Cats hereabouts are generally micro-chipped quite early in life and any vet has a reader so they can find any recorded owner.

Then at 19 you will be moving about, living is shared and rented housing and have partners who may not be cat lovers.

I feel you should might like to defer cat ownership until a later more settled time in your life.

Cat rehoming centres can often find a cosy billet for younger moggies.