Caring for a pet is seen as gender neutral by adults and children. When I talk with children about why they like pets or want one, they frequently use the word friend. When parents and other kids are busy, a pet is always available to play or entertain. A pet doesn't care if you come home with torn clothes or a bad report card. A pet listens to your complaints, boasts, and fantasies.
Pets can be a source of physical as well as emotional comfort.
Many children agree, for they often describe how much they like to cuddle their pets. Pets literally are touchable in ways that people in our society often are not. Nick recently had turned ten, but that was no protection against nightmares, especially if he had seen a scary movie or read a scary book. The gerbil colony that he, his brother, mother, and father jointly cared for in the family room was thriving and growing, so Nick asked if a pair of gerbils could live in his bedroom, in their own tank. When his parents agreed, he was thrilled.