So my beloved happened to mention that some cat shelter near him was having a function (C.A.T in Sherwood, OR), which led me to look it up, merely out of curiosity. They have lots of homeless cats*, each more gorgeous than the next. Truly, I've never seen so many stunning cats in one place: lynx points, tortie points, flame points, snowshoes... But the thought of driving all the way down there and then back with a couple of stressed out cats in the back seat was unappealing. Which led me to check Petfinder for local cats. I do this from time to time and never seem to find what I'm looking for. But I was immediately struck by a familiar face. A very familiar face. I know there's an impulse to try to replace a lost pet with a little replica, and I've always thought that was doomed to failure. But this cat, and her straightforward challenging expression set me back on my heels. http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/19936028?rvp=1
So I called. What will come of it, time will tell. I don't need or want any more responsibility. If this gets complicated or expensive, I blame it on my beloved, who got the ball rolling.

*It's 2012, there are free spay clinics everywhere. People are idiots.