This thread should be about all pets, but the OP will focus on cats since that's what I have.
General Recommendation
I wholeheartedly recommend getting a pet if you don't have one. They are terrific companions, and much better to live with than a roommate. My cat greets me when I get home from work, knows when I want her to sit on my lap, and knows when I want her to leave me alone. Pets are the pefect middle ground between living totally alone and living with another person who can be annoying.
Cats vs. Dogs
This debate is almost its own thread, but clearly this is a matter of personal choice. Some people like the responsibility involved in taking care of dogs (more messes to clean, more property ruined, taking them out for walks so they can go to the bathroom, etc.) and some don't. People disagree on the emotional bonds (I think cats offer just as much), the intelligence, and the cuteness, but these are all variables and there's no set answer.
Some people think there are 'cat people' and 'dog people' but I disagree. They are not mutually exclusive. You can enjoy both types of pets and even have both at the same time. Or you can like neither and go for the fish/bird/hamster thing. I heard pigs are pretty popular pets now.
Peculiar cat quirks
I'm wondering if anyone else's cat has this: a perfectly timed body clock so they know your routine instantly. For example, my alarm goes off every morning at 9 and I work from 10-7. After the first week she lived with me, my cat started to anticipate the 9am alarm clock.
Since my cat is an attention whore and always wants to sit on my chest (when I'm lying down) or lap (when I'm seated), she needs me to be awake in bed to get on top of me. I sleep on my side in the fetal position, so she hates that. Now she wakes me up by meowing at around 8:55-8:59 every morning (including weekends UGH) because she knows I'll be up. Then I have to roll over and lie on my back so she can sit on my chest and be petted/scratched for a good 10 minutes.
Another quirk she has is she will just meow at the top of her lungs for a long time at weird intervals for no reason. Her litter box is clean, she has plenty of food and water, yet she still sounds like she wants something. Then she stops as if nothing was ever wrong. Maybe my cat is insane.
Food & water
Wet food is a waste. Cats can be perfectly happy with dry Science Diet-style food. I give my cat a treat once a month or so -- a can of tuna fish.
My cat likes running water, so I have one of those water dishes that pump water through a filter from a built-in tank and lets it drip fountain-style into the dish. This doesn't stop her, however, from depositing nasty chunks of half-eaten food to float around in the bottom.
Miscellaneous
An interesting fact about cats: if there's any large surface area, they will sit on the one small portion that's different: e.g., a tiny towel on a large bed, a piece of newspaper on an empty table, etc. I recommend putting a small blankie (yes, I just said blankie) or towel on the corner of your bed so your cat goes there by default. This way you can sleep with her without her bothering you -- and you won't have to move her from the center of the bed when you're ready to get in.
EDIT: pics of Chiba (and I recommend everyone in this thread post pics of their pets)
