You have an awful lot of love to give to a pet AND right now as I write this there is a kitty at your local shelter that would give ANYTHING to have yourself and your wife such wonderful kitty parents come in to that shelter and take him / her out of their cage and bring them to your wonderful loving home!!! You can never replace what you had HOWEVER the love you had for that kitty should definitely be given to a kitty just begging to have you two as parents!!! It won’t be the same BUT how grateful that homeless kitty would be to have the two of you!!!
Amen well said!