Awwww, thanks, y'all. It's good to hear from people who can relate to my pain at losing Miss Purrl. The day after I picked up her ashes from the vet, I went to PetSmart "just to look at the kitties" and for some "fuzz therapy." When I went into the room where the cats were, they all started meowing. Down at the end of the row, I saw a white paw reaching out of the cage toward me. It was a little calico girl, who started rubbing her face on my hand. The attendant asked if I wanted to hold her, and I was lost. Went home and told MrPurrl about her, and we went back and got her. Named her Callie (not very imaginative, but it fits.)
Three weeks ago, we took in a stray who had been hanging around for several days--skinny, full of fleas, but very sweet. The vet said he was about a year old, judging from his teeth, but that he was severely undernourished. So we're doing what we can to fix that. We named him Fergus.
They've been getting along pretty well, except when he rushes up to her, or tries to eat from her food bowl, or watches her when she's in the litter box, or just sits and stares at her.
Sorry to run on so, but I do love those kitties!