Alex the cat

It's been a week since our cat Alex passed away, rather suddenly. We think he must've had a heart attack because it happened so quickly (he was playing just seconds before), wasn't sick, and was only 4 years old. While I've posted about his sometimes cranky personality here, he was a much-loved member of our family. I will miss seeing him in the front windows of our house when I drive home, his greeting us by the kitchen door sitting on his perch by the stairs, and warming up my side of the bed before I get in at night.
We've marked Alex's grave in our backyard by the woods with several stones and various twigs that Evan has left for him when he visits.
We already had plans to get a new puppy around the first of the year, but now we'll also likely get a new kitten (who can resist those faces in the top picture?).