After loosing 16 yr old Gizmo 3 yrs ago it was the usual "never again". "Too much upset, too much of a tie" etc etc.
Then last year our son was helping at a recsue centre in his area. He was taken by a hard to home big tabby cat, with attitude. Everyone coming in wanting a cuddly cat didn't want to know a cat that took a swipe at you, or bit when you stroked him just a bit too long.
The rescue centre lady knew he wasn't really nasty, just had a mind of his own.
Anyway, although we were out of their area, they agreed to let us have him. He joined us last July, and he's settled in fine. Oh, he still snaps if he gets fed up with you, but not nasty, and there's no real claws out, or hard biting, it's as if he knows really just how far he can go, and likes to scare you, we don't let him get away with it, he has to put up with us keeping our hand in place and giving him another stroke, so he knows it doesn't work.
He's not a lap cat, liking his own space. But recently he's come to me on the sofa a couple of times, so there's still hope.
Anyway, that's me and Oz for now, I hope to become an active member of this site.