I remember the first time I ever saw Calvin. It was the Memorial Day weekend of 1988 and we were at a camping retreat. It also happened to be my sister's birthday, so her friends had gotten her a kitten, as a gift. He was such a small little bundle. My sister named him Calvin after Calvin and Hobbes. In the car ride back he kept hiding under the car seat (so afraid...:P). And when we got back home he just hid under the bathroom sink...:P In the beginning my father didn't want to have a cat and talked often of giving him away, but once he bought a litter box I knew he would stay.

After a while he got used to us and me and him used to have a special bond. He was always a bit more rough playing with me and would like to sleep on my pillow at night (He wouldn't do that with anyone else).

It was because of him that I love cats so much. He may not have been the most affectionate cat in the world, but we were all used his little ways. The way he used to pounce us at least once before we went to feed him and how he would hang his head off the side of the staircase to look at us.

Even a few months before the end, he still was so active and young. So playful and frisky. It pained me so much when he was sick. Knowing that he was hurting and couldn't tell us...In the end, it pained me more to see him sick and would rather lose him and see him out of his misery than see him like that. That's when we decided to put him to sleep.

After that I cried so much. I still miss him so much. There are times that I still feel his presence around the house and it makes me sad. I expect him to push his way into my room and just sit there looking at me.

I mostly want to say...Calvin, I love you. You have been with me more than half of my life and became a very big part of my life. I know you are better off where you are now, but I still miss you. I will cherish your memory forever.

Calvin Chen