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Exploring Therapy Cats: How to Get One and Best Options for Legitimate ESA Letters
Discover how therapy and emotional support cats provide comfort and emotional relief for individuals with mental health challenges. Learn how to qualify your cat as an ESA with a legitimate letter from Pettable.
Therapy cats provide comfort in institutional settings but do not have the same public access rights as service animals or emotional support animals (ESAs).
Emotional support cats (ESAs) offer critical emotional comfort to their owners, especially for individuals managing mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
To qualify a cat as an ESA, a legitimate ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional (LMHP) is required, protecting the owner’s housing rights under the Fair Housing Act.
Pettable is a trusted provider of legitimate ESA letters, offering a simple and risk-free process backed by a money-back guarantee.
Therapy cats are cuddly companions trained to support humans. Like therapy dogs, they visit hospitals, schools, nursing homes, jails, and mental health facilities, offering support and comfort in times of sickness or stress. These powerful felines provide an alternative to traditional treatment methods and help many people on their healing journey.
Therapy cats are not the same as emotional support cats (ESAs), which provide their owners with emotional comfort and support when dealing with mental issues. Regardless, cats are known for their calm nature. They can form strong bonds with people, and their soothing purrs can relax almost anyone.
This article explains therapy cats, defines emotional support cats, and discusses the importance of an emotional support cat letter. It also highlights why Pettable is the best choice for legitimate ESA letters and answers common questions about ESAs and therapy cats.
Therapy Cats
A therapy cat is a trained companion that provides comfort and emotional support in places like hospitals, schools, and nursing homes. Unlike service animals, therapy cats do not have public access rights but help individuals reduce stress, anxiety, and improve emotional well-being in various settings.
The Role of Therapy Cats: How They Provide Comfort and Support
If you are a cat lover, you already know the benefits of a warm, cuddly cat lying on your lap or beside you in your rocking chair. Cats make great therapy pets, and science has now caught up to what many of us already knew.
Therapy cats have a calming effect on the people they are around. Individuals with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, personality disorders, and autism can all benefit from the company of a friendly feline.
A review of animal-assisted therapy for adults and children with autism found that cats offered beneficial behavioral benefits, such as increasing their social skills and motivation and reducing their anxiety and stress levels.
As you can see, feline-assisted therapy is being utilized more and more as an alternative treatment option for many different populations. Cat therapy is a great choice for people who may have a fear of dogs or larger animals. Now, let's take a closer look at the differences between service animals, emotional support animals, and therapy cats.
Therapy Cats vs. Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) vs. Service Animals
Therapy cats, emotional support animals, and service animals are often confused and used interchangeably. However, they serve very different purposes. Let's clear up some of the confusion surrounding these wonderful assistance animals so you can be knowledgeable about the differences.
Therapy Cats
Therapy cats are very similar to therapy dogs, trained to provide emotional support to people. Typically, you will find therapy cats in institutional settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, mental health hospitals, hospice homes, and any other place where they can improve the quality of people's lives.
Therapy cats are usually part of an organized therapy program trained to help many people. A therapy cat and its owner volunteer their time in various facilities, helping people feel better.
A recent study found that just ten minutes of petting a dog or a cat helped reduce the stress levels of the college students where the study took place. Study participants' cortisol levels were reduced after interacting with the pets in the therapy program.
Therapy cats are only offered public access rights to the places where they volunteer. They do not have any regular public access rights like service animals or no-pet housing access like emotional support cats.
Emotional Support Cats (ESAs)
Pets are beneficial to the long-term management of mental health issues and could be considered a primary part of treatment for many people. This is exactly where emotional support animals come in. Many different animals, including cats, can become emotional support animals.
Emotional support cats (ESAs) are animals that offer one-on-one emotional support and comfort to their owners. They provide many benefits to their owners who are dealing with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, or any other mental problems. Emotional support cats are calming and provide comfort. If you experience stress or anxiety, then having a purring kitty by your side can really make a difference in your day-to-day life.
Unlike therapy cats or service animals, ESAs do not require any specific training to become one. Their only job is to be with you and help you through distressing times. ESAs are legally protected under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and can live with you even in “no-pet” policy situations. However, they are not given any public access rights like service animals. You will need a legitimate ESA letter written by a licensed mental health professional (LMHP) to qualify your cat as an emotional support cat.
Service animals are any animal trained to perform tasks that benefit their owners who have a disability. They are trained to help people with physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric, or other mental disabilities. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are only dogs and miniature horses, so cats are not considered service animals.
From opening doors and pulling wheelchairs to turning the lights on or off, service dogs can be trained to perform a multitude of helpful tasks for their owners. The ADA guarantees service animals the right to access all public places with their owners, such as government buildings, hospitals, restaurants, and stores.
Psychiatric service dogs are specifically trained to assist people with mental health disorders. They can check rooms or help calm someone experiencing a panic attack. However, it's important to note that they are different from emotional support animals, as psychiatric service dogs undergo specialized training.
How to Get a Therapy Cat or Emotional Support Cat
If you want to know how to get a therapy cat and volunteer with them in facilities, you should look into training or certification courses you and your cat can take. Then, after you have trained your cat to become a therapy cat, you can look into local non-profits or organizations that promote pet therapy. You can contact places such as Love on a Leash or Pet Partners, and see how you can enroll your cat.
However, the process is quite different if you are interested in your cat becoming an emotional support cat. Let's take a closer look at the qualifications needed.
Qualifying for a Therapy or Emotional Support Cat
The process of getting your cat qualified to be an emotional support animal is relatively straightforward. First, you must have a mental health condition to qualify for an ESA. Many people find comfort in an ESA when dealing with mental health issues such as:
Any other mental health condition where your medical professional deems an ESA an option for treatment
Your cat will need no formal training or certification to become an ESA. The only thing that you will need is to get an ESA letter for a cat written by an LMHP. The ESA letter must state that you have a mental health condition and that an ESA would be of great benefit to you and your recovery process. You'll either need to be assessed by a mental health doctor that you are already seeing or get connected to an LMHP in your state through a reputable online service, such as Pettable.
Once you have an ESA letter in hand, you are ready to live happily with your animal without any extra fees or issues, even in no-pet-policy housing situations. Emotional support cats can truly help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
Remember that registration for your cat as an ESA is unnecessary. Any website claiming to provide this service with an ESA letter without an assessment is likely a scam. Your only obligation to ensure your cat is qualified as an ESA is to get a legitimate ESA letter for a cat.
The Importance of a Legitimate ESA Letter
You can sometimes live with your pet without an ESA letter, but it does make sense to get your emotional support cat qualified with an ESA letter in many cases. When you have an ESA letter, you can live with your cat without paying any pet deposits or monthly fees, and you won't be limited to pet-friendly housing.
If you get a legitimate ESA letter, you will be protected by the Fair Housing Act (FHA), and your landlord will have to make "reasonable accommodations" for you and your emotional support cat to live there. The landlord has the right to verify your ESA letter's legitimacy, so it is essential to ensure you get a legitimate ESA letter.
People are beginning to see the benefits of ESA, which is great news. However, while they are becoming more popular, so are websites pumping out fake ESA letters. Unfortunately, many scams claim to have ESA letters, but they aren't legitimate, and you may waste your time, energy, and money if you aren't careful.
This is why it is always best to look for some common red flags regarding fake ESA letter operations. First, fake ESA letter websites are often really cheap or too expensive. A legitimate ESA letter will come from having an assessment with an LMHP, so it isn't going to be inexpensive. However, extremely costly ESA letters are probably not real either.
Another major warning sign of fraudulent ESA letter companies is that they promise you an approved ESA letter right away. A legitimate ESA letter may take a day or so because you will have to see a medical professional, and they will have to determine if you qualify for an ESA. The process is quick, but the results are not immediate.
With so many fake services, it is crucial to only work with trusted, licensed professionals. Most reputable companies will offer you some risk-free guarantee if you are not eligible for an ESA. For example, Pettable offers a money-back guarantee if you are not approved for an ESA, so you know there's no real risk involved.
Why Pettable is the Best Option for Getting an ESA Letter for Your Cat
Now that you know how to get an ESA letter, let's explore why Pettable is the best choice for your cat's ESA letter.
Legitimacy and Licensed Professionals
Pettable has licensed mental health professionals, so you know that every ESA letter from Pettable will be legitimate and signed by an LMHP. They have a team of practitioners across all 50 states. Pettable stands behind the legitimacy of their ESA letters and will give you all your money back should your letter be denied.
Pettable adheres to federal and state ESA laws and regulations. Pettable provides ESA letters that comply with the Fair Housing Act, protecting the rights of ESA owners. Not to mention, they offer customer service seven days a week. So, if you have any issues during the process, you can reach a human being who can help you with your questions.
Simple and Risk-Free Process
One of the best benefits of using Pettable's online ESA letter service is that you can get a legitimate ESA letter quickly and from the comfort of your own home. You don't have to try to find a local therapist, drive all across town, and wait a month or two to be seen by a new medical practitioner. The process is simple and risk-free.
Pettable's easy, three-step process that you can do from your home looks like this:
1. Take a short online assessment.
2. Get connected with a licensed mental health professional practicing in your state.
3. Receive your legitimate ESA letter, compliant with state and federal housing laws, often within 24-48 hours!
The best part of the process? Pettable offers a money-back guarantee if your landlord does not approve your letter.
Success Stories and Testimonials
Pettable has helped many people obtain legitimate ESA letters so that their emotional support cats can live comfortably with them. Let's look at some recent success stories of happy pet owners who used Pettable for their ESA letters. Here are some heartwarming Pettable ESA letter reviews from happy clients.
One happy Pettable user shares her experience with getting an ESA letter for her cat:
"What an incredible service!! Aubrey was phenomenal- she approached my case with empathy, compassion, and went above and beyond to accommodate and meet needs. The warmth and care I received was needed in my life at this time and really supported my motivation to be the best version of me with my kitty cat by my side :)"
"I am very grateful and with peace of mind... I can live with my cat anywhere without any stress having my ESA letter thanks to Pettable. The service was great and easy, very worthy!"
-Marilyn Duarte
Another happy pet owner who used Pettable's services to get an ESA letter for their cat states:
"Very pleasurable experience. I was able to talk to a licensed therapist fast, and she was clear about the steps I needed to take for my own mental health and well-being. I was able to get the paperwork I needed quickly for my cat to be able to move into a new place with him."
"I found pettable with a quick Google search looking for a legitimate place to get an ESA letter for my pet cat Luna as my current provider's office doesn't write them. I was able to book them quickly and had a lovely conversation with Jennifer B. She was kind, understanding, and knowledgeable. My apartment accepted the letter without any issues."
People often have many questions about therapy and emotional support cats. Here are some of the most common questions.
Can any cat be an emotional support animal?
Yes! Any breed of cat can be an emotional support animal. All that matters is that your cat provides you with emotional support.
What's the difference between a therapy cat and an emotional support cat?
A therapy cat is a trained volunteer who travels to facilities and offers emotional support to the individuals there. An emotional support cat is a medically necessary pet that only provides emotional support for their owner.
Do I need to train my cat to be a therapy or emotional support animal?
Emotional support animals do not need any special training. However, if you wish to train your cat to be a therapy cat, you will typically need to go through a training program.
How long does it take to get an ESA letter from Pettable?
Most users receive their ESA letter within 24-48 hours.
Will my ESA letter allow my cat to live with me in no-pet housing?
In most cases, an ESA letter from an LMHP should allow you and your cat to live together, even in "no pet" housing.
What's the process for getting an ESA letter for my cat through Pettable?
1. Take the short online assessment.
2. Book your consultation.
3. Meet with the LMHP to determine your eligibility for an ESA.
4. If approved, you could receive your ESA letter within 24-48 hours.
Does my therapy or emotional support cat need to wear a vest?
No, it is not a legal requirement for your emotional support cat to wear a vest.
What legal protections do emotional support cats have under the Fair Housing Act?
Under the Fair Housing Act, emotional support cats are protected as assistance animals. All landlords must allow ESAs to live with their owners even if there is a "no-pet" policy. Owners of ESAs will have any pet deposits or monthly pet fees waived with a legitimate ESA letter.
Conclusion: Choose Pettable for Your ESA Cat Needs
Having an emotional support cat can offer so many benefits to people who are living with mental health issues. From reduced feelings of stress to helping with panic attacks, there are many great reasons why your loveable cat can also be a great emotional support system. Cats are small and often quieter than their dog counterparts, and sometimes, just holding a purring cat in your arms is all you need to make it through one of the tougher days.
If you have a loving cat and you want to see if you can get them qualified as an ESA, Pettable is the best choice. With Pettable, you will have a legitimate ESA letter, a quick and easy process, and a money-back guarantee if your landlord rejects the letter. So, what are you waiting for? If you know that your cat is helping you on your mental health journey, then get started today with Pettable's short survey, and let's help you get your little furball qualified as your emotional support cat.
Alicia Ramella is a freelance writer specializing in mental health and wellness. She has been writing professionally for over three years in this space. Her work has been featured on reputable sites like WEBMD.com and many other health and wellness websites.
Alicia is also a life coach, a podcaster, and a nutrition nut with a background in psychology. She plays with her two children in her free time and enjoys music, gardening, and nature.
