shelters, wash them, and spay and neuter them.

The author observes the terrified, still recovering faces inside the cages and speculates on the nature of a human mind that could create such awful consequences. However, a flash of color from the shelter caught their attention, and they immediately go to the spot to see the cat, Suki, who had been rescued from a small house. The author's experience highlights the importance of personal chemistry and the need for adopters to give their animals the chance to decide if they are the right person for them.

A young female cat, trapped in a small traveling carrier, was observed by the narrator. The cat had two enormous eyes, which were deep amber and golden in color. The cat's fur was lengthy and flat, and her pupils were almost completely dilated, possibly due to nervousness. As the narrator approached, the cat's big, brave stare took on an air of searching insistence, making it more expressive.

The cat's features were of the type called a kitten face, as they were oriented fully forward, like a big cat's rather than a domestic's. This forward orientation of the eyes in adult cats serves the same purpose as their big, wild cousins: more coordinated binocularity (or stereoscopics) improves vision, especially when roaming and stalking at night.

The cat's detection of the narrator indicated an agenda of her own, exemplifying how cats read, identify, and select human beings. As the narrator got closer, she continued to put her nose and face up against the crossed bars of the cage, indicating that the narrator was right to be intrigued by her.

The narrator responded to her by asking her questions, holding her hand up, and slowly closing his eyes and reopening them several times. The cat seemed receptive, taking the time to confirm with a similar blink. Finally, she imitated the move of the narrator by holding one of her enormous paws to mine, as if they had known each other quite a long time.

Cats are highly sensitive to scent and chemical emissions, which can indicate human attitudes and intentions. They can sense nervousness, hostility, and even illness in what we radiate, while also detecting warmth, ease, and trust. This chemically complex ability is vital for determining potential prey and dangers, as well as which humans they will and will not trust or feel affinity toward.

People who find cats untrustworthy or sinister bring that lack of trust to every encounter with them, as they involuntarily exude it chemically. Cats, on the other hand, trust conditionally from the start, taking positive impressions of you without human falsification. This quality gives cats their scrutinizing and standoffish aspect, holding back and sizing us up until they're confident of us.

Cats have a comparative lack of domestication, entering human communities opportunistically because our food attracted prey and they enjoyed rooting through our garbage for edible bits. They never became responsive to punishment and negative reinforcement as forms of discipline and training, and their loyalty depended on mutual respect and decent treatment. To this day, their characters retain varying degrees of this wild element, which they will revert wholly when given abusive cause or sometimes simple opportunity: they will disappear into the night, often never to come near humans again.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT CAT!

The protagonist is approached by a woman who is anxious and fearful about adopting cats. She is surprised by the Siberian cat, which has been locked up in their apartment for days without much food. The cat's behavior is described as a mix of anxiety and fear, with a thick tail that serves as a counterbalance. The author observes the Siberian's behavior and begins to make noises, which she recognizes as appreciative.

The Siberian recognizes the author as male but has a hormonal makeup that includes high female elements. Cats trust humans they identify as female due to a long history of women being more attentive and less abusive of their species. The author's attempts to convince the Siberian to take her home become increasingly unnecessary, and the Siberian seems confident in her ability to persuade the author to take her home.

As the Siberian cat grows comfortable with humans, their aversion to staring changes. However, the cat's quick conversation confirms her wild side, which is an indication of superior intelligence in cats but also comes with a generally sound wariness of humans. The author is adopting a Siberian cat from a shelter, which is around a year and a half old. The shelter staff assures the cat that nothing bad will happen and that she will be reunited with the owner.

The cat is excited about her new home and eager to explore the area. On the trip back south, the cat is proud of her release from jail and her ability to make the author the instrument of her breakout. The author's experience with the Siberian cat serves as a reminder of the importance of understanding and respecting the age and temperament of animals in adoption.

THE CAT-BOY

The author recounts his life and the experiences of his family, including his housemate Masha, which shaped his relationship with cats. He explains that his early life was marked by a strong attachment to cats, which prepared him for handling the physical and emotional challenges of his golden Siberian life.