Cats can be ideal because they will hop up onto their owner and let them caress them. They can also live comfortably in the warmer room temperature senior citizens often prefer. Those keen on a dog must take several factors into consideration, said Barnoti. For example, someone with arthritic hands may not be able to regularly groom certain breeds. Cats are not as bothered as dogs by warm room temperatures preferred by some seniors.
Poor eyesight can cause people to trip over both cats and dogs.
Choose a dog of manageable size and suitable temperament. Owner must be agile enough to clean out litter box and groom pet. Hamsters and some birds often live only about two or three years. And while some dogs, such as Dalmatians or Huskies, may require more exercise than others, extreme winter and summer temperatures may also prevent some animals from getting walked enough. Patricia Grant of Edmonton has owned her cat Benny for five years.