Emotional Support Cat

Cats can legally be emotional support animals because they are the perfect companions for boosting your mental health. One study showed that cat owners had better psychological health than non-pet owners, and another showed that cats can help reduce stress by lowering blood pressure and resting heart rates. If you want to turn your cat into an official emotional support animal, all you need is an ESA letter from a state-licensed healthcare professional, which we can help you get online. 

Making your cat an emotional support animal is easy. This guide will walk you through everything you want to know, including how to prepare it and the best way to get your ESA letter.

1. What is an emotional support cat?
2. Do you need to register your emotional support cat?
3. Can a cat be a service animal?
4. Emotional Support Cat Certification
5. How many emotional support cats can I have?

1. What is an emotional support cat?

An emotional support cat is any feline that provides their owner with relief from active mental health issues through their presence, noises, or touch. All cat breeds can qualify to become emotional support animals, and some can have instincts that work better for specific disorders, like Maine Coons whose friendly and sociable demeanor can work well for depression, or Ragdolls and Persians, whose gentle calmness can soothe anxiety. 

An emotional support cat does not require any special training, and the cat you already have may be the perfect ESA for you. You just need to obtain an ESA letter from a therapist or doctor to legally show that they’re an actual emotional support animal. 

2. Do you need to register your emotional support cat?

No, you don’t need to register an emotional support cat, but although it is not required by law, many owners choose to register their cat in a searchable registry for certain benefits. For example, by registering your emotional support cat with us, you can obtain a linked ID card which is a handy way to quickly show others that your cat is an emotional support animal and not a regular pet.

3. Can a cat be a service animal?

Unfortunately, no. The job of a service animal falls to dogs and miniature horses. These animals need to be specifically trained to do a task for a disabled individual. This can include picking up dropped items, opening doors, or alerting the person to a drop in their blood sugar or of an oncoming seizure. Even though cats can be highly intelligent and trainable, the ADA does not recognize them as service animals.

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. Even if you currently live in a building that allows pets, having an ESA letter can give you peace of mind if you need to move in the future. 

4. Emotional Support Cat Certification

All that is needed to make your cat a legitimate emotional support animal is a letter from a therapist or mental health professional. You can get a certificate once your cat is qualified as an emotional support cat as another way to demonstrate to others that you have an ESA, but they are not required by law.  Your landlord can’t insist on seeing a certificate to prove that you have an emotional support animal, but they can demand to see your ESA letter).

5. How many emotional support cats can I have?

Many people need more than one emotional support cat, and that’s completely okay as long as your mental health professional agrees. While there’s no legal limit, the real question is what makes sense for you and your situation.

Your landlord does need to make reasonable accommodations under the Fair Housing Act — but they might have concerns if you’re planning to turn your apartment into a cat sanctuary. Fair enough, right? Landlords can limit the ESAs you have if they have legitimate safety or health concerns. 

Another question is what you can handle. Each cat needs vet care, attention, space to romp around, and, of course, food and supplies. Those costs add up quickly, and each kitty needs quality time to be an effective emotional support animal.

Most mental health folks suggest starting with one cat and seeing how it goes. You can always welcome another furry friend later if you feel you need more support and can manage the extra responsibility.

At the end of the day, it’s about finding what works best for you — balancing the emotional support you need with making sure each cat gets the care and attention they deserve. Sometimes one perfect feline companion is all you need, while others might benefit from having two or three support cats in their life.