Hello. I have had some wonderful support on here following the death of my dear 18 year old cat Molly last Sunday. We are hoping to get her ashes back on Monday, have picked a lovely spot in the front garden to bury them and ordered a little memorial stone with her name on.
Today we took her leftover food to the cat rescue charity where we got her from 17 years ago. Lovely lady in there, immediately said 'Are you getting another one? Have you seen Lottie?' and showed us a picture of a beautiful 1yr old girl in the window. Likes older children - tick. Needs lots of space - tick. Needs a forever home - tick tick tick.
I explained, yes we miss having a cat, but we haven't even buried Molly yet, we've got two one week long holidays coming up (my mum and dad usually come up twice a day to feed the cat and would have done so this year as usual). 'Oh well have a think and come back when you're ready' said the lovely lady.
So now I cannot stop thinking about this cat! My boys were with me and started to get excited, I had to explain it might not be the right time, we can't replace one cat with another, we need to find the right cat etc.
BUT I do miss having a cat. My house feels a bit less like a home without one. Part of me wants to go and see her, but that would be worse if I fall in love wouldn't it? Wouldn't it?!!!! Talk sense to me please!
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The litter tray
Its too soon, isn't it? Talk me out of this....
PosiePootlePerkins · 22/07/2016 13:24
So sorry about your lovely cat. 
. I'm not sure that there's a right or wrong time, having another cat isn't going to replace your beloved cat, but it will bring a different spark to your house.
My lovely rescue cat was run over and killed in June, just ten weeks after we had rescued her. 
but she was so full of personality, had absolutely bounced into our lives that when she had gone my house felt entirely empty. Consequently I found myself at Battersea less than a week later, except when I started to talk about Tigi I burst into tears. 
the lovely lady said that there's no right or wrong time, that some people feel ready straight away and others wait for years. She then introduced us to a cat looking for a new home, who had in fact already been rehomed once and then come back. but she just didn't feel like the right cat, she seemed stressed, and I suspected my dog would have stressed her. So we walked away from her and committed to go back the next week. That was about five weeks ago, and we haven't been back yet, partly because of circumstances, but partly because I'm not sure now whether I want to go through that again.
And now I'm looking at booking a week away etc later in the holidays, a new cat just wouldn't be ok to be left or put in a cattery so soon after being adopted, so we won't be having any cats any time soon as things stand.
You could go and visit her at the rescue, but if you have holidays planned would it be fair? Are you looking for a cat or to fill the void your cat has left behind? I think for me it was partly the latter because Tigi just owned the house as soon as she came to live here, and left a huge void behind when she died.
And remember, not now doesn't mean never. 
.
I was where you are this very time last year. Lost 19 year old girl. House far too bloody empty. We had two one week holidays booked.
I stalked rescue websites. I could hardly stand waiting.
I waited until September. Kids settled back in school. No holiday plans and lots of time to settle in our two new monsters.
I would worry about settling in if you are going away. Only you can decide on the right time though.
Thank you for your replies
for you too Wanna that sounds like a very hard experience to go through. I understand what you are saying, cats do kind of own their home! Mine certainly did. I think I am looking to fill the cat void, rather than the Molly void, if that makes any sense? I just hate not having a cat around, we always had them as children and Molly was with us for such a long time, she was just part of our family.
One of our hols is at the beginning of Aug and one at the end, so maybe I could leave it until we get back from the first one.
Wolfie that is a very good idea.... Yes I would definitely be happy to do that if she was right for us and us for her.
Garbadgeman have you climbed inside my head and read my mind?
I think I must be ready to be feeling this way...
No, just been where you are myself, they leave such huge cat shaped holes in our lives and I honestly believe the ones we've lost want us to fill those gaps so another cat can have the same lovely life they did. Let us know what you decide
Too soon for who?
We lost our 18 year old on the Thursday and on the Monday we went to the rescue place. It most definitely was not to enquire about a new cat. It was just to look at some in a controlled way. I knew I'd be sad if it just saw one when out and about 
Three years on and we have boy cat and girl cat who most definitely picked us and came home within two weeks.
Lottie looks like an owl, a fluffy one!
Get her
Get her
Get her
I think you should get her 🐱
I'm sorry about your cat.
If it makes you feel any better, I had to have my 5 yr old horse pts back in April. I'd had him since he was 6 months old. It was truly shit and unfair.
By a strange twist of fate, another horse presented itself to me and I thought I'd be too much of an idiot to say no. This was literally a few days afterwards and she arrived 10 days after he was pts.
Sometimes things happen because they are meant to. My new horse will never replace my old horse, but she can't because she's totally different.
It's ok, there's no right or wrong. I have friends that have taken years before getting a new pet and some like me who can't be without them. If it's right, it's right
PosiePootlePerkins
She's gorgeous!!! Aww i want to cuddle!
I can't imagine how you feel as i haven' lost eother of mine yet, but i do dread the day. I don't think i'd last long without getting another one.
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