Thanks so much for all your replies. It really helps ease my guilt that you're all so understanding of why I feel like this, having been there many of you yourselves. Thanks Broccoli & Kelly joy for advice on cat personality type - I hadn't thought of that but yeah makes sense that a laid-back male would be a better pairing should my Bubs ever come home. Broccoli your cats are beautiful, just looking at their little faces in your profile pic just made me swoon! I go for a walk most nights, just a quick walk round on the off chance i might spot Bubble & am befriending all the neighbourhood moggies just so i can have my cat fix. I'm sure they've compared notes by now about that mad woman going about furiously blinking at them all...

Jill i may just have saunter over to that adoption thread..(well I have to now dont I!?) and Kelly-Joy i'm in St. Helens, Merseyside. (Saw a couple of gorgeous boys the other night on Freshfields Animal Rescue in Liverpool... Blake & Duke...these two in particular just melted my heart... Blake's bbeautiful wise face
My husband, by the way, has said no to another cat yet "in case Bubble comes home" but I wasn't actually asking him seriously if i can have one, just more a testing of the waters to see what he'd say. I'll keep you all posted whatever I (we? apparently husband says it's we!) decide. Thanks again everyone