After almost 13 years of companionship, my beloved cat Phil passed away at 3am on Friday, 23rd July 2010.

My sons were only 5 and 9 when he was born and they named him ‘Phil’ after one of the twins on the Rugrats, a popular children’s television program. Over the years many would remark on how odd it is to meet a cat named ‘Phil’. But to us it made perfect sense because just like his namesake, Phil was a twin.

Phil had a very distinct personality. I recall buying a particular brand of cat food once because it came with a free toy fish. When I presented the cat toy to Phil he gave me a look as if to say, “That is so lame” and then turned his head away. He sure was hard to impress and unlike a lot of cats, he thought it was beneath him to curl up at your feet or sit on your lap and purr. As he got older he took on the personality of a grumpy old man and even started snoring when he was asleep. He wasn’t the world’s most affectionate cat but we found his antics very amusing.

My kids and I were there when he entered the world in September 1997. But when he died there was only me left at home to comfort him. Regrettably, his death was not painless and he had been sick for several months. But when the end did come, I prayed that he wouldn’t suffer for too long and within half an hour of asking God to take him, Phil was gone.

I buried him in the front garden underneath my bedroom window. He did love to sit there in the mornings.

It may sound silly and juvenile, but I like to think that when pets are loved as much as Phil, that God reserves a place for them in Heaven. I hope so. I miss him terribly.