Cats are one of the most popular pets in the US, with millions of households having at least one feline companion.
Due to the popularity of cats as pets, many wonder if they can have their cats as their emotional support animals (ESAs). In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cats as emotional support animals.
If you’re asking how to register my cat as an emotional support animal, keep reading to learn the entire process.
We’ll walk you through the registration steps and information you need to know about emotional support animals.
Article Contents
Can Cats Become Emotional Support Animals?
Cats, like all the other pets an individual is legally allowed to keep, can become emotional support animals. There isn’t a law that limits the use of cats as emotional support animals.
If you have a cat and find comfort in their presence, you can have a cat as your emotional support animal.
Service Animal vs. Emotional Support Cat
Before we get to registering a cat as an emotional support animal, let’s go over the differences between service animals and emotional support cats.
First and foremost, only dogs (and miniature horses in some cases) can become service animals.
Therefore, while you can have your cat as an emotional support animal, you can’t have them as your service animal. However, it doesn’t work the same other way – dogs can also become emotional support animals.
The reason why cats can’t become service animals is the strict training requirements. Service animals must be trained to assist an individual with a disability by performing at least one disability-related task.
Since cats aren’t the most trainable pets, they aren’t covered as part of the definition of a service animal under the Americans With Disabilities Act.
How to Register a Cat as an Emotional Support Animal
When most people ask how to register my cat as an emotional support animal, they mean legally making their cat their emotional support animal.
If this is what you want to accomplish, note that there’s a process for a cat (or any other pet) to become an emotional support animal. Below, we’ll discuss how you can have your cat as your emotional support animal.
Speak to an LMHP in Your State
The first step in registering your cat as an emotional support animal is speaking with a licensed mental health professional in your state.
Since only those with a psychiatric condition can have an emotional support animal, you must have a mental disability that qualifies you for an ESA.
During your visit, speak to your mental health worker about an emotional support animal as an option for your treatment.
If you experience therapeutic benefits by having your cat by your side, this can be a good starting point to explain how your cat helps you cope with your symptoms.
Obtain Your ESA Letter
If your mental health worker decides that an emotional support animal is an option for you, they will issue you an emotional support animal letter.
This official document is just like a prescription. It essentially recommends an emotional support animal as part of your treatment for your mental disability.
In addition to seeing a mental health professional in person, there are online services that can connect you with a licensed mental health professional in your state.
These services connect you with an LMHP who can evaluate you and determine your eligibility to obtain an ESA letter for your cat.
These services can be an option if your time and availability is limited. Online services like this also cost less than most traditional visits to a licensed mental health professional.
However, there are many scams associated with such online services – always use legitimate providers like USServiceAnimals.org when getting an ESA letter online.
Registering Your Cat as an Emotional Support Animal
While these will prepare you for the process of registering your cat as an emotional support animal, note that you only need an ESA letter for your cat to be your emotional support animal.
Once you have your ESA letter, you won’t need to take any other action, like registering your cat to online ESA registries.
As long as you have a valid ESA letter, your cat will have everything needed to be your emotional support animal, though registries can have their unique benefits, like legal support. If you think that you might benefit from these added services, particularly if you’re a renter, registering your cat can be worthwhile.
