Allow me to preface this with information about me as a cat owner. I grew up with cats, nasty, ill-tempered, male Lilac Point Siamese cats. We went through three during my childhood, and to this day I don't know why I loved them. They were noisy, smelly and mean, clawing me in my sleep or just lazily reaching over and swiping my face occasionally, leaving blood. But the conditioning held, and when I had my first place, I adopted a stray cat, who promptly broke my heart. He'd get into fights, bring in vermin, disappear for weeks at a time and still I loved that cat. He would.not.go into a carrier when I moved, so I left him to his own devices. He never really needed me, but I was convinced I was a "cat person."

( I know now that I am not. )