Murderous Monkeys and Carnivorous Cats: Stephen King’s Most Terrifying Animals

Presented by Neon’s The Monkey, Bloody Disgusting is celebrating this Friday’s release of Osgood Perkins’ highly anticipated horror with Stephen King Week. Today, Jenn Adams hits the stacks to cage all the creepy critters that have killed across King’s Dominion.

If there’s anything Stephen King specializes in—other than scaring the daylights out of his Constant Readers—it’s creating relatable characters worth dying for, be it flawed heroes or palpable villains. But alongside these impressive humans are a host of terrifying animals who feel just as real. From murderous monkeys and dangerous dogs to carnivorous cats hellbent on revenge, King has created some of the most frightening critters in the history of horror.

Oz Perkins brings one of these freakish creatures to life in his latest blood-soaked horror comedy The Monkey. With a simple strike of its spinning drumstick, this outwardly jovial windup toy seems to conjure unthinkable death out of thin air. With a pile of dismembered bodies left in its wake, the Monkey becomes the latest in a long line of frightening pets filling out King’s menagerie of death.

The Monkey: “The Monkey”

Hal Shelburn is terrified when the Monkey first reappears in his life. This maniacal toy was presumably a gift from his long-lost father, brought home from his travels in the Merchant Marines. But rather than a pleasing if creepy wind-up gift, the Monkey is a Grim Reaper in disguise. Whenever its tiny cymbals crash together, someone in Hal’s life falls down dead. From babysitters and friends to his beloved mother, it seems no one is safe from the Monkey’s wrath. Hoping to stop the carnage, Hal throws the thing down a drying well and tries to move on with the ruins of his life. Decades later, he finds the creature once again while cleaning out a dusty attic. Now that he has a family of his own, Hal must find a way to stifle those deadly cymbals before the random killing begins again. Published in King’s 1985 collection Skeleton Crew, “The Monkey” is a relatable family drama and shocking yet somehow poignant rumination on the uncontrollable reality of death.

Church: Pet Sematary

Though hardly the most sinister entity in King’s terrifying 1983 novel, Church has become a symbol of impending doom. When the family cat dies in the busy front road, Louis Creed and his neighbor Jud set out to bury the poor animal in the nearby Pet Sematary. But the old man does not stop at the makeshift graveyard behind Louis’ house, instead leading him through darkened woods to a mysterious burial ground unfused with hideous power. Louis gives Church a ritual burial then balks when the cat slinks home the next day. But this is not the lovable pet Louis remembers. Stinking of the grave, this new Church no longer purrs and seems to enjoy leaving mangled animal carcasses all over the house. A harbinger for horrific tragedy, Church becomes a partner of sorts for another tiny creature buried beyond the Pet Sematary’s natural gate. Reanimated by demonic forces, this unlikely pair descends on Louis’ country home intent on destroying what remains of his life. Written to exorcise fears of his own children’s deaths, King’s devastating novel explores the grim reality of parental love and the unthinkable lengths we’ll go to reclaim those we’ve lost.

The Cat: “The Cat From Hell”

Perhaps cousin to Church, another of King’s most fearsome tomcats seems possessed by an entity sent for revenge. We first meet the infamous black and white Sam in the study of a wealthy pharmaceutical entrepreneur named Drogan. After decades of testing experimental drugs on defenseless cats, it seems a feline avenger has come to settle the score. Since appearing on the grounds of Drogan’s expansive compound, this unassuming pet has personally caused the deaths of three family members. Fearing he’s next on the list, Drogan hires a hitman named Halston to kill Sam before he can complete his vengeful mission. Amused and unbelieving, Halston accepts the job, but finds that he has underestimated the two-toned cat. While driving away from Drogan’s estate, Sam pounces, causing Halston to flip his car into a ditch. Determined to finish the job, this furry puss claws its way into the man’s screaming mouth, creating a bloody cavern inside his chest. Now collected in King’s underrated Just After Sunset, this imaginative story was first published as a writing prompt which introduces this intriguing premise then challenges the reader to create their own ending. True to form, King concludes his own version of the story with unbelievable carnage that may lead us all to take a second look at the furry friends in our own homes.

The Wolves: The Stand

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There are quite a few animals mentioned in King’s apocalyptic novel from sinister weasels with gnashing teeth to the beloved Kojak who accompanies our heroes on a suicide mission into enemy territory. But the epic story’s most dangerous creatures emerge from the mountains west of Denver. After promising his soul to the Dark Man—also known as Randall Flagg—a pyromaniac called the Trashcan Man meets a loathsome traveler on the road to Nevada. The Kid is a gun-toting narcissist who styles himself like a fifties greaser, drinks cases upon cases of warm Coors, and constantly threatens his docile companion. But the Kid’s fate is sealed when he informs Trash of his plan to oust Flagg and take over control of his fledgling army. While the Kid forces Trash to push his customized deuce coupe past a pileup of abandoned cars, wolves silently creep out of the surrounding mountains. The Kid takes refuge in his treasured car and waits for the pack to pass him by, but these are no ordinary predators. Sent from the Dark Man himself, some gently lead Trash down the road to their master while others patiently wait for the Kid to emerge. Months later, other survivors will come across the results of this deadly standoff. After a week trapped with no food or water, it appears the Kid attempted a final showdown against these sentient hunters who immediately pounced and tore out his throat.

The Alligator: “Laurie”

One of the author’s most ferocious animals is also one of his most recent creations. In his 2024 collection You Like It Darker, King writes about an elderly widower named Lloyd who adopts a puppy to process his grief. One day while walking to the beach of Rattlesnake Key, he stumbles upon a ten-foot alligator feasting on the body of his unfortunate neighbor. Laurie barks at the gigantic reptile as it lumbers toward Lloyd, smashing through the wooden boardwalk and the gruesome remains of her latest victim. Thanks to quick thinking and Laurie’s bravery, Lloyd manages to ward off the scaly beast and escape back to his beachside community. While this encounter is indeed horrific, King presents an idea that chills to the bone. This alligator has likely been sitting in weeds just feet away from the well-traveled path, silently protecting a nest full of eggs. It was only a matter of time before some errant gesture happened to spark an attack. If not for his beloved puppy, Lloyd might have walked into the same situation and become a meal for the fearsome mother. With no ill intent or discernible malice, the alligator is a benign version of King’s murderous monkey, a deadly monster waiting patiently in the shadows for an innocent victim to cross her path.

The Rat: Rat

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Rats have always featured prominently in King’s darker fiction. These revolting vermin haunt the lower levels of a textile mill in “Graveyard Shift” as well as the mind of a murderer in 1922, but they’ve never been so devious as the rat we meet in King’s 2020 novella. Rat follows a struggling writer named Drew Larson who holes up in an isolated cabin hoping to force the completion of his first full-length book. Though initially productive, the frustrated writer quickly finds himself running out of words. With his creative process all but stalled, Drew meets a peculiar critter with a tempting deal. Emerging from a brutal snow storm, the rat promises to ensure the completion of his flailing novel in addition to its successful release. All it will cost is the death of someone Drew loves. With certain parameters in place, Drew accepts this faustian bargain and finishes the novel with surprising ease. When it does indeed become a success, the newly famous novelist is left to reckon with the awful knowledge of what he has done. King frequently writes about authors and the challenges of creative writing. However, through this sinister animal and his hellish deal, we’re forced to question what dark agreements we would make to achieve our creative dreams and wonder if there isn’t an ambitious rat lurking within our own minds.

Cujo: Cujo

By far the most well-known animal on this list, Cujo is both a terrifying and tragic figure. The massive Saint Bernard is a gentle giant who loves his Boy and behaves well around any people he meets. But a chance encounter with a rabid bat transforms the loving pet into a walking nightmare. King gives us a window into this brutal disease by describing Cujo’s growing agitation and dwindling ability to recognize the people he loves. With his Boy out of town, Cujo kills the family’s abusive patriarch along with his drunk and unpleasant friend. He then terrorizes a mother and her young son who find themselves trapped inside a broken-down car, baking under the relentless summer sun. Cujo does eventually die at the woman’s hands in a desperate attempt to save her child. Adding pathos to this savage ending, King adds a note to clarify Cujo’s intentions, reminding us that the once lovable dog always wanted to be good. His monstrosity came from an unthinkable disease not from a desire to cause anyone harm. Written at the height of his addiction, it’s easy to see King projecting his own struggles with drugs and alcohol onto this maligned canine. Though tragic, Cujo is an important reminder that like humans, most animals are not born bad. Only outside evil can transform these once innocent creatures into malevolent monsters.

The Monkey drums into theaters this Friday. Get tickets now and enter to win an exclusive 1/50 resin sculpt made from the original Monkey. 

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