- This edition read as an e-book on Kindle (Amazon)
- ASIN : B0F1R19JDK
- Publisher : Penguin, Publication date : November 6, 2025
- Originally published 1967
- Print length : 154 pages
- ISBN-13 : 978-1802068962
- translated by Ros Schwartz
Synopsis (Amazon)
An acerbic tale of marital warfare and emotional estrangement, in a brilliant new translation
In the oppressive silence of the sitting room, the woman finally smoothed out the paper and, without putting on her glasses, read the two words her husband had written:
The cat.
Amidst the din of their Parisian neighbourhood, Émile and Marguerite live in total silence. After a hasty marriage in their sixties, their uneasy peace was shattered when Émile’s beloved cat mysteriously disappeared and was later found dead. Branding his wife the culprit, Émile’s retaliation against Marguerite’s cherished parrot sparked a silent battle of wills. Now they live parallel lives, communicating only through spiteful notes, mocking glances and mute accusations. As their suspicion and resentment mount, this bitter game of psychological warfare becomes a twisted necessity, binding them together in a relentless cycle of torment from which there can only be one escape.
First published in 1967, The Cat is a masterful exploration of marital discord, loneliness and the absurdity of human relationships, painting a vivid portrait of two souls trapped in quiet desperation.
My Take
A novella or a long short story rather than a full length novel, this explores loneliness and incompatibility within a marriage that both partners have come to too late. The marriage appears to come to grief over the poisoning of Émile’s beloved cat but in fact it was doomed long before that. Simenon makes the reader feel how loveless the marriage is. There are just too many other obstacles.
I've read this as Simenon is one of the authors our U3A Crime Fiction Reading group is exploring in 2026.
My rating: 4.4
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