Although you don’t hear much about emotional support cats, they do exist and can be a great support system for people struggling. I’m going to go through how to register your cat as an emotional support animal, the benefits of having an emotional support cat, and my personal story of having an emotional support shelter cat.
What Exactly Are Emotional Support Animals?
First of all, before we get into the steps to register your feline as an emotional support cat, let’s get into the question “What Exactly Is An Emotional Support Animal?”. An ESA or an “emotional support animal” is a registered animal that provides comfort, and companionship to people who struggle with mental health conditions. They provide therapeutic benefit through their presence and companionship to individuals with mental or emotional disabilities. Unlike service animals, ESAs don’t need specific task training – their primary role is providing comfort and emotional stability. ESAs ARE NOT service animals, which are animals that go through a 1-2 year program to perform specific tasks to help people with disabilities or chronic illnesses in their daily tasks. Service animals are allowed in different social places, where ESAs are generally not allowed in most public spaces.
How To Register An Emotional Support Animal
Now that we know the difference between an emotional support animal and a service animal, let’s get into how to register your animal as an emotional support animal. To qualify for an ESA the owner must have a diagnosed mental condition. A licensed mental health professional must provide documentation stating that the animal provides support and explain how the animal helps the patient and their diagnosed mental condition. ESAs are certified through mental health professionals like a licensed therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, and licensed clinical social workers. This is the only easy way to officially get your furry friend licensed. Avoid any website claiming to generate a certificate, or help you sign your animal up to get registered, as it is likely to be a scam. There is generally a small fee to get an ESA Letter. This fee depends on who you get the letter from and where you register.
The Many Benefits of Emotional Support Cats
For people dealing with anxiety or depression, cats offer unconditional companionship without the social pressure that human interactions sometimes bring. They provide a gentle, non-judgmental presence and can help establish daily routines through their need for feeding and care. This responsibility can give their owners a sense of purpose and structure. Cats are particularly well-suited as emotional support animals for people living in smaller spaces or with limited mobility. Unlike dogs, they don’t require walks, are generally quiet, and are naturally inclined to use a litter box. Their independent nature can also help people with social anxiety gradually build confidence in relationships – cats teach us to respect boundaries while still maintaining meaningful connections. They also have benefits like reducing anxiety and depression symptoms, providing comfort during panic attacks, helping with loneliness and isolation, providing tactile stress relief, and supporting emotional regulation. Of course, it’s important to note that while emotional support cats can be incredibly beneficial, they should be considered as part of a broader mental health support system rather than a complete solution. Each cat has its own personality, and finding the right match between cat and owner is crucial for a successful emotional support relationship.
My Personal Story
My whole life I’ve wanted a cat. Ever since I was a little girl I loved all animals, but cats were and still are so dear to my heart. My grandma also loved cats, especially calicos. She found a little calico kitten at the SPCA in California when we lived there. At first Kitty was actually my grandma’s cat, as she adopted Kitty because of her unique markings and sweet demeanor. However, even though she looked unassuming and sweet, she is very sassy. And she did not like my grandma at all. Kitty has always been very selective to the people she likes, but she’s gotten much better over time with my help. My grandma knew of my desire to have a cat of my own, so on my 9th birthday she handed me a card stating that Kitty was now officially mine! After a lot of convincing my dad agreed to keep her, to which I am so grateful for. Immediately Kitty and I had a special connection. I spent every minute of my free time with her, trying to make her feel comfortable with me and her new home. I soon learned that you need to build trust and connection to earn her affection. Thinking back it’s actually impressive that a 9 year old had so much patience and gentleness to help Kitty be comfortable and be the cat she is now. So, that’s the story of how Kitty became mine and we became inseparable.
I never thought of Kitty as my emotional support animal until I was a little older, and I faced some pretty severe depression and social anxiety in middle school. With time I’ve become much better with my mental health, and I can’t help but thank Kitty for most of that journey of healing. She’s seen all of the people I’ve been as I’ve grown up, and we grew up together. No matter what I was going through Kitty was always there for me. She was my only friend when I had none, and was my light in the darkest of days. Whenever I cried, she would come and sit on my belly and comfort me. Her purring and presence alone comforted me and made me feel not so alone. It sounds dramatic, but she really did save my life at times. At that point I considered her an emotional support cat even though she wasn’t officially registered. When it got to the point where I graduated high school and had to move out, I was automatically stressed thinking about how I would be able to bring Kitty. We’ve moved about 3 times since I’ve had her, and sometimes the move really shook her up. It was hard to find a place that would allow her.
That’s when I decided to finally register her as an ESA. I had no idea what to do or where to start. So, since I had no idea where to start, I’m going to tell you how to register your cat as an ESA quick and easy. First, I called my psychiatrist who knows I have depression and anxiety, and has been prescribing me medications for a while now. It was a really quick and easy process where I gave my physiatrist some information about my cat and why I needed her as an emotional support cat. They passed off an ESA Letter for me for a small fee and this was all done over the phone! Of course, it depends on the physciatric facility, but it was all done from the comfort of my home. Then, since that letter was necessary for Kitty to come live with me, I then sent it to the process that my landlord was using to verify my ESA. Personally, I was using PetScreening, and it required some time and a lot of information, but overall was an easy process.
In the end I do not regret registering my cat as an official ESA. Kitty has helped me so much in this time in my life where there are a lot of changes but through it all I still have Kitty, who’s been there with me through everything. Of course there have been some challenges along the way with being a student living with a cat, but it’s all worth it. If you’re considering registering your feline for an official emotional support cat, I hope this post was useful for you and gave you some insight as to what ESAs are and how to register for an ESA Letter. make sure to check out my other blogs all related to cats on Kitty’s Blog! My social medias are linked and can be found on the homepage of my website. Have a good day!