One word of strong advice, though: Never under any circumstances declaw a cat. It is not analogous to clipping a person's fingernails; a claw is an appendage, analogous to the final joint in a human's finger. It is painful to the cat and, basically, robs him or her of essential abilities.
Living with a cat means making adjustments and planning accordingly (tower speakers? satellites?). Love is about give and take, but when it comes with no strings it is beautiful.
No mystery here: I prefer living with a cat, but I don't mind a girlfriend who stays over two or three nights a week. (You'd think I was running for public office with a line like that.)