Based on personal experience, cats are easy to manage when you let them do their own thing. They're very independent and you only need to give them an hour a day of attention. But that depends on the cat itself and how big your living space is. Ideally, small living spaces should have two cats or so to keep each other entertained.
Also, I've be scratched by numerous cats and even have scars. I'd say that's proof my experience isn't faulty.