I have a Norwegian Forest Cat- pretty much as close to a dog as one can have in feline form. She loves attention, being pet, playing (she'll even fetch with her fake mice); she follows me around, is waiting by the door when I get home, jumps on my lap, sleeps on the bed, and even likes to lick my hand. She's also very active and curious, and isn't freaked out by new situations/conditions. I don't let her outside, but supposedly Norwegian Forest Cats love to climb and can run down a tree head-first (they're also suppose to be great hunters). And from what I've been reading, these are the general characteristics of their breed. Maine my excellent compatriot cats are also great- they're very playful and friendly and have been nicknamed the "gentle giants" since they can get to be 16lbs.
Unfortuantely, I can't speak too much on the allergy aspect as I don't have a problem with most cats. They are long haired, but I never noticed much dander- probably something you would want to look into first.
