I think it’s really naive of her to get a cat, firstly she has an allergy and that could get really bad when she’s exposed to cat hair everyday. Secondly, she’s addicted to travel and the cat will probably be in a cattery for multiple times a year. That can really affect an older cat especially if they aren’t used to being moved around.
I’m saying all this as a pet owner. I have a cat and a dog and honestly sometimes the cat is more work than a dog. You can train the dog but a cat just does what she wants. Her hair is everywhere, cleaning litter trays is not pleasant and if they’re not kept meticulously clean or she’s annoyed about something they can be quite spiteful by peeing on things. I love my cat to bits but it’s naive to think they are lower maintenance than a dog. I just hope she’s really thought all this through before the cat arrives. It breaks my heart to see the amount of cats and dogs coming through animal sanctuaries especially during the pandemic when people have made impulse purchases or rehoming decisions.
Also she better be prepared for breakages. My cat likes to push things off shelves and worktops. All that money spent paying someone to dress the shelves