I prefer female cats as they do not spray. I have had a few mail cats which I love dearly however I think females have better tempraments. Male cats tend to be spoiled little boys and I say this after having several male cats in my life. With dogs in the house I would definatly recommend getting a kitten. I think adult animals have instincts about babies and are more patient so they grow up with better relationships.
My daughter was a dog person trapped in a cat person family. I believe in the unconditional love relationships between kids and pets so we got her a dog. It was one of the best things I ever did for her.