Needless to say I was devastated by this loss. Leaving home hurt, coming home was even worse since Sebastian was no longer there to greet me at the door. Sebastian had been in my life for so long that I felt guilty leaving him home alone all day long but he was such a wonderful cat that I didn't think I could find another one like him. I mean he played fetch, meowed at me when I asked him if he was ready to catch the toy, greeted me at the door and made sure I was awake when my alarm did not go off at 6am. I didn't think anyone could come close to his special personality. But I thought he was lonely and I went searching the web for a friend for him. He was seven at the time.

One day I found the Cozy Kitten website and my jaw dropped at the gorgeous little kittens I saw. I began to stalk the website as my secret little wish. I didn't have the kind of money at the time to get me a Cozy Kitten. I also decided it wouldn't be fair to bring a new kitten into Sebastians life when he was the only one for so long and a dominant kitty as well.

So I stalked and drooled and waited and debated and then Sebastian became ill and I felt guilty drooling over other cats when mine at home was in such pain and losing weight. I even checked out other websites and looked around just to be sure that Cozy Kittens was the best. And then Sebastian took an even worse turn and the vet said the dreaded words. I cried that day. I knew that losing Sebastian would be the hardest thing to cope with but he was in such pain that I promised him that day that if he did not get better and he wound up with another attack that as his mother I would not put him through that torment any longer. The vet gave him a shot and he did ok for the next 3 weeks. Then one horrible Saturday morning I woke up and he was so ill. So ill. I kept my promise to him that day. 2 days before Christmas I lost my baby, Sebastian, and I became the worst Grinch you could imagine. I cried for 2 weeks and hated going home to nothing.

I still perused the Cozy Kitten website and I decided I wanted another kitten and I wanted one now. I needed another one to come home to, to love and take care of and to just spoil rotten. A brother for Sebastian that he never had.

But this was a Cattery that I couldn't travel to and see. I couldn't meet the kitten first, I couldn't check out his parents and it was a lot of money. How did I know if I was getting what I paid for? How did I know that this cattery could produce a cat as wonderful as Sebastian? All of these questions flew through my head as I hemmed and hawwed and tried to make the decision to shell out that kind of money when we have a perfectly good animal shelter filled with cats and kittens looking for homes. But I wanted the best. I did not want to go through the kind of torment I went through when Sebastian became ill. I did not want a cat that had freaky quirks that included peeing in my bed like my friends cats or digging up the furniture like my co-workers.

There were so many things to take into consideration but Maestro's blues were staring at me. Only he was a seal point and I wanted an exotic blue, lilac or flame point.

So I filled out the application then called up Cozy Kitten and chatted with Sue. I told her I my woes about why I was looking for another kitten and why I wanted one fast. I told her I was nervous about this and that I wasn't sure Maestro was the one. I even mentioned that a couple of years ago I was thinking of getting a flame point. That was when she said, "A flame point? I have one I haven't posted yet. His name is Taylor. Let me send you his picture." While Sue waited on the phone, I opened the email with Taylor's picture and the minute I laid eyes on him, I said, "I want him." I immediately had second thoughts but in the end went with my gut instinct and chose Taylor. I have not regretted it once.

Poor Sue and her husband had to jump through some wicked hoops to get Taylor to me. When I picked him up at the airport and he came right of his carrier, let me put a leash on him and walked around without a care in the world, I knew I had made the right choice.

Picking out Taylor's new name was rather difficult. I couldn't settle on one regal enough and the only thing that seems to fit him was Honeybear. He likes water so much that he joins me for my morning showers, he loves to go for walks, has enough curiosity to get himself in trouble and kneads my blankets when he sprawls across my chest for some loving hugs and kisses. I thank Sue and the Cozy Cattery for bringing Honeybear into my life.

He now has a special spot right next to Sebastian in my heart. No kitten could replace Sebastian but Cozy Kitten helped me find one just as special.