should we get a family pet?

today i took Cruz (15 months old) to the animal shelter to look at the doggies and kitties. he really loves animals so my husband and i have discussed getting a family pet. my hubby is a dog person and i am a cat person. i am not opposed to dogs.. i like dogs and had a lot of great dogs growing up, but i just found cats to be a better qualified pet to fit my lifestyle.

what has delayed our decision on getting a pet is neither me nor my husband have family that lives close by to pet-sit when we go out of town, and because we have to travel to visit family, we go out of town quite a few times a year, mostly for long weekends. i do have a friend who checks up on the house for us when we are away that would come by to feed the pet but she is not guaranteed to stop by every day we're gone. a cat would best fit this dilemma because it would not need as much human contact as a dog would when we are out of town.

my husband is dead set on a dog being the best choice. of course i know who will actually end up taking care of whatever pet we get.. that's right.. mom.. me! in the daily life of being a mom, my schedule is non-stop. as it is i barely get out of the door on time to attend various activities i do with my son. having to walk the dog before i go out will makes things even harder, i feel. plus, i don't drive a car, and i can't take a pet with me on the city bus when i take my son to the beach park. again, this makes a cat the better pick because it uses a littler box and will be fine hanging out at home until we return home from outings.

getting a family pet is a big decision! my husband and i must decide:

1. should we get a pet now or wait?
2. what pet is best for our son?
3. what pet best fits our lifestyle?

we have a lot of love in this house to give to a pet and i think my son would really enjoy having an animal around to play with. he giggled at the dogs and cats at the shelter today. i found out the shelter is having an event this saturday with discounted adoption fees and fun stuff for the whole family. i think i'm gonna talk to my hubby about going. plus, i saw the cutest, sweetest cat there that rubbed up on my son. i guess we'll just see what happens...