Cat in a Remodel

I have a few questions about getting a cat in a remodel. My family and I are considering getting one before we start it - in about 5 months. Here we go:

Would a cat be upset by construction noise during a home remodel?
Would a cat be upset by a two moves in six months - one from house to condo and then one back - during a remodel?
Will a cat be happy if it's alone inside for several hours a day?
I have a female, 7-year old dog. What cat should I get? (Gender, age, type)
And finally, would you get the cat 5 months before the remodel or wait a year and half until it's finished?

Thanks a lot.

Yes, a cat would be tremendously upset by the noise and the workers coming and going. And yes, moving twice in six months would be stressful for a cat. Most cats can be left along several hours during the day and they don't mind it. An adult cat would probably get along better with your dog, if you adopt a cat that's had experience with a dog. And finally, I think it would be better for the cat to wait.

This past summer I had carpet installers in the house twice. On both occasions, I boarded my cats out for the day.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all prospective cat caretakers were so thoughtful and considerate about planning for their cat's well-being?

But what if we kept it upstairs? We're remodeling the downstairs on the direct opposite side of where the cat would be if we were to have it upstairs, so it would be as far away from the construction as possible.

Would that be a good solution?

That might be a solution. You're on site; we're not. Noise and vibration travel through the structure of a house. Only you know how much would get to that spot. But the biggest upset to a cat would be the workers coming and going and the changes in the territory. If you can keep the cat out of sight it might work out just fine.

I know it's hard to wait when there's a sweet little kitty at the shelter saying to you "take me home!!"

I had my kitchen completed gutted a few weeks back, walls had to be knocked down, new walls built etc. Our cats gave it a wide berth for the first day while the workmen were in. After that, they just did their usual, in and out the cat flap and totally ignored the noise. Could have been something to do with the workman who did most of the work was a cat lover and made a fuss of them

The only one who was bothered was the dog and she wouldn't settle. It's the same when we get thunder and lightning. The dog (a GSD) shakes like a leaf and cries, the cats totally ignore it and go to sleep.