As some of you may know my cat Bubble has been missing for just over 12 weeks. She’s still the first thing I think about when I wake up in a morning and the last thing before I go to sleep. I can still burst into tears at the drop of a hat over her without warning and she does consume most of my thoughts still every day. It’s like living in limbo land – going through the motions of ‘getting on with life’ and being happy & cheery, mainly for my daughter’s sake, but still feeling pretty empty a lot of the time.

Thing is though I’ve found myself thinking more & more the last week or so about when I should get a new cat. Not if but when. I know that probably reads as really callous and unfeeling, like I’m saying “Oh well, next cat please!” but trust me it’s not like that at all. It’s just that I’ve spent the last 20 years or so with cats in my life, have at different times (usually in grief) said “no more” but know myself well enough now to know I’ll always have them in my life. Bubble going missing has just left such a huge hole. I come on here to get my kitty fix and love reading about & seeing other people’s cats but it’s just not the same! When I hear about cats in need of a home I just get such a longing to help one & have found myself going on cat rescue sites lately “just for a look” and then feeling guilty for even thinking about it! I know there’s still a chance (however slight) that Bubble could just walk in the door or be traced via her microchip and I’m sure she wouldn’t be too pleased to find I’ve “replaced” her (not that that could ever be possible). I’m also not fully decided how I feel about the safety aspect of getting a new cat & letting it out where I live in view of Bubble not coming home and have all that to think about as well. I also wouldn’t want to rush into anything because of how I’m feeling...

But! I still can’t help thinking about it so…. if you were in my shoes how long would you leave it before you looked into getting another cat? If any of you feel I need a good slap on the head for even thinking this way yet please feel free to give it also!

I really feel for you!! We lost both our beloved cats last summer/autumn and I really missed them and kept hankering after getting new kittens the following spring as I wanted to properly grieve over my old cats. I spent all winter viewing "kitten videos" on youtube (sad I know) just so I could get my fix.

It just never seemed the right time to get new kittens with our summer holiday booked for the end of June beginning of July but then at the end of July Fluffy an abandoned cat walked into our lives. "She" found us.

Only last week I get 2 new kittens. They are 10 weeks old now and my heart feels filled with love and I'm hoping all 3 cats will live to ripe old ages of 15 or 16 just like my Buster and Amber did.

Give it time and the right time will come and you will have a new kitty cat in your life to love and cherish.

Are you thinking of a kitten or adult rescue cat?

Was Bubble your only cat?

If so, you are now finding out just how big a hole such a small creature can leave in your life when they are not there.

There is no set time span for when you bring another fur-baby into your home - you have to go with your own gut feeling - and if you think having a new baby to look after will help to ease the pain of Bubbles absence, then that is no-one elses concern but yours. Only you know how you feel and sod anyone else who wants to make a judgement on that.

If the Gods are graceful and Bubble does make her way back to you, then you will need to go through the introduction process to ensure that the two furbabies get along but I do NOT think that Bubble will be 'offended' that you had someone else to help keep the lonliness at bay.

I hope this helps hun.

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Well I must fully agree with MB. It is your decision and no one elses.

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Black with white around his private area



Black Tortoiseshell




R.I.P Patch my well behaved boy dog
R.I.P. Abby and Rebel my beautifull litter sister cats

Thanks all of you, it does really help . Haven't thought it through to the point yet of what type of cat - kitten or adult - I'm of the view like you IHC that the right cat usually comes along & finds you when the time is right. Yes MB Bubble is my only cat now. We only got her a couple of years ago from CPL (she was 4, now 6) Before we adopted her we'd lost our 2 beloved girls TC & Domino within 12 months of each other (aged 14 & 11) and had a brief "no more" moment before deciding to adopt Bubble. I feel like my life with Bubble was only just beginning & thought she'd be around for years to come.

my ginger went missing just before yours - so i know how horrid it is

i still have the tabby in my profile photo

went through all the search tips people posted on threads

due to tabby being miserable i have already got a new addition - i knew it was too soon in some ways, but i'm a teacher so this is the only time of year i can do it

did choose a kitten from stray someone has taken in, to make me feel less guilty!


- dont know if you joined mymoggy.com - but some people on there took in strays while searching, and they still put out hoover contents as the human smell will still be identifiable

i still do the clothes in the garden etc, in case

and i chose the easy going kit, to help it bond with tabby now - and hopefully ginger eventually...........

I have to agree with this post!

Worst case sceanrio (or best case!!!) and Bubbles came came back as long as you could afford two cats and did follow the integration process then it would be fine.

Otherwise you could wait forever and that would be hard. You are not getting a replacement cat BUT this may help you to move on somewhat and I am afraid life does go on

I really feel for you. Good luck xxx

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I really feel for you. I myself have had cats all my life and would not want to be without one
Last year we were going through the same. Lucky for us we did get him back but we had already decided the week before that we would give him another week and if we couldn't find him then we would adopt another.

It wasn't to replace him it was to help us with the heart break and the pain we were going through.
It wasn't a problem if he had turned up and we had got another. We had already 2 other cats anyway. so another mouth to feed is not a lot.

By adopting another little one (loads of nice ones on the adoption thread!!)
It will help you to focus on living again and enjoying the little things cats do.
You will be happier in yourself and a new puss will keep you busy.
If Bubble turns up then that would be great and i am sure she would be fine.

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Sometimes fate takes over... that's how I ended up with my 2... months before I should have

Wish you all the best

As others have said only you can know if getting another cat is the right thing to do or not. If you do decide to adopt another cat then perhaps adopt one that is really laid back , so that if your other cat does walk back in she will be more likely to get on with the new cat. Probably best to go for a lazy laid back male cat If you do decide to adopt then let me know what area you are in and I will send you a list of rescues to try around your area

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