No. You shouldn't have to take care of every aspect of a pet's life--which is why cats are better pets. You don't have to DO everything for them. They can take care of themselves, while still depending on you for love and affection. You can still fully raise the pet without having to clean up it's feces that it leaves all over the floor.
"Also, the only reason cats aren't banned is becuase they really can't do much harm if they wanted to."
No, I'm afraid that that's not the "only reason" cats aren't 'banned.' Cats are not statistically likely, especially if not mis-treated, to attack people. Look at the number of reported cat attacks nation-wide, as compared to the number of
dog attacks.
You can list all the 'stupid laws,' you want, like 'You can't tickle a woman with a feather' in Connecticut--but this is a real law. As in, enforced. Not a "blue law" that's left over from Puritan 1850.
You don't have to bring up any stories, because they simply don't "counter mine." Our opinions are formed with personal experiences and from the information we get from various sources. So what, if there are nice humans, and homicidal humans? There are cases of Humans murdering each other for little more than instinct--people raised in good homes, not abused, by a seemingly happy and healthy home.
The same is true for dogs. Raised in a healthy, happy home and weren't abused--were well fed, and then the dog goes crazy, attacks a person. Just like is possible in Humans. But, as you pointed out, if that happened to a cat, "It's just a small animal."
And stereotypes come from entire communities slated towards one end of a controversial topic, usually from a single or several scapegoat incidents which cause people to irrationally dislike or disapprove one side of a conflict or situation.
Dogs attack people more than cats do.
http://saysuncle.com/archives/002396.html
28 fatal dog attacks in two years. How many from cats? I don't believe Any.
http://www.factmonster.com/spot/sharks1.html
"In 1987, New York City reported the following number of people bitten by dogs: 8,064; other people, 1,587; cats, 802; rats, 291; squirrels, 95, raccoons, 11; ferrets, 7; skunk, 3."
I seriously doubt the nature of dogs has changed since 1987, but I'm sure if you wanted, you could find more updated statistics.