New kitty in an old kittys home...

Question
Hello,

My best friend just passed away a couple of days ago and I want to get another cat/kitten and wanted to know what I need to know and/or do before bringing a new cat into an old cats house. For example, do I need to try and remove any and all traces of my old friend before bringing an new friend home?

Any help you can give me would be so appreciated.

Thanks for your time.

Cheers!

Michael

Answer
Michael,

I'm terribly sorry to hear that you've lost such a special friend. I know just how difficult it can be to deal with losing a feline pal and I wanted to pass along a special piece of writing that's given me comfort after the loss of special cats in my life.

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.

There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

As for making any special preparations for bringing a new friend into your home it comes down to a few things. First of all if your cat had any history of house soiling then you will want to check around your home with a black light - urine fluoresces under black light. If you find any urine you will want to clean it with an enzymatic cleaner which will permanently remove any odor or stains, I use one called Petzyme which works well, is reasonably priced and fairly easy to find. I normally purchase Petzyme in the dog section of Petsmart, there is a small spray bottle available in the cat section, however it is more expensive on a per milliliter basis than the gallon sized bottle you'd find in the dog section. Petzyme isn't just for cleaning up urine or feces, it does a wonderful job on vomit stains as well. Other than disinfecting the cat's litter pan and completely replacing the litter, thoroughly washing and disinfecting the food and water dishes and considering picking up a few new toys and a new cat bed there's really no need to permanently remove all traces of your recently departed cat. In the event that your cat passed away as a result of a contagious illness you will need to be very thorough about disinfecting and cleaning any parts of your home that the cat had access to in order to prevent a possible tragedy. It's also important to mention that while it's a good idea to adopt a new feline friend I'd recommend against getting a cat that is the same breed or looks identical to your recently deceased cat as that may cause you more pain in the long run, especially if your new cat turns out to be very different from your old friend. So long as you go into adopting a new cat with open eyes and you understand that no cat will ever replace the special friendship and unique bond that you had with your best friend and you start off this new relationship with an open heart to see who this cat really is then you are on your way to another wonderful relationship. Please accept our prayers and thoughts during this tough time.