When our 16 yo tabby died, I did not want another cat because no cat could replace her, but six months later my wife insisted "we" - meaning me - had to get another one. I didn't even like cats until my thirties, but they are now sort of indispensable to my sense of well-being.
(Must be that brain parasite doing its job. Beats getting that coronavirus.)
>>indispensable to my sense of well-being
When I’m away from my dogs, which time I keep to a minimum, I say that I’m suffering from fur withdrawal.