If You're Disabled or Elderly, Pets Can Make Great Companions
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If you're elderly or disabled
and you live alone, having a pet may be one way to increase happiness,
literally. When you live alone, it's easy to get isolated, and having a pet can
help you connect with another living thing that you also have to take care of.
This sense of nurturing and co-dependence can actually make it easier to connect
with others, too.
What type of pet should you get?
The type of pet you should get depends on your living situation, your abilities to care for it, the amount of room you have, and the budget you have for this type of pet. In addition, check with your landlord or housing complex, for example, to make sure certain types of pets aren't illegal. In some cases, rodents and other pets can be illegal because of the viruses they can carry.
Dog or cat?
Dogs and cats can make wonderful pets, but especially if you live in a small apartment, you should get a small dog if you get a dog at all. Of course, if you need a service animal, this is a different story; most Seeing Eye dogs, for example, are larger breeds.
However, other service dogs, such as those that help you with daily tasks like opening doors and fetching items, can be small dogs.
If your mobility issues are such that going for a walk every day is difficult but your doctor has said that it's good for you, for example, then getting a dog can help you make sure that that happens. Dogs need to be walked, so having a pet that depends on you do just that for them may be a way to increase your mobility, too.
However, if your mobility issues are such that walking is difficult to impossible and you want a pet for simple companionship, cats are among the easiest pets to take care of. They're quiet, they don't need to be walked, and they can be kept completely indoors without ever having to go outside.
In addition, they are a little more independent than dogs in that you can simply leave them with a clean litter box, some food and water, and a few toys, and they'll pretty much take care of themselves.
Cats and dogs both do absolutely need attention, though. Despite their reputation of being "aloof," cats are in fact very affectionate and will thrive on a lot of personal attention from you.
Unlike dogs, though, they're a little bit less "high maintenance" physically, in that their physical needs are few and can be managed in just a few minutes a day if your health or mobility makes this type of thing difficult.
With a cat, you simply make fresh water available to them at all times, and either leave dry food out all the time or feed them twice a day with a combination of wet and dry food. Scooping all litter boxes once or twice a day to keep them clean is also a must.
Visits to the vet matter, too
No matter what type of pet you get, getting one will require a certain commitment from you, including making sure your pet gets to the vet for regular checkups. If this is difficult for you, many vets will make house calls upon request for an extra fee.
In addition, there are charities that will give help in paying vet bills to those who are on limited income but who still want to keep pets.
What type of pet should you get?
The type of pet you should get depends on your living situation, your abilities to care for it, the amount of room you have, and the budget you have for this type of pet. In addition, check with your landlord or housing complex, for example, to make sure certain types of pets aren't illegal. In some cases, rodents and other pets can be illegal because of the viruses they can carry.
Dog or cat?
Dogs and cats can make wonderful pets, but especially if you live in a small apartment, you should get a small dog if you get a dog at all. Of course, if you need a service animal, this is a different story; most Seeing Eye dogs, for example, are larger breeds.
However, other service dogs, such as those that help you with daily tasks like opening doors and fetching items, can be small dogs.
If your mobility issues are such that going for a walk every day is difficult but your doctor has said that it's good for you, for example, then getting a dog can help you make sure that that happens. Dogs need to be walked, so having a pet that depends on you do just that for them may be a way to increase your mobility, too.
However, if your mobility issues are such that walking is difficult to impossible and you want a pet for simple companionship, cats are among the easiest pets to take care of. They're quiet, they don't need to be walked, and they can be kept completely indoors without ever having to go outside.
In addition, they are a little more independent than dogs in that you can simply leave them with a clean litter box, some food and water, and a few toys, and they'll pretty much take care of themselves.
Cats and dogs both do absolutely need attention, though. Despite their reputation of being "aloof," cats are in fact very affectionate and will thrive on a lot of personal attention from you.
Unlike dogs, though, they're a little bit less "high maintenance" physically, in that their physical needs are few and can be managed in just a few minutes a day if your health or mobility makes this type of thing difficult.
With a cat, you simply make fresh water available to them at all times, and either leave dry food out all the time or feed them twice a day with a combination of wet and dry food. Scooping all litter boxes once or twice a day to keep them clean is also a must.
Visits to the vet matter, too
No matter what type of pet you get, getting one will require a certain commitment from you, including making sure your pet gets to the vet for regular checkups. If this is difficult for you, many vets will make house calls upon request for an extra fee.
In addition, there are charities that will give help in paying vet bills to those who are on limited income but who still want to keep pets.