When our beloved old cat Mr. Darcy suddenly took a frightening downturn, grief and panic sent me spiraling toward one firm conclusion: I could not be without a cat. What followed was an emotional chain reaction involving anticipatory heartbreak, a rare chocolate mink Ragdoll kitten, one very soft-looking lie of a baby animal, and the domestic menace now known as Edgar. This is the story of how we brought him home—and how I realized, with painful clarity, that I have no one to blame but myself.