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It seems that a cat would be a bad match for Hermione as a pet. Cats are playful and very disruptive, from my experience. NOT a good pet for a studious person with their head always in the books.

Of course Crookshanks was integral to the plot and ended up not being a simple cat, so she had to pick him. But it seems such an unlikely choice for her to make, compared to a toad or an owl.

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    Kittens, yes. Crookshanks wasn't a kitten. Older cats generally keep to themselves more, especially if they didn't grow up around their owners. Most of Crookshanks odd behavior was because he was part Kneazle. – Gabe Willard Sep 7 '12 at 4:47
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    Ron: "You bought that monster?" Hermione: "He's gorgeous, isn't he?" (PoA). She chose him because he looked cute. Where'd the cool and logical Hermione go? :) – DVK-on-Ahch-To Sep 7 '12 at 4:53
  • Also, right before, he tried to attack Scabbers. So may be she bought him as an anti-rat guard cat. Medieval wizarding world probably has rat problems. – DVK-on-Ahch-To Sep 7 '12 at 4:55
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    DVK: she's logical and knows it's the cat that chooses the human, not the other way. Crookshanks jumped and thus chose her. – b_jonas Sep 9 '12 at 7:33
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    @11684 I believe that was revealed on JK Rowlings website a while back. She is in the process of moving all of that information over to Pottermore now, so it is unavailable at the moment. Throughought PoA, they strongly hint that Crookshanks is more than just a normal cat, however. – Gabe Willard Sep 12 '12 at 17:57
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The answer is clear if you just re-read Prisoner of Azkaban chapter 4, where Hermione gets Crookshanks. Hermione has made a quick decision to buy him because she liked him, and this was partly out of pity.

‘[…] Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages: no one wanted him.’

Cats can be disruptive if you don't want them, sure, but Hermione does want to spend time with a pet and can handle him, so it didn't disrupt her much. And many indoor type geek persons seem to have a cat in real life, even though it does occasionally disrupt them.

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    She's also a total sucker for a sob story: S.P.E.W., much? – rsegal Sep 7 '12 at 5:40
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    And many indoor type geek persons... And how do you think I feel now?! :P – 11684 Sep 11 '12 at 15:05

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