Abstract: The article presents an analysis of Sasha Cherny's novel "The Cat Sanatorium" (Rome, 1924 – Paris, 1928), the main character of which is considered as the archetype of the trickster. Beppo the cat takes revenge on his master for the hurt and pain caused, but this behavior turns against him: he finds himself on Trajan's forum, where homeless cats and cats live. Beppo does not find a place for himself in a new space for himself. The cat world does not become his own family for him, and for the inhabitants of the forum he remains an oddball. Freedom and independence are the sacred values for which he plays with death itself. Beppo is the image of a tramp, a homeless, but free and independent cat. The study reveals the main features of the trickster archetype in the image of the main character. It is also noted that Sasha Cherny's personal impressions of his stay in Rome, his experience of the historical realities of the turning point of the twentieth century and the writer's creative attitudes towards creating works for children are intertwined in the story.The scientific novelty of the work lies, firstly, in the fact that the "Cat Sanatorium" is subjected to a comprehensive analysis for the first time: the system of images, its structure, and autobiographical elements are considered, and secondly, the main character of the story is confirmed for the first time as a trickster hero. The relevance of the research will be determined by the growing interest in the literature of the Russian diaspora, and in particular, in the work of Sasha Cherny.