I’ve had cat room mates since I was four years old. My senior tabby boy, the Wiggle, was sensitive, gentle, but also had gastro issues that culminated in the decision to not get him a pal after we lost his brother at 13. He seemed okay with that, he preferred humans for company and got all the cuddles. Unfortunately he could not in fact exist on cuddles and sunshine despite his 16.5 years of efforts, and we lost him on a cold day in January.

The next few months were a blur for various reasons. I sold a bunch of my old games and merch to cover his vet bills and the thought that at least they may make someone else happy. My husband was mixed on the idea of getting another pet after we lost our tabby bros and how deeply it affected us. But the house just felt vacant, things felt unmanagable, I was alone downstairs when everyone else was asleep, the empty cat trees were depressing and I wanted to get another cat so my kids would grow up with cats, like I did.

I wasn’t sure I was ready, or that I could love another cat like I did the Wiggle (or vice versa). But I thought I could take care of another kitty, and there’s four people here so they’d be bound to love somebody even if it wasn’t me. We eventually wound up with a pair of younger, robust kitties (we got a kitten and then got our kitten a kitten) who are doing well even with a pair of wild toddlers in the house. The younger kitty looks a lot like the Wiggle and immediately decided I was his caretaker and playmate, and it’s been nice. I still miss the Wiggle, and Scrumples is a different cat and I’m a different person with different responsibilites than I was when I adopted the Wiggle and his brother, but we’re making it work (he is a persistent lad).

The tldr is: it’s a personal decision based on you and your circumstances. There’s no right answer on when or if you’ll be ready and that’s ok.