You’ve heard the term “floating around”, but perhaps you’ve only associated it with dogs. The truth is, your feline friend can absolutely be your emotional support companion. Understanding the difference between service animals and ESA might surprise you.
While service animals are specifically trained dogs that perform tasks for people with disabilities, ESA provide comfort through companionship alone. Your cat doesn’t need any special training to qualify. Let’s explore everything you need to know about transforming your beloved pet into a legally recognized .
What Makes a Cat Eligible as
Cats can certainly qualify as emotional support animals with a letter prescribed from a licensed mental health professional, and there is no training requirement for your furry companion. An emotional support cat is a cat that provides a calming presence and helps a person with a mental or emotional disability to cope with their symptoms.
Any domesticated animal may be considered as an ESA (including cats, dogs, mice, rabbits, birds, hedgehogs, rats, minipigs, ferrets, etc.) and they can be any age. However, an ESA must be able to be manageable in public and does not create a nuisance. ESAs do not perform specific tasks; instead, it is the presence of the animal that relieves symptoms associated with a person’s serious mental health condition.
Understanding the Legal Differences Between Service Animals and ESAs
Cats CANNOT be service animals, though cats CAN be emotional support animals. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), “Service Animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” You can’t say your cat is a service cat since they cannot legally become service animals. Keep in mind that, depending on where you live, you may face legal repercussions for falsely presenting your animal as a service animal.
While service animals can legally go just about anywhere in public, emotional support animals do not have the same legal protection. Emotional support animals do not have the same public access rights as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act. While housing laws require reasonable accommodations for ESAs, businesses, restaurants, and hotels can decide whether to allow them on the premises.
The Mental Health Benefits of Emotional Support Cats
Studies have shown cats reduce stress and blood pressure levels in their owners. Additionally, research shows ESAs can lower anxiety, reduce depression, decrease feelings of loneliness, and may even offer benefits to those with PTSD. Studies indicate that the frequency emitted by cats purring have positive effects on the human body, including general cardiovascular benefits, reducing stress, and even help with healing.
Cats can help our moods by increasing serotonin and decreasing cortisol, which leads to greater well-being. In a study, college students who spent as little as 10 minutes per day petting a cat experienced decreased levels of cortisol, the hormone associated with stress. For people, petting a cat is a way to express affection, which helps satisfy their need to nurture.
How to Obtain an ESA Letter for Your Cat
The only requirement to have your cat attributed as is to have a written letter from a licensed mental health professional, often called an “emotional support animal letter”. All you need is a legitimate ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional (LMHP) to secure housing. An ESA letter is essentially an ESA certification from a licensed mental health professional that you have a qualifying mental or emotional health disorder that is benefitted by the presence of your emotional support cat.
The process on how to get an ESA letter is straightforward and starts with consulting a licensed professional, particularly a licensed mental health professional (LMHP). First, schedule a consultation with a qualified LMHP who can assess the emotional or mental health needs of the owner. Next, complete a comprehensive mental health evaluation to determine if (ESA) benefits the owner’s well-being.
State Requirements and Processing Times
Some state laws require a longer provider relationship before issuing a letter. Some states have additional laws regarding the ESA letter process. The following states require a 30-day prior client-provider relationship before the LMHP can issue the ESA letter. In addition, a therapeutic relationship must be established with your therapist for at least 30 days before receiving documentation if you have an emotional support dog or looking to get one. This rule typically applies to all emotional support animals, though some sources suggest it may primarily target dogs due to higher rates of misuse.
Once our licensed mental health professional determines that is appropriate for your care, they will write a legally recognized ESA letter for housing. You will be given the option to get an ESA letter within 24 hours from the time of your consultation, in most cases.
Housing Rights and Protections Under Federal Law
Emotional support animals are required by law to be allowed in any residence – regardless of whether that place typically allows pets or not. As long as you submit your ESA letter, your landlord must make reasonable accommodations for your ESA, imposing no fees or species or breed restrictions. The most important emotional support animal laws fall under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). This federal law prohibits housing discrimination and requires landlords to make reasonable accommodations for individuals with a verified emotional support animal.
Emotional support cats still have rights under Fair Housing law. Landlords must allow for your emotional support cat if you submit an ESA letter, even if they have a “no pets” policy. Emotional support cats are also exempt from pet fees and deposits.
Air Travel and Public Access Limitations
The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) used to allow for all ESAs to fly with their owner for free. However, the law has been updated, and ESAs are treated like regular pets when they’re on a plane. This means that there will likely be a pet fee, and if the airline can’t accommodate your companion, they may have to fly in cargo. The Air Carrier Access Act once allowed emotional support animals to fly with individuals who had psychological disabilities at no extra cost. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Transportation changed the rules, removing ESAs from the service animal category due to safety concerns, inconsistent training, and frequent misuse.
As there is no law protecting an ESA’s right to public access, hotels are not required to allow emotional support animals. However, it may be worth asking the hotel before you book if they will accommodate your support animal. Other public places, such as restaurants and stores, have no obligation to allow your ESA to enter. This usually includes workplaces, as well. However, it doesn’t hurt to ask, and some places may choose to accommodate your emotional support animal if you simply show your ESA letter.
Avoiding Scams and Ensuring Legitimacy
Actually, you don’t “register” your cat anywhere! If you see a site promoting a “service cat registry” or similar idea–run away as fast as possible. Not only is service cat registration bogus, but the sites are spreading misinformation. No, there’s no such thing as a legally recognized ESA registration. can only be prescribed by a licensed mental health professional. There is no national ESA registry or certification, so be cautious of websites or agencies claiming to offer these services.
When getting an ESA letter and certifying your cat as , make sure you have the proper documentation and that your letter contains all the required information. For an ESA letter to be legitimate, it must be written by a licensed mental health professional and have their name, license number, and state they are licensed included on the document. The letter needs to contain the letterhead of your clinician. It is a formal way of indicating that the letter came from the provider and isn’t a forgery. The letter must contain a statement that the clinician attests that, based on the information you provided in a live conversation, they have determined that you have a mental disability and would benefit from having an ESA under the Fair Housing Act or American with Disabilities Act.
Conclusion
Your cat can absolutely serve as your emotional support animal, providing you with the companionship and comfort you need to manage your mental health challenges. The process is surprisingly straightforward. You’ll need a legitimate ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional, which grants you housing protections under federal law.
Remember that emotional support cats don’t have the same public access rights as service dogs, but they offer invaluable support in your daily life. The therapeutic benefits are real and scientifically documented. What do you think about it? Tell us in the comments.
