Your next cat

I was wondering if you lost your loving special cat,would you replace her / him ?  I mean would you go through your grieving process and then run out and get another cat ?

I know that Bella  could never be replaced She is fixed so I would not have her kittens to take her place. Thunder was given to me by my daughter and can never be replaced she is special too,but Thunder's mom is always pregnant and looks just like her and I could get another one.

I mean Thunder is a special cat (Tuxedo )  with the funny things she does,and I love them both and can never be replaced in my heart.

dejolane

Since I have more than one, have six and a seventh may in the future only because it was a rescue from my backyard and has yet not been adopted out. I feel bad he is sitting in a sanctuary of feral cats. He was a dump off and is very, very loving and deserves a forever home. ANYHOO!!! :lol3: I don't think I would ever call it replacing one of my cats as I seem to have cats come in and out of my life. They seem to find me. So I doubt I would ever need to go out looking for a cat, is what I am saying. :bigwink:

I don't really consider it to be a case of "run out and get another cat". When I lost Banshee, part of my heart died with her (my brother says he can still hear me screaming when I realized she was dead). She was truly the feline love of my life. And while I was thinking about another kitty about a year later, I really wanted a Maine Coon kitten. But when we took Boo to the vet for his check-up and Mollipop was right there.....well, she's my little girl. It happens, even when you don't plan on it. Instead of a Maine Coon, I got a Fluffy Butt.

They will never be replaced. But with 7 I have a while to go before I will ever need to worry about that and honestly as long as there are cats needing homes I will always have multiple cats.

I agree that you never "replace" a kitty, but somehow they show up and make a new place in your heart. When my BJ went to the Bridge I was devastated, but suddenly Angel showed up and we knew it was right. We had no intentions of looking for another one, but a year later Tippy was at our door -- and now she thinks she owns the whole house. So it's usually never planned - but somewhere there is a kitty that needs you and your love and you find each other.

I have two now. When they are gone, we are done with having cats. I don't want any that might out live me and hubby. I have in my mind that I will probably help my friend who works with our local pet welfare society and foster cats for them until they can find homes for them. Or, I might possibly adopt a senior cat at that time who really really needs a home. I know they can come with more special needs which might be stressful and I am considering all that.

I don't consider it replacing a lost pet.  When I had to PTS Willow, it took me months to even think about another cat.  In time, I missed having two cats and all the antics they brought.  I missed things about her temperament that Gus doesn't have. I could see he was lonely too.  When I started to feel like I was ready to love another kitty, I spent some time looking around before I found Pepper. If I'd rushed right out to get another cat, I think I'd have had a harder time bonding with him/her, I just wasn't ready.  Even months later, the first few days we had Pepper i felt like i wasn't ready and that i was replacing Willow.  it didn't take long though for her to find her own place in my heart, not Willows spot, but her very own corner. I know for some people, like my mom, she always needs a new one to love while she's grieving.  She usually adopts a new dog within days of one passing. 

williecat said:

I don't consider it replacing a lost pet.  When I had to PTS Willow, it took me months to even think about another cat.  In time, I missed having two cats and all the antics they brought.  I missed things about her temperament that Gus doesn't have. I could see he was lonely too.  When I started to feel like I was ready to love another kitty, I spent some time looking around before I found Pepper. If I'd rushed right out to get another cat, I think I'd have had a harder time bonding with him/her, I just wasn't ready.  Even months later, the first few days we had Pepper i felt like i wasn't ready and that i was replacing Willow.  it didn't take long though for her to find her own place in my heart, not Willows spot, but her very own corner. I know for some people, like my mom, she always needs a new one to love while she's grieving.  She usually adopts a new dog within days of one passing. 

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    I hope I didn't seem like a mean person when I said ''replacing a cat''. I know people who lost their cats have a special corner in their hearts for another cat. I think those who would love an animal should have a good nice home and love in their hearts.

  dejolane

I never "replace" any of my kitties, but I do find a place in my heart for the kitty the RB baby "sends" to me to love and give the same happy life to. I grieve hard for my babies when they pass, but I also am able to open my heart to give the same gift of a good life to another when I'm ready.

I'm not sure I would. My 3 are the only cats I have ever had in my life. Plus I am not sure I could go get another after one of them dies. They are all so special to me. So I am not really sure and they could never be replaced.

I won't be replacing any of my six cats but I might adopt another(number 7!) in the future.  Personality is most important but, as far as looks, I'd like a dark grey cat, black, another pointed kitty, or a smoke colored cat - with green eyes .  When I lose (the love of my life) I will probably do more fostering/feral work in his honor.  

I would love to have a Persian someday.

dejolane

No.

Honestly, after my sweet Velvet passed away ( I had owned her since I was around 11 years old!), I was so upset that I didn't want any more new cats. Just a few months after her passing though, my sister moved and needed to re-home their family cat, so since he had been in the family for so long, I took him in (And I'm glad I did; he's such a sweet boy!) So, all together now I have three cats (My two: Kojak and Isabella, and then Lucky). They are all Seniors, two are in CRF. It's a lot of work to maintain my home, work, and look after six animals (3 dogs and 3 cats), especially with working dogs. When my cats pass on, I'm just not sure if I'd want anymore. I love my three dearly and wouldn't trade them for the world, but on that same note, I'd also like a break from owning cats whenever they do pass. I'm so involved with the therapy work/etc I do with my dogs, that I just prefer being able to devote a lot of time and work with them. Now, I found a rare cat down the line that was suitable in temperament for therapy work, I'd consider it. But in the future, I think I'll be sticking with working dogs, and so that my life isn't void of cats entirely...I'll just stick to fostering kittens when I need my "fix".

I have had American Curls since 1986 and we now have our last one, Lyra who just turned 18.  I can not, would not, impose a kitten on her, or on our now early teen's bobtail rescue and almost into early teens maine coon type rescue (both rescues not from a shelter but our own true rescues).

But..when Lyra is gone since, I can not imagine life without an American Curl, and especially, one that has the incredible legacy of personaltiy passed on by Patriot's Jake, who began my line of Curls, we will get a kitten.  I am fortunate that there are several different breeders that I respect with my lines behind them..and someday we will get a kitten from one of them.  I will continue to have prolly 2 cats, one a rescue, and one an American Curl.

Pat said:

I have had American Curls since 1986 and we now have our last one, Lyra who just turned 18.  I can not, would not, impose a kitten on her, or on our now early teen's bobtail rescue and almost into early teens maine coon type rescue (both rescues not from a shelter but our own true rescues).

But..when Lyra is gone since, I can not imagine life without an American Curl, and especially, one that has the incredible legacy of personaltiy passed on by Patriot's Jake, who began my line of Curls, we will get a kitten.  I am fortunate that there are several different breeders that I respect with my lines behind them..and someday we will get a kitten from one of them.  I will continue to have prolly 2 cats, one a rescue, and one an American Curl.

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I thought this when I found Stella.  I have a 17 year old kitty, and told everyone that I absolutely could not keep her because it would not be fair to my old girl and that I would find her a new home.  Well, I couldn't let the campus police officer "take her somewhere" as he said.  When I found no one who was interested, I couldn't take this lovely, healthy black kitten to be put down at the shelter.  I do still feel bad about it, but my guilt at this kitten's probable death sentence would have been much greater.  I wouldn't ever seek out a kitten given the prior situation, but we've all adapted when we needed to.

I don't know if I will get another cat when Alafair passes.  I don't have the intentions to, but I may end up going to the shelter and acquiring one.  Or maybe one will happen upon me like Stella did, or something.  Guess we'll see, but I'm not making any plans. 

My home was so empty after losing my beloved Grey in December 2011. I still miss her, she was truly a wonderful cat and I learned so much from her.

Eight days after she was put to rest, I adopted 3 cats from the shelter. I figured it was a good way to celebrate her legacy; by saving 3 others.

DuckDodgers said:

I thought this when I found Stella.  I have a 17 year old kitty, and told everyone that I absolutely could not keep her because it would not be fair to my old girl and that I would find her a new home.  Well, I couldn't let the campus police officer "take her somewhere" as he said.  When I found no one who was interested, I couldn't take this lovely, healthy black kitten to be put down at the shelter.  I do still feel bad about it, but my guilt at this kitten's probable death sentence would have been much greater.  I wouldn't ever seek out a kitten given the prior situation, but we've all adapted when we needed to.

I don't know if I will get another cat when Alafair passes.  I don't have the intentions to, but I may end up going to the shelter and acquiring one.  Or maybe one will happen upon me like Stella did, or something.  Guess we'll see, but I'm not making any plans. 

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Understand completely.  I meant I wouldn't go seek out a kitten right now