For the last few months, I have been gradually preparing to adopt my very first cat! I've been a fish owner and a partial dog owner before, but have never taken care of a cat on my own before and have been doing a lot of research to make sure that I'm fully ready for cat ownership. There are a few different friends of mine who have let me interact with their cats to decide what kind of cat is right for me, and I've learned a lot about how every cat is different and has a different personality and temperament.
Something I haven't found a lot of good help on yet, however, is how to choose the right cat for me in terms of temperament, and make sure that our personalities are a good fit for each other. I'm a very mild-mannered, quiet person, and feel I would pair best with a calm-tempered and relaxed cat as a companion. I could use some tips on how to get a good feel for a cat's general personality and how they will behave in your home.
What are some good ways to tell a cat's temperament and personality when deciding to adopt? And, as a related question, are there any negative indicators or warning signs I should look for that a cat might not be a good fit in my home?