My Siamese cat, Mina, had to be put to sleep on Wednesday. She was 6 years
old and had been in good health, but Tuesday she seemed under the weather. I
took her to the vet, who reported that she was in liver failure and had us
check her into a vet hospital. At the hospital, in spite of supportive care,
she got steadily worse. By Wednesday afternoon it was clear that she was
dying. It was time to end her suffering.

The vet couldn't diagnose exactly what happened, but said it was likely an
acute toxic reaction to something she ate. Mina was an indoor-only cat. She
liked to chew on plastic bags and always tried to sample whatever was on our
plates, so we were always careful to put bags and "people food" where she
couldn't get them. She may have found a way to get to something that harmed
her, but we have no idea what it was.

I miss her terribly. I had Mina for three years after adopting her from a
shelter. She was sick when I got her, and very frightened, but she gradually
came to trust me and since then she always slept next to me and sat with me
whenever she could. She was a beautiful, loving, intelligent girl.

I have two other cats, but I think any of you who have multiple pets will
understand when I say having them doesn't make losing Mina any easier. Their
relationships with me are different from hers.

I want to get another meezer. I want to go to the shelter and find one who
needs a home. An adult, who might not have as good a chance of adoption as a
kitten.

Two people in my life -- DH, and a friend of mine who has an extended cat
family -- say I should NOT do this. They don't want me to get another cat.
My friend says my remaining two cats would be too stressed out. DH doesn't
want me to go through another potential loss.

I know some of you have multiple cats, and you must have dealt with the
feelings of your cat family when you lost and/or got a new cat.

What would you do, or what have you done in a situation like this? How did
it work out for you? If you had a friend who was heartsick at losing a
beloved cat, and wanted to get another one, what would you tell them?

I'm trying to understand why it would be better not to get another cat. Or
how long to wait, if I must wait.

Salome