Cats are great. Bandit was rescued during a harsh winter a couple of years ago as a kitten. Buttons was a kitten at my mom's house and needed a home.

I hate to admit this but any animal smell. Someone brought up rabbits. NO. I've had rabbits and they stink so bad I wanted to puke. Yes, mine were litterbox trained but the smell was horrible. The require more care than I was able to give. I found a family that adopted them and it was best thing I ever did. Some people love rabbits. I don't and never will after my experience.

My litterboxes are in the kitchen. I keep mats outside the box for easy cleaning. Just keep up with the cleaning so the smell is contained. Once my kitten figured out the litterbox, I've never had problems with mine not using a litterbox.

Mine are indoor cats only, but Bandit will look for every opportunity to get the door. He just wants to eat grass and come back in to puke it up. They are safer inside.

Buttons isn't declawed and she picked my sewing chair to destroy. It's better than my expensive couches and when she's done with the chair I can buy another. They will need something to destroy with their claws and it's never the expensive clawing thing at the store.

I didn't know dry food was bad for cats.

Cats will play with anything. Mine love bags, boxes and sewing machine bobbins. They dump them in the tub and play "hockey" as they bat the bobbin around. Ping pong balls are another favorite.

Rescue cats are great and they need homes. And, gasp..sometimes two cats are better than one. They play with each other and keep you entertained with their antics. Sometimes rescue groups have cats that are so close together than they can't be separated and it's hard finding them homes. They also come spayed/neutered which also important.

Cats do indeed pick you. Take your time finding the one or two that pick you so you both enjoy each other's company. If you need some laughs, check out the thread on "Dear Cat".