Chickens in the urban setting, this is why I believe if you are aiming for sustainable lifestyle, and need a companion you can't go past pet chickens.
We love pet chickens, not just because they have incredible, personalities, but we they take our food scraps and garden pest, turn them into manure for our gardens, uneaten scraps are turned over and over in the chicken run, breaking it down, to assisting in food waste decomposition for when it goes into the compost, all the while, producing eggs! What more could you want?
A low maintenance pet? yet they are that too!
cute? There are soooo many different breeds and some are ridiculously cute and they all lay eggs, some more frequently than others, but that the decision is yours, cute factor v's egg factor.
Intelligent? I am going to say that, like humans, some are more intelligent that others, but it is known they communicate with about 24 different sound, have the ability to recognize around 100 different faces and can even do basic math!
You should check with your local council to get permission and check the regulation in regards to pet chickens, but I really believe you cant go past a chicken for sustainable lifestyle pet.