I think the logic here is supposed to be something like:

more knowledge = more complex brain

as you need to “store” the knowledge somewhere.

I don’t say thats how it works but i can somehow see where OP is coming from.

You could try to find someone to taylor something like this for you. It will be pricey but you’ll have the most control about fit and material.

How about a cat of similar age? Ask for a social one, as he seems to like to cuddle with other cats. Also maybe one with a similar activity level (e.g. a Siamese might be to much energy for yours). But in the end you know yourcat best and need to try it out.

Also think about what you want. They should be somewhat compatible, yes, but its okay for you to want a cat to play and cuddle with, too.

So decide what you need and want, trust the people working at the shelter and your gut on this one.

Good look finding your next family member.

Im using that one since 2021 for at least one heavy shopping trip per week and am pleased with it so far. Still is in very good condition and will hopefully be for many years to come.

If the meister ever breaks i will treat myself to one of those. They are always in the top in rankings and can tolerate loads of weight.

Spare parts are available for both so repairability is alsp no problem

Not sure if these are available were ever you live. :)

We will try and start to work on our garden this year. Bought it together with our house nearly 3 y ago and only did some cleaning to not let it completely overgrow.

We will start extremely basic with seeding a little bit of lawn and a wide stripe of wildflowers on the sides as we don’t have a lot of time this year as new parents.

There is a walnut growing that we had trimmed last fall and some old Raspberrie plants that reproduce via the root. guess ill try and gently push it to the parts of the garden id like it to grow over the next few years.

Ultimately id like to swap the lawn with an ecological and easy to maintain alternative that my kid can play on and go full eco with wildflowers, bee hotels, cairn and what not at the edges of the garden.

Do some of you have a recommendation for a grass alternative that fits middle European weather that will not need loads of water to survive a harsh summer?

I can see what you mean. With a little joe gilgun and a spritz of drug abuse…

The only time i cried harder was while playing RiME, and part of it was how unexpected it was. That spiritfarer got to me was kind of expected from the start, still dived in head first.

Im generally interested, and would love to see one getting created, even if i am not in the position to participate in such a community right now as a new parent.

The community on the android app “sketch a day” was pretty nice last time i was around. I know its not the same, but maybe a temporary fix? :)