I'm saddened to hear of your loss, SueDB.

Sue, and for mrs. Sue, too.

I share your sadz, Sue.

Miss Ginger looked like a wonderful girl and I know you and Mrs. DB are going to miss her terribly.

Ginger looks like a happy, healthy, alert cat who knew that she was loved. You gave her that.

Poor kitty. Sorry.

So sorry SueDB, KItteh will be missed.

For a stray that adopted us one day, she was one of the best cats. She had lived somewhere before and had excellent toilet habits and behavior (not scratch the couch etc). Liked to jump on bed to help yor with the mouse.

I'm going to need a couple of days to go through the process to acceptance. Eventually (hopefully shortly), we will go shopping for another cat. I have finally talked Mrs. SueDB into 2 cats.

I am to a point to start look as another cat or 2 in about 2 weeks. That should give me time to clean up and share my house and life with some new treasures.

Does one have any suggestions for M/M, M/F, F/F (neutered but of course)???.

I want to thank you all very much for this blog and your individual participation. With that comes a sense of community (Fogbowsers etc).

You are a very caring group and please carry on.

She was the Queen of the House. I'm interesting to see what kind of power struggle 2 kittehs go through. I don't know where she was before, as it doesn't matter. She had the best years of her life with us.

And she did limp home to expire 6 hours later. Showed up about 11 PM then just went down hill from there.

I DO have plenty of cat food, treats, and toys.

Almost New Kitteh time.

One suggestion: your other cat also needs time to grieve.

SueDB,

I'm so sorry to hear about Ginger. Since you think you will be looking for a new kitteh soon, take a look at this group of fine felines in need of a new home. My friend does a lot of volunteer work for this group and I help out with them sometimes. I am sure there is an equivalent in your neighborhood. If not, come on down and they will fix you up.

Pets are pretty good at choosing which people they want to provide companionship to. I would let that be the guide to choosing a new one. Mutual attraction.

http://www.givemesheltersf.org/#!adopt

I think adopting another cat (or two) in need is the best tribute you can make to the goodness and sweetness that was Ginger. I found that after the first cat that I owned by myself died, I needed to fill his death by passing his love along. I ended up adopting a cat within a week. It mainly happened so quickly because our local Petsmart was hosting an adoption day event for a local cat shelter -- and I was too weak to resist stopping by. I found the sweetest cat who so needed a home that it just felt that the only right thing to do was take him home with me -- and it felt like a tribute to the love that Rusty, the cat who had passed, had given me.

As to combinations, in my opinion the more important thing is whether the 2 cats get along with each other -- and how they react to you. Take Rusty for example. I had already picked one cat (Buster) as my "must have." There were a number of other cats that cats that appealed to me but Buster reacted badly to all but one -- Rusty. I might not have selected Rusty if he and Buster didn't seem to have a bond. It was one of the best decisions in my life. They both brought out the best in each other -- and me. I have a mix of male and female cats and I've found that the cat, not the sex, (well cat sex anyways ) that makes the difference.

Some regions have specialized cat rescue societies. The North Shore Animal League America in Port Washington, NY, is not just a no-kill shelter. It accepts commitments to find a home for the pets of people who are dying or who wish to be prepared for when they do die. Sometimes the pets are elderly, too.

I'm in Washington State south of Olympia. We have been perusing locally, but there doesn't seem to be one that "hits" us yet. Ginger picked us, so that is something that is hard to overcome. She wanted to be here.

I'm feeling much better after a nap. It was a long night.

I have time to be very patient to find 2 good kittehs. Sometimes the just literally appear out of no where. We live on a cul-de-sac in the county, so folks "drop" there pets off here when they can't or don't take care of them. This kitteh was rare and special.

Combos are hard to judge. I adopted two older male kittehs because "they can't be separated, they're best buddies!". Turned out they hated each other. I had two females and Jazz, a male; the girls didn't get along' but each got along fine with Jazz.

Losing a pet is always hard. It is amazing how much they get into our lives.

Started looking on line. Some may say it's too early, but we are spoiled human and can afford to be patient. After all, you didn't bring your girlfriend into the house or get married to the first girl you see.

This kitteh will be a loved part of our family.

The test? see if kitteh likes me and the Ms. and look for a set of two kittehs who get along.

My lovely daughter is a vet tech also. We kinds keep some stuff "in the family".

When it's right, you'll know it. My plan has always been to have a least 2 cats so they have a companion when I'm not around. (Since I have way more than 2 cats now, I have to say my "plan" has been a roaring success, maybe too successful.) After my cat Rusty died, I found another cat in need to help fill the void he left in less than a week. Despite looking really hard in all the wrong (and right) places, it was months before I found another cat that captured my heart -- and it happened in an instance.

What you need to do is start looking a cute cat pictures to get you primed for that cat(s) you just have to take home with you. If you haven't been to the Lolcats site, you need to and you can visit it at the link. I have it set up so that I get Lolcats sent to my computer every day, and every day now starts with a laugh when I see the cute cats with the even cuter captions. You can even get pictures of cute dogs. I can Haz Cheezburger

The kitteh(s) you find will be lucky, indeed.

Since you're in WA state, there's a woman in the Seattle/Tacoma area that fosters and blogs about it atThe Itty Bitty Kitty Committee. She doesn't have any fosters currently, but she does take fantastic kitty pictures and has a ton of them posted.

A personal favorite from last year, Miss Perla Dearborn:

This kitteh is adorable. Thank you...I will send her a note.

So sorry to hear about your kitty friend, suedb .

I love how, like clockwork, my kittehs go into the kitchen right around 5:30 and wait in the bay window for me to come home from work. It's so sweet.

Even if they have to leave the comfort of my lap to go and wait for me.

Yabbut, Maru, huge difference between kitteh dumb and birther dumb. When I can accurately describe the differece, I'll patent it and grow rich!

That's my faborite kitteh story EVAH. Second is Weenie stalking and killing a wild piece of pasta.

Third is my mom's cat woke her up at 4:00 yesterday morning warning her SOMETHING VERY BAD HAS HAPPENED. Took mom an hour and extensive kitteh charades to determine that the paperboy threw the paper under the porch.

I like this one, cause you have a good watchkitteh.
I'm feeling better every day. We have an excellent Vet who "made the final arrangements for her" that I trust implicitly (he's always right) Thank all of you for your care and compassion. SueDB (yes I'm a guy - short for Sue D Bastards or Sue D'Bastards - and I know y'all don't want to see that all the time.) Oh yes, & Ms SueDB too

Started shopping for 2 kittehs now. (ambitious - but there are 2 of us).