Older kitties are through the kitten stage as you know. Unaltered males will spray but not all of them do. I had one years ago that was older before I did him and he never sprayed. I find mine that I have matured at about age 5 and really became who they still are today.

I suggest you and your BF have the "what if" talk and what happens to the cat if you split up. Who keeps the cat?.... What if you get pregnant.... what happens to the cat, does he get tossed out for the baby?

I point those thing out because there that is how a lot of them end up on the streets and shelters. Someone breaks up, someone has a baby and don't want a cat around the baby. (I had cats with all my babies and no harm ever came to any of them, the cat turned out to be a good babysitter instead)

I think 3 years old is a great age to get one, still enough play left in them to amuse you and will play with you but past that wild kitten stage.