@lioness Hope you are feeling better as the day has gone on. I was pretty stiff this morning, also. Cats are pretty easy keepers, that is they take care of themselves. I only keep indoor kitties now, so there is the litter box to clean each day, but it's a small price to pay for their companionship. As many will say cats don't have owners they have staff! They can be a lot of company. Tessie Bell suffered with abuse we think from a man and that's why she is so reluctant with my husband. She also has severe fright with loud noises especially somebody yelling.
Ginger

@lioness You might want to spend time at a shelter in the cat room and play with cats or volunteer and see how they respond. Some are outgoing and will come to you. Some are afraid. My tabby kitten was one of those who needed extra socializing and it took a full 15 minutes of me rubbing her face when I met her until she took a breath and relaxed. That is how I knew she would be OK and trust me. My tuxedo cat confidently sat in my lap at an adoption event and purred right from the start. He learned to trust humans from the person who bottle fed him and raised him. Some will let you hold them, and some will not. I can pick the girl kitties up for about 3 seconds before they start kicking and squirming to jump down. They have claws that need clipping frequently which they hate and that is a 2 person job. Cats will bite their claws to remove layers to sharpen them and they keep growing, so they can accidentally cut you. I suggest work with a shelter or rescue group to find the right one. Usually an older cat will be calmer while kittens will race around the house and bounce off the walls. I clean the litter box daily and use recycled paper litter to be as dust free as possible. After I got my cats, I found out I was allergic, so I do allergy shots and recently started new asthma medication because the dander was causing me too much phlegm. I also wipe them with a damp cloth to try to prevent dander and vacuum, If you spend time with cats before you bring one home, hopefully you'll know if you are allergic or not. I promised my cats a home, so I will do what it takes to co exist which includes running HEPA air filters. We are most vulnerable at night with allergies, and wearing a good filtering disposable surgical mask works to prevent my asthma problems. It would be best not to have them with me while I sleep, but it's nice. I keep my bedding covered and change it often and vacuuming daily sure helps. I just wanted to bring up allergies in case it would affect you. I feed grain free foods that are more expensive and higher quality to prevent health problems, also avoid fish because of mercury concerns, and my kitties love canned and dry duck. They must have essential minerals which are added to cat food. Cats are very intelligent and creative and do silly tings that make me laugh. They need toys to attack and destroy. You have to careful with string and ribbons and lace trims. Years ago, had a Siamese who swallowed a foot of nylon lace trim while I was traveling and someone else was feeding them. My mom figured out something was wrong, and by the time I got home, my cat already had emergency surgery that saved it's life, and I had to feed it like a baby to help it recover. Later in old age, he developed kidney failure and I did IV fluids to try to help. In general, neutered males are calmer and easy going, and the females are a little high strung. Some are more independent and some want lots of attention and cuddling. My Siamese was like a dog demanding attention and fetching toys. You can find them in shelters too. Think about how that would fit in your life and what cat personality you might be looking for. They have a personality as kittens that you won't be able to change, for example, my tabby is a bit hissy with my male tuxedo, but they do get along and sometimes have words between them if they both want the same spot right next to me. I think they both want to be dominant, but my tuxedo will back off and find a new spot to curl up. Having more than one gives them a lot of fun playing and ambushing each other. I got the kittens because my tuxedo cat seemed to be lonely and had been very social with other cats before I got him. If you have only one cat, you are it's playmate. I hope that gives you a lot to think about. I've had a dog too, and cats are easier to care for and happy to just stay in the house, look out the window, and hunt the bugs that manage to get inside. Having a kitty curled up in your lap and purring is really nice.