Max Nimrichter decided that he wanted to serve his country by enlisting in the Navy. As he got ready to leave for boot camp, he realized that his mother would be lonely when he was gone, so he adopted a cat named Yuuki to keep her company.

Max brought Yuuki home with him, and for the next six months, the two bonded. That’s why the cat was so devastated when he finally left for boot camp.

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

When Max left, Yuuki had trouble understanding why he was gone. When she finally figured out that her favorite person would not be around every day, she was very upset.

Yuuki eventually found a photo of Max, and Erin says that the cat spends her days sitting by it staring at him.

“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 that Yuuki actually recognized Max, Erin moved the photo to a different spot in her house. Sure enough, the cat found it and continued to sit right by it!

“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 watch Yuuki sitting by the photo in the video below, and please SHARE this story so your friends and family can see this as well!