There is something to that Karmic aspect. About 3 or 4 weeks after
Clifford died, I wandered down to the local Advocat rescue group at
PetSmart. All I thought I was doing was to see whether I coulr really
even look at a cat.

To give some perspective, I realized that my relationship with Clifford,
who made it to about 17 1/2. was the longest-term, continuous close
relationship I'd had in my life -- broken childhood, and, while he was
adopted right after my 2nd marriage, he outlasted the marriage.  So,
he's very close and I still feel a connection.

I didn't expect the way this particular rescue group does things...as
soon as you show interest, they open the cage and put the cat in your
arms. Rhonda, a kitten at the time, was in with one sister. It wasn't a
question of "putting" her into my arms -- she surged out, planted
herself firmly, and started vigorously licking my nose.

Before I knew it, I was leaving with my new family of three biologically
unrelated cats, who were friends from the very start. I had been
concerned that Mr. Clark, an adult altered tomcat, might have problems
with kittens, but, instead, he turned very parental and took very good
care of him. He probably reassured me just on the trip home, as his
carrier was the one on the front seat, and he was the only one of the
three not wailing, but just regarding me calmly and greeting me
occasionally.  He's turned out to be the most insistent kisser of the
three.

Heh.  I don't think Mike's telling me anything; he hated other cats.
He got along quite well with several different dogs during his life,
though, and it might not surprise me if he sent one of the *two* stray
dogs that have also been hanging around.

Mike's been gone less than a month, and so far three stray animals
have started thinking they live here.  I never quite appreciated what
an excellent job of guardcatting Mikey did.

------
Krista

Took me a year to even think like even  *feeling*ready for another after
I lost Henri, but I guess if a stray  had turned up on my doorstep
I know I would have accepted it as a sign that Henri knew I needed
a cat friend, so I hope this turns out to be a cat friend for you  from
mikey
              Jean.P.