But something was missing. Lacey was a painting on the wall—beautiful to look at, but you couldn’t touch her for too long, or she’d get wrinkled. I swore I was a one-cat household. But then my neighbor found a stray kitten under their porch. "He has no tail," they said. "He’s grey. And he keeps trying to fight the garden hose."

You realize that home isn't about finding two identical puzzle pieces. It’s about finding two completely different textures—lace and concrete—and stitching them together anyway.

But then came Lacey. And then came Manx.

If you are considering adding a second cat, don’t look for a clone of the one you have. Look for the one who annoys them just enough to wake them up. Look for the Manx to your Lacey. It will be loud. It will be messy. And it will be the best decision you ever made.