I would like to have a pet and my kids even more but my wife has allergies to cats and dogs. The stray cats around here are very friendly and the animals in the mountain are also like pets... well not all...
I'm glad to hear your cat is affectionate... even more than a dog. I had a mixed German shepherd/ Pitbull in college. That was one silly dog.
Dogs can be silly as you say. I find cats less so. One also needs to work hard for a cats affection huh?