Malcolm (she) was a domestic shorthair tuxedo cat (black fur and white chest and boots) who lived for 18 human years, 2 months and 23 days and is survived by her human Mama Liwayway, Papa Javier and cat brother Yorac.
Malcolm was adopted by her Mama Liwayway, when the latter was in law school, through her classmate, who was then actively volunteering in an animal shelter, Philippine Animal and Welfare Society (PAWS). Malcolm's cat mom and first litter of siblings were rescued by Mama Liwayway's classmate and adopted by a person who generously assigned a separate room in his home to the Malcolm's cat mom and her kittens. But before she was spayed, Malcolm's cat mom had another "accident" with a stray black male cat, Malcolm's cat dad. This second litter was where Malcolm came from. Hence, the adoptive parent of Malcolm's cat mom was looking for persons to adopt the other kittens (the second litter).
Of all the kittens, Mama Liwayway chose Malcolm, who was originally named "Cole". She seemed so friendly compared to the other kittens. Everyone thought she was a boy, at first, so Mama Liwayway renamed the tiny tuxedo cat after the University of the Philippines College of Law, Malcolm Hall, which was, in turn, named after its first dean, George A. Malcolm.
A month after she was born and after having been weaned, Mama Liwayway fetched the little Malcolm and brought her home to Paranaque, where Malcolm lived as a feisty "princess" from 2004-2014, with Mama Liwayway and her grandpa, Lolo Joe, Malcolm's human great grandfather.
On the very first day she arrived in Mama's life, Lolo Joe was afraid to leave the kitty Malcolm alone because the mouse seemed bigger than her...
Mama Liwayway received news shortly thereafter that Malcolm's cat mom and the other kittens who did not find adoptive parents died shortly of disease. Malcolm was truly "the lucky one."
While she was showered attention, Mama Liwayway worked a lot and could not play with Malcolm often. So she wanted Malcolm to have a playmate.
In 2010, Mama Liwayway adopted Malcolm's brother, Yorac, a white and orange tabby from a pet shelter (Compassion and Responsibility for Animals CARA). Mama Liwayway thought Malcolm would become friendlier if she had a brother.
But Malcolm was so mad when Yorac entered their home that she hissed for the first time at her Mama and hid under the stairs for a few days. They never really got along well and Malcolm would boss around the cute, quiet Yorac.
Malcolm and Yorac were Lolo Joe's constant companions until he passed away. Malcolm often slept at the foot of Lolo Joe's bed while they watched television.
When Malcolm's mom studied for her postgrad in New York, Grandma Lecie took her and Yorac for almost a year in the Southern Philippines. When Liwayway returned to Manila, Malcom and Yorac returned to live with their Mama Liwayway. When Mama got married, Malcolm migrated to New York with her family in 2017 and has lived in Suffolk County, and thereafter in Queens.
Malcolm did not fancy people. She was snobbish and often swiped at those whom she didn't like (which was pretty much everyone). She whined and complained when she didn't like something. Yorac's foster mom, an expat volunteer at CARA, described Malcolm as a "special cat" and said "it was lucky Malcolm found a home with her Mom. :-) In other words, she was a bad one! Hahahaha.... But as she grew old and had more lap time with her mom, she became sweeter and "friendlier". Malcolm terrified her Papa Javier but she sometimes (on her own, because nobody could tell Malcolm what to do) came up to Papa Javier and rested on his lap. When Papa Javier was sick and lying on his back on the futon, Malcolm climbed on his back and rested on it to comfort him.
Malcolm was highly intuitive and held grudges. When an uncle visited and flicked her in the ears, she ran away. A few hours later, while the uncle was napping, she returned surreptitiously and swiped at him in the head then scampered away so he couldn't get to her! She got her revenge... (no one was hurt.)
Grandma Lecie did get badly hurt when Malcolm bit her several times on the hand since Malcolm had to be forced to get into a pet carrier on her way New York. Grandma Lecie bled and endured the pain so that Malcolm would not be separated from Mama Liwayway and her brother Yorac.
Malcolm hated car rides, pet carriers and the vets. No vet understood her completely and could give her a full examination until lately, when she became very sick.
Malcolm did not like treats or collars or warm baths. She liked playing with a toy mouse on a dangling stick. She went gaga over the smell of fresh roses and always wanted to eat them. She darted across the room as fast as she could after feeding, when she was happy. She was curious at catnip but didn't care too much for it. She moved so flexibly that she did not destroy figurines (most of the time) when she walked on high display tables, especially when she was younger. She loved the warmth of a laptop and the heater was her best friend. When she was little, she would relax on top of an old box TV in the dining room, and dangle her feet so she could block the top view of the TV. Nobody liked it, but she didn't care. She was a princess and the rest were merely humans!
Malcolm and Yorac were not exactly the best of friends. But having lived with each other for 13 years, they tolerated each other, at best. On few occasions, they would sleep together in the same cat bed. As Malcolm grew weaker and older, the bigger Yorac became the alpha cat and would "bully" her sometimes, blocking the corridor on the way to the room. They would exchange prescription cat food, when Papa Javier was not looking, much to their parents' dismay. During her last day, Yorac sniffed her and sat on the cat bed opposite her. He must have known she was terminally ill. He stopped bothering her and was happy to eat her leftovers or the food originally intended for her.
Malcolm loved sunbathing in the sun and hanging out by the window where she could feel the warmth of the heater. On her last day, she still managed to climb her pet steps and sit by the window and the heater. This was her special place where she could view the sky outside.
Malcolm bravely fought her kidney disease for as long as she could. After she was diagnosed with kidney disease, Mama Liwayway bought prescription food for her to prolong her life. She was happy to have survived a long life of more than 18 years. During her final hours, her mom sang to her several songs, as she was cradled in her arms like a little baby.
She was not just a pet. She was a beloved daughter, often misunderstood, but always and forever loved.
Mama Liwayway, Papa Javier and Yorac will always love Malcom as she joins her Lolo Joe up there where there is no pain and disease, but only love and peace.