Which will you choose?
Adult cats can be adaptable and often good natured and if well cared for and well trained too can be a loving companion. Often they already understand their role in our world and if you are to leave the house for long periods during the day the adult cat can quite easily cope alone. Need an exterminator then the adult cat can make your residence roden free with not too much delay.
Kittens can be great fun and you will learn about it's personality by watching it grow, their curiosity and frailness though can make them very vunerable. Children love to play with small kittens but they need to be supervised and instructed on the best care practices.
The choice of male or female is really to do with personal preference but without exception pet cats do need either castrating or spaying. Neutered cats are no lesser cats, they stray less and will become more susceptible to domestication.
There are around fifty or so breeds of cat, purebreds or pedigree. Purebreds can either be of show or of pet quality. Show cats are of near perfect in physical appearance and will come from lines of champion pedigrees. Pet quality cats from the same purebred lines are not so near perfect but often any fault in their physical make up will be recognised only by a show judge or an experienced breeder.
No matter where you buy your cat you should be fully informed as to it's pedigree, the breeders name and address and be given information on inoculations and any other specifics to do with health. If you are not satisfied with answers to the questions you raise about the cat you want to purchase then you should find another source.