You're 71 correct? I would make sure before getting a cat that if (God forbid) anything happens to you, make sure that there will be someone who will take the cat and not just dump it off at a shelter if you have to give it up.
There are millions of cats in shelters because their owners either died or had to go into nursing homes and it's so sad, because they don't know what's happening to them and it takes up the shelter space of a truly needy cat.
Sorry for being so blunt.