We have been struck by a double whammy of losing 2 cats in a period of 3 weeks 
The ones we lost were Cat A - our first ever family cat who we adopted from DD's teacher at the age of 7 weeks and who had to be pts the week before Christmas because of a liver tumour just before the age of 17, She was very determined and never gave up.
Cat B we found starving in our garden in 2009, I think someone had abandoned him in the forest near our rural home (he had obviously been owned previously). He was very close to death and lay in our cleaning cupboard for 6 days until well enough to stand. He was an adult male 4-6 in 2009 but seemed to have suffered from brain damage/injury and seemed to develop kitty Alzheimers later in life and stopped eating. Had to be pts in early January.
The cats we have left are 2 females aged 14 (rescue) and 6 (found eating birdfood in our garden and living under neighbours barn), We had a 5th female aged 7 but DD1 has reclaimed her but she sometimes comes forweekend visits,
So what sort of cat/s should we get?
- age I was thinking kitten or younger cat - is that a good idea
- male or female?
- anything else to consider?
thanks