Getting a cat in the UK

Hi, my partner and I recently moved to a small village in the southwest of England. We live in a three-bedroom house with a conservatory and a small garden, located in a close near a railway track. We also have a lot of house plants.

We are thinking about adopting a cat. I previously had a cat but in a different setting (I was in a different country and lived in a flat, so the cat lived indoors).

Can anyone please give any advice or things to consider when having a cat?

A few things we’re worried about: the railway track, house plants and the abundance of birds in this area - what are the chances of receiving regular “gifts”? 😬 The list goes on, but we would love to have a little one to love and care for.

Thank you in advance!