What is the narrator like in the beginning?

The
unnamed narrator tells the story in retrospect from a prison cell on the eve of his scheduled
death by hanging. In the story, the narrator recounts his life and how his mental state slowly
began to deteriorate after succumbing to alcoholism. As a child, the narrator was a completely
sane, docile individual with an affinity for animals. He describes himself as having a tender
heart and mentions that his favorite pastime was feeding and caressing his pets. As the narrator
grew older, he remained a pleasant, gentle individual and retained his love for animals. The
narrator also mentions that he was fortunate enough to marry a woman with the same disposition
and love for pets.

The happily married coupled owned birds, a goldfish, an
obedient dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a cat. The narrator proceeds to elaborate on the
appearance and behavior of his beloved cat Pluto. Out of all the pets the narrator owned, Pluto
was by far his favorite and would accompany him wherever he went.

After
several years of marriage, the narrator began drinking excessively and loses control of his
alcoholism. Poe personifies alcoholism by referring to it as the Fiend Intemperance, which
dramatically transforms the narrator's disposition and mental state. The narrator transforms
from a pleasant, compassionate individual into an irritable, violent man who begins mistreating
his wife and animals. Eventually, the narrator cuts out Pluto's eye, hangs the cat from a noose,
and murders his wife before burying her corpse in the basement wall.