Sharing feline companionship can make a big difference in the qualify of life of the elderly.

By Karen Commings

An affectionate lap cat is usually a better choice for a senior than a kitten or younger cat that prefers to play much of the time.

Eighty-two-year-old Alice Kutler has two adult cats, Sissy and Killian. For Kutler, who lives alone, the felines provide companionship that she didn’t have before. “They greet me when I get up in the morning and when I come home. Before I adopted them, I never had anyone to talk to,” says Kutler.

Some seniors want pets because they have more time to care for an animal or they seek the companionship a pet provides. Although a companion cat can provide many benefits to a senior citizen, pet ownership is a two-way street — and the cat needs to receive the benefits of living with a person. Ensuring a successful pairing requires…

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