Ah Girl was a white Maine Coone, born in 1995, with emerald eyes and was brought up by an officer in an army barrack where she was trained to catch mice. Given to Meng as a gift, she escaped nightly from his Bukit Merah flat through a window for her rendezvous and returned in the mornings, meowing at the door, waking Meng to be let in. From 2002-4, she lived at Meng's pet shop, along with many other cats, dogs and fish, and was the only animal allowed to roam freely. There, she was bitten by a crazy dog and lost the sight and hearing and two teeth on her right side, which accounted for her wry look. She was in turn given to Mel and me when the pet shop fell because Meng couldn't keep both a dog, a golden retriever, and a cat in his flat due to the objections of his father.

She was so gentle that when two kids pulled her by the tail she did not even scratch them. She would never hurt anyone physically but was rather vindictive. When I refused to allow her into my room (because her fur itched my eyes and skin), and whenever she could sneak into my room, she would pee on my books and shit on my bed. Those were the good times. George Eliot was a victim of her incontinence. She had also ruined the expensive sofa of Italian leather (as pictured above) by peeing, shitting, vomiting and scratching on it. She had good taste.

Every time my mother was angry at me or my sister, she would say to give Ah Girl away or send her to the SPCA. This is how I learn not to depend on my mother because she would use it against me someday.

In later years, Ah Girl would follow me everywhere I go in the flat, even to the toilet. Depending on her mood, she would respond (or not) to her name. Sometimes when no one was home, I would tell her my troubles and believe that she understood because we were in many ways quite alike. She was the only  one who could keep my secrets and indulge me in my emo-ness.

May 31, 2009. She was put to sleep because she was too frail and in great suffering. I wish I had been there during the euthanasia to see her one last time. I wish I were religious so that I could say she had joined Provence the Hamster. She was 15 years old, or 70 cat years.