also, this is totally not a "do my homework for me" post

[ysobel]

Hypothetically speaking, my roommates and I are possibly interested in having a Cute Furry Critter around. (I would have technical ownership, they would help with some of the care that I can't do and also totally have petting rights etc.)

Ideally, we are looking for something which:

• is generally not free-roaming, given that there are two wheelchairs in the house
  
• can be taken out for pettings
  
• enjoys sitting still on a lap and being petted
  
• is not too big (see: lap-sitting)
  
• is, however, not too small
  
• is social with humans but does not require a herd of its own kind
  
• is not horrendously noisy
  
• does not require huge complicated amounts of daily care

I know that some of that is individual rather than breed traits, but, for example, an iguana is right out, because even though there may be fairly docile iguanas out there, they are not cute furry lap critters. Bunnies are a possibility, especially as the local spca has a fostering program, but the research we've done is a bit ambivalent on whether they are lap-petting-y pets. Mice are probably too small. No idea about anything else.

So, those of you what have had CFC pets. Any suggestions?

(oh, and it has to be legal in California.)