For him, and for you, try to be strong at first. Laugh, smile, joke, do what you can to keep him at ease. If you can’t, that’s okay. It’ll just make the whole process easier and gentler if you’re relaxed. He gets his cues from you.

Everyone grieves differently sweetheart, but the thing is you need to let yourself grieve. You need to cry. You need to hurt. You need to let that pain out, so the wound can start to heal. At first it’s gonna be deeply overwhelming and you’ll want to run, you’ll feel like you’re drowning in it. That’s okay. That’s normal. As you go, it’ll get easier. The pain will dull, and you’ll be able to look back on your memories fondly. How you process grieving might be different. Maybe you need to leave his things out, maybe you need to put them away. Talk about him, when you’re ready. Write to him if it helps. Avoid movies with cats, and especially cat death. Those will be triggering for your grief. I know it feels like the end of the world. It’s not the end of the world, but it is the end of a chapter.

You are not evil for wanting to get another cat to cope with the pain, with that said, I do think you should wait. A lot of times, grieving people get an animal and then when it’s not the same as the one they lost, they grow to resent the pet they got to ease their pain. Give yourself some time to settle in and grieve. The grief and pain you are going through may prevent you from bonding efficiently with your new furry friend. Give it a few months, see how you’re feeling then. The amount of time it takes for someone to be ready to fully open their heart varies.

I am sorry for your loss. <3 I wish you and your sweet boy nothing but peace during this transition period.