Have you ever had a really good cat?  It's tough to raise them to not be the cat stereotype but they can be wonderful companions.  And it's really not hard to take care of a cat.  5 minutes a day to clean the litter box and then just keep food and water available.  Sorry if this sounds judgmental,  I've just had a few really great cats and it makes me sad to think there are people out there who don't know how awesome a good cat can be.