I admit it; I’m’ more a lover of dogs than cats. Sure, I’ll pet one if they’re around, but I won’t try to interact with them unless they initiate communication. I don’t understand felines. To me, they seem antisocial and rather cold. This isn’t the case though for one adorable kitty named Yuuki.

This lady was once lonely. She lived at the Cleveland Animal Protective League. She wasn’t on her own for long. Max Nimrichter arrived one day and scooped her up and took her home. For Yuuki, this was instant true love.

Max brought Yuuki home, and for six months, she was the happiest kitty around. He fell for the feline just as hard and fast as she did him.

“Max has always felt connections to any animals he was around,” Max’s mom, Erin Nimrichter, told The Dodo. “He’s a sweetheart.”

Then one day, Max left for boot camp. He was preparing to join the U.S. Navy. He got Yuuki for his mother so she wouldn’t feel alone while he was away.

He never anticipated Yuuki’s reaction to his absence.

Man and cat bonded. They’d snuggle daily. But once Max was shipped off to camp, he couldn’t come home very often. Yuuki had trouble understanding this fact at first. She finally figured out that her favorite person wouldn’t be home each day. This didn’t lessen her desire to be close to Max any way she could.

Yuuki found a photo of Max and sits by it. According to Erin, doing this brings the cat some comfort. “She just sits there, stares and meows and then lays down next to the picture to nap,” Erin said. “I know for sure she misses him.”

To be sure Yuuki really recognized Max’s picture, Erin tested her. She moved it to a new place in the house. Sure enough, Yuuki remembered Max and it wasn’t just the location alone.

Yuuki found the photo. Even though she only sees a picture, she can’t help but stare into the eyes of her love, Max.

Thankfully, Yuuki won’t have to rely on the photo to satisfy her need for Max for long. Erin and other family members would leave to visit Max at training camp. Yuuki would make the journey with them.

“My son worries that she won’t remember him,” Erin said. “It gives me comfort knowing she does, and it’s nice to have proof to show him.”

You can see Yuuki gazing adoringly at Max’s photo in the video below.