![\"Mutts](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Mutts_Adopt_a_Senior_Pet_month.jpg\")
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Mutts \u00a9 2004 Patrick McDonnell\u2014Distributed King Features Syndicate, Inc.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Not that\u00a0<\/em>Senior Week, of course.\u00a0November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month, and I\u2019m going to put in a few words in their favor for this week.<\/p>\n First, what constitutes senior<\/i>? For a cat, it can be 8 years old. Since cats can live a long time (the oldest I knew was nearly 22, and two who lived with me reached 18), they\u2019ve got a lot of good years ahead to share with you. A dog’s lifespan varies with breed and size\u2014in general, the larger the dog, the shorter the lifespan. A PetMD article<\/a> estimates that a Great Dane, for instance, would be considered senior at around 7 and a Chihuahua possibly at 20. Chihuahuas can and do, in fact, live to ripe old ages. (Remember Wheely Willy<\/a>), the brave little dog of literary merit? He lived to be 22!).<\/p>\n Wheely Willy and his “Samuel Johnson,” humane educator Deborah Turner. Photo courtesy of Deborah Turner<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Because puppies, kittens and young-adult animals are more in demand than are seniors, they get passed up. This is too bad, because the size and personality of a senior pet have already been developed and you\u2019ll know what you\u2019re getting, whether it\u2019s a lap pet, a playful pal or both. And most of all, it\u2019s an act of kindness to the pet, which is what a part of living with an animal is (the other part is how happy they make you <\/i>feel). Yes, you\u2019ll probably have fewer years with them than you will a young pet, but the quality will be the same. I wouldn\u2019t trade a day of the 10 months I spent with Old Scratch, a 17-year-old brown tabby with a snout, one crossed eye, huge ears and a resemblance to Ian McKellan.<\/p>\n Of course, there are things you\u2019ll have to take care of. If you need a pet sitter, Patti Moran, the President and Founder of Pet Sitters International<\/a> (PSI), recommends that you keep them exercised (having two pets in the house is always a help!) and that you research any pet sitter to make sure that they have experience and creds for caring for senior pets. You\u2019ll need to be on the lookout for signs of failing in your pet as well: weight loss, tooth gain, dental disease or signs of dementia. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has some good suggestions<\/a> for caring for an older pet. And if you have adopted a kitten, a puppy or a young adult, they will eventually age as well. Aging isn\u2019t a disease\u2014the pet has given you the best years of his or her life. If you love them, you\u2019ll return the favor.<\/p>\n If you need any more convincing, Patrick McDonnell, creator of the beloved Mutts<\/a> comic strip featuring Mooch and Earl, is the best go-to source (Earl\u2019s namesake, McDonnell\u2019s Jack Russell, reached 19 years old but lives on in the strip).<\/p>\n ![\"Deb](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Deb_kiss_willy1.jpg\")
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