My thoughts exactly, if you can't afford a pet don't get one, cats especially mixed breeds aren't that expensive. Dogs often cost more than owning a car. Often kids get pets and dump them on their family, I don't know why any parent would accept that behavior. A family discussion is a prerequisite to pet ownership. Some parents don't want cats because they think they will hurt their children, this to me is also ridiculous, what kind of cat would attack a child who is playing nice?