DH and I have had four cats in our married life. When Felix went to the Bridge, we went to the shelter and adopted Allie a few days later, being unable to stand the cat-shaped hole in our family. When it was Allie’s turn for the Bridge, we already had had Buddy as an established household member for several years, with a stray kitten we’d met recently making it clear she wished to move in with us.
That kitten is now known as Kasya. We’d been discussing taking her to the shelter for a chance at her own home, since our lease restricts us to two pets (for some reason, the bird doesn’t count), but Allie’s passing left a vacancy Kasya was ready and willing to fill.