I believe that our pets only have to have one incarnation down here and that's it.  Then they go home to the Other Side and wait for us.  God loves our animals too and he would never take them away from us.  I know that many times I have felt a cat jump up on my bed and curl up behind my knees.  Thinking that this is my current cat (I always have one), imagine how often I've been surprised to see "nothing" there.  I don't move anyways, I wouldn't want to disturb a cat when its sleeping.  I've also read that our animals are the first ones to welcome us home after we pass away.  To me, this is VERY comforting.  

I've enjoyed all of your stories and posts!  I have that kinship with a pet, but it wasn't a cat...  It was with the small spirit of a Fischer's Lovebird...  Green Phase...  Her name was "Little Bit"...  She was my most special friend!!  Sadly, she got sick when I brought home a little baby chick (also a special friend of mine!  LOL  He ended up being a little Banty Rooster I named Joley), and died exactly 1 year to the day as my OTHER special friend (A mini Doxie named Mysha)...  Little Bit greeted me every day by flying to me as I opened the door to my bedroom and excitedly chirped and chattered and offered me kisses and beak rubs!  She was the coolest bird in the whole world!!  When she died, I was devastated!!  I mourned her every morning and evening (and any other time I was home in my bedroom) for MONTHS!!!  And then one night, I had a dream about her...  She first appeared to me in my dream dead...  and as I held her in my hand, she slowly came back to life, lifted her little head, flew to my shoulder and gave me all the kisses and beak rubs she could manage to give me...  and then her feathers slowly grew fainter and less colorful... and she laid herself back in my hands, gave me one last sideways glance, made one more little peep, and closed her eyes...  And from that moment, I knew that she had found peace, and that she would be waiting for me with all of my other special friends from this life at the Rainbow Bridge when I finally pass...  And she still visits me from time to time...  I partially wake in the middle of the night to feel a fresh nibble-kiss or eyelash preening...  But when I wake, she is never there...  Just the lingering feeling of her visit...  And I always smile, and tell her that I haven't forgotten her...  And that someday we'll be together again...