A great example of how effective a cat can be as an ESA is Megan and their ESA Jolene:

What are Emotional Support Animals?

Emotional support animals are any pet that positively affects a symptom of an individual's mental health disability. An ESA cat or other ESA can be extraordinarily impactful in improving mental health and well-being. An emotional support animal does not have to be specifically trained to help its owner. Just the presence of a support animal offers comfort and feelings of stress relief.

An emotional support animal can positively impact mental health issues or a mental health disability by providing companionship, and unconditional love, and serving as an object of focus for the pet owner.

Can Cats Be Emotional Support Animals? Yes.

Yes. Cats can serve as Emotional Support Animals if their presence helps alleviate symptoms of a mental health disability. Under the Fair Housing Act, qualifying individuals with an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional can live with their cat in housing that otherwise restricts pets. See HUD's assistance animal guidance for details.

Legal Rights Summary for ESA Cats

As of 2026, emotional support cats are protected for housing under the Fair Housing Act. With a compliant ESA letter, you can request reasonable accommodation to live with your cat without pet fees or breed and weight restrictions. HUD's guidance FHEO-2020-01 describes documents housing providers may request and what counts as a reasonable accommodation.

For air travel, the U.S. Department of Transportation's 2021 rule under the Air Carrier Access Act does not require airlines to recognize ESAs for in-cabin access. ESAs usually fly as pets and must follow each airline's pet policy. Review the DOT summary here: U.S. DOT service animal rules.

What Animals Can Be Emotional Support Animals?

Any animal that you're legally allowed to own as a pet can serve as an emotional support animal. Most commonly, you see emotional support dogs or emotional support cats, but any pet that provides a therapeutic benefit to its owner can be considered an ESA. Mental health professionals recognize the benefits of animals in a person's life, so ESAs aren't limited to only animals like cats and dogs.

Other than cats and dogs, some common types of emotional support animals include:

• Rabbits
• Hamsters
• Guinea Pigs
• Birds
• Hedgehogs

Benefits of Having an Emotional Support Cat

A variety of mental illnesses can be significantly improved by an emotional support cat. Here's how.

• Reduced Anxiety - Cats are known for their ability to improve mood and provide emotional support, which can be particularly beneficial for individuals dealing with anxiety or depression. Concentrating on something other than yourself can have a profoundly positive effect on anxiety because it shifts your attention from excessive rumination and obsessing over the causes of your anxiety to loving and caring for your emotional support animal. Research has linked companion animals with reduced stress reactivity and improved emotional well-being.
• Relieve Stress and Depressive Symptoms - The presence of an emotional support cat can lower stress levels and promote relaxation through their soothing presence and calming actions. By providing their owners with a feeling of direction and significance, emotional support cats help their owners cope with the symptoms of depression. Peer-reviewed literature has described beneficial effects of companion animals on mood and coping in some individuals.
• Reduce Loneliness - Emotional support cats provide constant companionship, helping to alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. Since loneliness can lead to a wide range of other problems, it is an especially difficult mental illness to treat. Having a cat or another emotional support animal can help lessen some of the negative effects of being alone. Studies have noted social and emotional support from companion animals for people living with mental health challenges.
• Improve Sleep Quality - Your emotional support cat can greatly enhance the quality of your sleep by assisting you in de-stressing and reducing anxiety before bedtime. Some individuals find that placing their ESA on the bed at night helps them go to sleep faster and wake up less during the night. Some surveys and clinical observations suggest pet presence can influence sleep patterns.
• Improve Exercise and Physical Fitness - Interacting with an emotional support cat can have positive effects on physical health, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease. Although most cats aren't trained to walk on a leash, many will enjoy walks, whether they are carried or they are on a leash, if you start them off early. You can stay active and have fun even if you just set aside some time to play with your indoor cat while it chases toys. Scientific statements have associated pet ownership with potential cardiovascular benefits for some people.
• Housing Benefits - Having an emotional support cat may qualify individuals for housing accommodations under certain laws, allowing them to live with their pet even in pet-restricted housing. Under the Fair Housing Act, fees and breed or weight limits generally do not apply to ESAs when you provide a compliant ESA letter.
• A Host of Other Benefits - Pet owners typically know one another and take pleasure in each other's company. Adoration for their furry companions is a common bonding experience for animal lovers, and everyone who owns a pet likes to tell others about their pet's quirky habits. Additionally, it can brighten your days to know that another being enjoys spending time with you.

Evidence Snapshot

Selected sources on potential benefits of companion animals include: American Heart Association scientific statement on pet ownership and cardiovascular risk, a systematic review on companion animals and mental health support in BMC Psychiatry, and a Mayo Clinic Proceedings study examining pets and human sleep here. Individual experiences vary and pets are not a substitute for professional care.

Who Qualifies to Have a Cat Certified as an Emotional Support Animal?

To make sure you can have your emotional support cats with you at home and in other places where your mental or emotional symptoms might require them to be with you, you need to qualify for an ESA letter that you can show landlords and others. Your ESA letter serves as the documentation you provide when requesting a reasonable accommodation for housing.

You Need to Have a Mental Health-Related Disability

For a medical professional to write a letter on your behalf you first need to be suffering from some type of mental or emotional health challenge. This can include:

• Anxiety
• Panic Attacks
• Depression
• Phobias
• Personality Disorder
• PTSD
• ADHD
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar Disorder
• And a host of other potential mental and emotional challenges

Many people experience these kinds of challenges, so you may qualify even if you have not ever been formally diagnosed.

Your Cat Needs to Support or Alleviate Symptoms of Your Mental Health Disability

Additionally, to qualify, your ESA needs to support or alleviate symptoms of your disability in some way. Some people may not necessarily be happy with dog ownership and lean more towards cat ownership because cats tend to be less high-energy. If your pet adds stress to your life, it may not be a good choice for an ESA. The benefits of living with a pet are pretty extraordinary, and there are many ways they can help that we did not cover in this article. If you feel that your cat helps you deal with symptoms of mental or emotional issues, it's worth checking to see if they qualify as an ESA.

How to Get an Emotional Support Cat

If you believe your cat could be considered an emotional support animal, how do you begin the process? Follow these three simple steps:

1. Complete Our Quick Online Assessment
   Taking our quick 3-minute assessment is the easiest way to get started on the path to adopting an emotional support cat. The evaluation will prescreen your unique requirements and suitability for an emotional support cat. You will be able to arrange a phone consultation with a mental health professional who is licensed in your state after completing the assessment.

2. Connect with a Licensed Mental Health Professional in Your State
   Once you have connected with a mental health professional (LMHP) licensed in your state, they'll assess your mental health and gather information about your emotional and mental history. To determine whether you would benefit from an ESA in the first place, they must take this action. Although the letter primarily states that an emotional support animal (ESA) can assist a person in coping with a mental health condition and may be deemed a medical necessity to cope, some individuals may argue that a person must meet certain requirements to be eligible for one.
   

3. Get Your ESA Letter
   Your LMHP will write you a legal ESA letter once it is evident that you benefit from owning an emotional support cat. With this letter, you can request reasonable accommodation to live with your cat without pet fees or breed and weight limits under the Fair Housing Act. For air travel in the U.S., ESAs are treated as pets and must follow airline pet policies. There is no legal ESA registration - your ESA letter is what establishes your housing rights.

What Does an ESA Letter Do? 

An ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional documents your need for an emotional support cat and allows you to request reasonable housing accommodations under the Fair Housing Act. As of 2021, U.S. airlines are not required to recognize ESAs for in-cabin travel under the Air Carrier Access Act. ESAs typically fly as pets subject to each airline's pet policy. Always check current rules with your carrier. Learn more from HUD's guidance on assistance animals here and the U.S. DOT service animal rules here.

What Is Your ESA Letter Legally Required to Have

When getting an ESA letter and certifying your cat as an emotional support animal, make sure you have the proper documentation and that your letter contains all the required information. Your clinician must be licensed in the state where you reside and must conduct a live consultation before issuing an ESA letter.

Official Letterhead of Your Mental Health Provider

The letter needs to contain the letterhead of your clinician. Letterhead is just a fancy way of saying paper with a design on it that represents the provider's business. It is a formal way of indicating that the letter came from the provider and isn't a forgery.

Statement About Your Disability and ESA Qualification

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.

License and Contact Information for Your Clinician

The laws allow a landlord or airline to contact the clinician to verify that you have consulted with a professional, so the letter must also include their medical license and contact information.

That allows a landlord to verify that the clinician's license is in good standing and lets them contact the clinician directly to verify the information in the ESA letter. For more on documentation standards, review HUD's assistance animal guidance.

Does My Emotional Support Cat Need Additional Identification? 

No, additional identification such as certificates, registration, or ID cards are not necessary for emotional support cats. An ESA letter is the only documentation required to prove the cat's status as an emotional support animal.

No Registry or ID Required

There is no legal ESA registry. Legitimate housing accommodations are based on a compliant ESA letter from a licensed clinician following a live evaluation.

Where Can You Go With Your Emotional Support Cat?

While service animals can legally go just about anywhere in public, emotional support animals do not have the same legal protection. So, where can your emotional support cat go with you?

Housing

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. Your ESA should also be allowed in any common areas within your housing complex. They are also allowed to live with you in university dorms, though they are rarely allowed in classrooms - it just depends on the campus.

How to Submit Your ESA Letter to Your Landlord

• Make a written accommodation request to your housing provider and state that you are requesting a reasonable accommodation for an emotional support animal under the Fair Housing Act.
• Attach your current ESA letter issued after a live evaluation by a clinician licensed in your state.
• Respond promptly to reasonable follow-up questions that relate to your need or the animal's suitability. Landlords should not ask for detailed medical records or a diagnosis.
• Keep all communication in writing and allow a reasonable time for a response.

When a Landlord Can Legally Deny

• If the specific animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be reduced by reasonable measures.
• If the accommodation would impose an undue financial or administrative burden or fundamentally alter the provider's operations.
• If documentation is insufficient or the animal is not housebroken or is out of control.

Fees and Damage

Housing providers cannot charge pet rent or pet deposits for ESAs. You are responsible for any damage your cat causes and for keeping your ESA reasonably clean, well-behaved, and a good neighbor.

Air Travel Rules for Emotional Support Cats (U.S.)

Unfortunately, due to policy changes from the U.S. Department of Transportation, ESAs are not recognized for in-cabin access under the Air Carrier Access Act. ESAs travel as pets according to each airline's pet policy and fees. Some international carriers may have different rules, so confirm directly with the airline well before you fly. Review the DOT summary here: U.S. DOT service animal rules.

Some Hotels

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. Otherwise, it may be best to find a pet-friendly hotel to stay at.

Some Public Places

Other public places, such as restaurants and stores, have no obligation to allow your ESA to enter. This usually includes workplaces, as well. Public access rights apply to service animals under the ADA, not ESAs.

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. And when it comes to your place of work, it's all up to your employer.

Emotional Support Cats vs. Service Animals

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. Technically, they require no special training - simply their companionship provides therapeutic benefits for the owner.

Unfortunately, emotional support cats are only legally required to be allowed in any place of residence. All other public places have the right to refuse ESAs if they choose to.

At this time, only dogs and sometimes miniature horses are recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as service animals. A service animal is specially trained to perform at least one task that specifically aids the owner in living with their disability - physical or mental.

It is unfortunate that cats are not legally recognized as service animals. However, cats can be highly trainable - more than many people realize. They can, in fact, be trained to perform many tasks often assigned to regular service animals.

Therapy Cats vs. ESAs vs. Service Animals

Emotional support cats provide comfort that helps alleviate symptoms of a mental health disability. They do not require task training and have housing rights under the Fair Housing Act with an ESA letter. They do not have public access rights.

Therapy cats are pets that visit facilities with their handlers to provide comfort to others. They do not have special public access or housing rights under federal law.

Service animals are defined by the ADA as dogs, and in some cases miniature horses, individually trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability. They have broad public access rights. Learn more at the ADA page here.