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It is up to you as to when to adopt another
cat. You may need time to grieve or you may want
another feline companion at once. You may have
other pets or family members who urgently need
feline company. Some people put the needs of cats
before their own needs and adopt a shelter kitty
the very same day to ensure it has a loving home
and will not be put to sleep. The timescale for
getting another cat will also depend on whether
any viruses or infectious agents are left in you
home from your previous cat - you may be advised
to wait a month for these to die. If your cat was
put to sleep as the result of an infectious
illness, then your vet may advise you to let a
period of time elapse before getting another cat.
This is to reduce the risk of infection remaining
in your home.
Apart from this, it is a personal decision.
Some people cannot live without feline
companionship and get another cat almost
immediately, sometimes within hours. Others would
consider this to be indecent haste. Many owners
need a period of time to come to terms with the
loss of a pet; how long this takes varies from
person to person. Some feel that getting another
cat too quickly would be disrespectful to their
former companion. A few owners take on another cat
before their pet goes into terminal decline; this
is only possible if the cat is sociable and there
is no risk of infection. Remember that the new cat
will not replace the one you have lost. He will
commemorate your previous cat, but will have a
personality all his own. If you try to replace
your cat with an exact duplicate, you are likely
to be disappointed as all cats are individuals.
Coping
With Pet Bereavement
Cats have a shorter life-span than humans
although we would like to think our cats are
immortal, especially if a cat is relatively
healthy in his late teens or early twenties. The
death of a well-loved pet is on a par with the
death of a child or teenage human family member,
despite what thoughtless people may say. It is
doubly hard if you cat was rescued by you, nursed
through illness, belonged to an deceased family
member or was your main companion. Grief or anger
are natural reactions to the death of an animal
companion. We react differently to death, but we
all need time to come to terms with the loss of a
close animal companion. You might seek consolation
in remembering the joy that your cat brought you.
No-one who has had to make the decision to
euthanize their pet cat will deny that there are
feelings of loss and perhaps guilt. However you
may find some comfort in having been able to be
merciful to your loved one. You have taken on the
pain of a loving act of mercy in exchange for
sparing your cat further suffering.
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