Original Guest mail past Lexi Carr; updated by Lauren Mieli on 2/8/2022

The bottom line:

  • Service Animate being vs. ESA: Service animals tin only be dogs where ESAs can be any pet. Additionally service animals need to run across a sure standard of grooming whereas an emotional support animal does non.
  • How To Qualify For An ESA: A licensed mental wellness professional in your land needs to evaluate you and recommend an ESA for you to qualify.
  • Tin Cats Exist Emotional Support Animals: Yes they tin can.
  • How To Make My Cat An Emotional Support Animal: Connect with a licensed mental health professional in your state to see if you authorize. Nosotros recommend using a reputable telehealth service so you tin can connect with one quickly and from the comfort of your own domicile.
  • All-time Emotional Back up Animal Service
    • OUR Top Pick – Pettable: Only service offering a satisfaction guarantee, pregnant your letter works or your money back.
    • Runner Up – Certapet
    • Alternative – US Service Animals

Check out our top choice

There are many reasons that a person may choose to speak to their doctor or mental health provider about owning an emotional back up brute. Whatever the reason may be, the process to discuss your needs for an ESA doesn't accept to be long and backbreaking. If yous accept considered speaking to your provider about an emotional support animate being, here are some things to keep in mind.

What is an emotional support animal?

An emotional support animal (ESA), or a back up animal, is a pet whose presence is accounted by a professional to provide benefits for people who endure from mental illnesses. Those who authorize have mental health weather condition that tin can disrupt one'south day-to-day life activities and include weather like feet disorder, panic attacks, and clinical depression.

An emotional support animal can exist a not bad asset to anyone who lives with these conditions. An ESA tin can offer condolement and back up to its owner amid stressful situations. If you lot have talked to a medical professional and detect that an emotional support pet is right for y'all, don't experience limited by the type of pet you own. If you already own a pet, your pet doesn't need to be a specific type of animate being to be an ESA.

Can cats be emotional support animals?

When you imagine an emotional back up animal, yous might picture a service dog. But ESAs are not express to only emotional support dogs. The process to obtain an ESA letter for an emotional support dog is the same for any animal. Commonly, whatsoever domesticated animal tin serve you as an emotional back up pet. You lot might be surprised past the types of animals that make the all-time ESAs. While emotional support dogs make great ESAs, then do rabbits, mini pigs, miniature horses, and cats. Cats can certainly brand excellent emotional back up animals for several reasons. Cats may accept a mind of their ain at times, simply they tin can too exist affectionate and perceptive to their owner'southward emotions.

If you think some dogs are as well rambunctious, cats make a great culling to someone who wants their pet to serve them as an emotional back up cat. Cats are smaller than dogs and tin manage their energy levels better than some dogs. Cats typically create a calming presence in their owners' homes by bonding with their owners and developing a sense of companionship. Cats can be an excellent form of emotional support for individuals that live with anxiety, low, or other mental health conditions. If you have a cat and desire your true cat to serve you as an ESA, y'all first need to qualify for an emotional back up cat.

How to qualify for an emotional back up cat?

In that location is a very simple requirement to qualify for an emotional support cat. If you feel debilitated by a mental wellness issue, you may benefit from your pet serving y'all as an ESA. If y'all find that things like anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other mental wellness struggles affect your daily life, yous may qualify for an emotional back up cat. First, you will need to discuss your concerns with a medical professional to make up one's mind whether your true cat can serve you equally an emotional support animal. Because the requirements to authorize for an ESA are emotional challenges, you will need to discuss your concerns with a licensed mental health professional.

Once you discuss your needs with a medical professional, you volition need to consummate the necessary steps to get an official ESA letter of the alphabet. When you lot have documentation from a medical professional stating that y'all need an ESA, you then qualify for your cat to exist an emotional support cat. The process to authorize for an emotional support cat is a unproblematic one, and in that location are countless benefits for your cat to be an emotional support creature.

Benefits of Having an Emotional Support Cat

The benefits to an ESA are every bit personal as the bond y'all share with your pet. Merely at that place are some benefits that all ESA owners volition experience when they speak to a medical professional person virtually owning an emotional support cat.

They Offering Emotional Support

Merely every bit the name states, an emotional back up animal supports you emotionally, whether you lot struggle with PTSD, anxiety , depression, emotional disabilities, or other mental wellness struggles. ESAs are companions for their owners through difficult times that otherwise accept the potential to derail an unabridged day. With an ESA, you're given emotional condolement in difficult times.

ESAs Ease Travel Anxiety

Traveling is a stressful ordeal for most people. When you travel with an ESA, your pet can help calm some of those traveling fretfulness. When you choose to travel with your pet, some airlines will award the ESA alphabetic character you have for your pet. This will allow you to travel with your emotional support pet, which tin ease the anxiety that comes with traveling. Y'all will have to check with individual airlines considering the rules oft change, just it'south worth checking if your ESA can calm your travel anxiety.

Avoid Pet Deposit Fees

When yous accept an ESA, you lot brand it clear that you have a medical demand to ain your pet. Because your pet supports your mental health, you can prove your official ESA letter to your landlord so that your pet deposit fees are waived. This volition allow you to alive with your pet without any worry or fees.

These are just a few of the benefits that come with having an ESA cat. If you already own a cat, the procedure to make your cat an emotional back up cat is simple.

How to make my cat an emotional support animal?

If you already own a cat, you can talk over your needs to have your cat serve you as an ESA cat. Yous can kickoff past asking yourself if your cat offers you emotional support in your daily life. If your cat gives you emotional support, so there isn't much else you need to practice to make your cat an ESA. Your cat doesn't need to go through whatever special training to exist an emotional back up cat for you. Your cat may be doing the job of an ESA for you considering your true cat is already a companion to you.

Because an emotional support animal doesn't need special training to become an ESA, your true cat can serve you every bit an ESA because it is already a part of your family. When you speak to a medical professional and discuss your demand for an ESA, you won't demand to exercise anything else to make your cat an emotional back up animal. Once you lot make up one's mind that your cat is a skilful fit every bit an ESA for y'all, there are several ways to get your ESA letter .

Best Emotional Support Animal Letter Services

The emotional back up animal qualification process does not need to be difficult. Hither are some reputable establishments that can help you lot become your official ESA letter.

Pettable

Pettable Website

Pros:

  • Fast turnaround time
  • Quick and easy online process
  • Offers an online prequalification quiz
  • Official letters that are compliant with federal laws
  • Total money-back guarantee
  • Excellent customer service

Cons:

  • Pre-screening quiz requires your e-mail address and phone number
  • Information virtually pricing is non provided upfront
  • Consultations with a medical professional are merely washed by phone

When you pursue an official ESA alphabetic character through Pettable , at that place are some upsides and downsides to consider. When you utilise Pettable to speak to a medical professional about an ESA alphabetic character, Pettable offers a quick turnaround time. Afterwards you consummate the necessary steps, you lot will receive your recommendation to have an ESA from a licensed medical professional person inside 24 hours. This is a benefit to anyone that needs their official ESA letter of the alphabet within a specific time frame. Some other benefit of Pettable is its quick and easy online procedure.

Pettable online process

Pettable's process for an ESA letter is quick, easy, and online, so yous can consummate the necessary steps from your home. That mode, you tin can avert waiting in long lines to discuss your need for an ESA with a medical professional. Commencement, y'all'll take a quiz to match yourself with a mental health provider. Then yous'll have a consultation with this medical professional. Pettable also provides you lot with an official ESA letter of the alphabet that is compliant with federal laws. You can hands download your official ESA letter to your phone. This gives you like shooting fish in a barrel access to your ESA letter and can greatly do good yous when you need your letter rapidly and on hand. Yous can likewise print a copy of your letter to share with your landlord. Pettable is an excellent site to consider when yous make up one's mind you may benefit from an emotional back up animate being. In that location are many benefits that Pettable offers that you lot may not receive with other establishments.

While Pettable's process is online, the consultation yous'll demand to have with a medical professional is only offered over the telephone. This is a necessary step to receive your ESA recommendation. Once you consummate the consultation with a medical professional, they will decide if you could benefit from an emotional support animal. If the medical professional decides that you authorize, you will receive your ESA letter of the alphabet in only 24 hours. Pettable is merely i of several options to discuss your needs for an emotional support animate being.

CertaPet

CertaPet

Pros:

  • Fast turnaround process
  • Consultation with a licensed medical professional
  • Official letters that are compliant with country and federal laws
  • Offers both ESA and PSD (psychiatric service dog) consultations, for home and travel purposes.
  • Over vii,500 5-Star Reviews
  • Serves U.S. and Canadian residents

Cons:

  • Your consultation fee is not-refundable
  • Multiple support animals and additional add-ons are charged actress
  • Requires letter of the alphabet fee payment before evaluation
  • Customers volition receive a full refund if they are non approved, less a $35 fee .

CertaPet is another example of a reputable institution that tin can assistance you lot decide if yous need an emotional support pet. CertaPet offers several benefits to individuals seeking a quick, easy process to discuss their needs for an ESA. Kickoff, CertaPet has a fast turnaround process, just as Pettable does. The process that CertaPet offers to determine your needs for an ESA is quite simple.

First, y'all only demand to have v minutes out of your twenty-four hour period to participate in a gratuitous screening on CertaPet's website. This screening will give y'all an idea of whether you are a good candidate for an ESA or not. Afterwards the screening, y'all volition have a consultation with a licensed medical professional person via a telehealth appointment. Lastly, if the medical professional feels that you would benefit from having an emotional support brute, you will receive a copy of an official ESA alphabetic character.

Then, you tin print your letter of the alphabet, or CertaPet can postal service an official letter to y'all. The official letter that yous receive through CertaPet is recognized by federal and state laws. The process to obtain your ESA letter through CertaPet is quick and simple. While CertaPet has many benefits, there is only ane meaning drawback to Cert Pet's process.

When yous complete the consultation with CertaPet, yous will need to pay a minor, non-refundable fee of $35. This is 1 downside among many benefits that CertaPet offers. CertaPet is dedicated to providing a streamlined, easy-to-utilise process to all individuals seeking an emotional support pet. While you lot may feel that an ESA is right for y'all, CertaPet can aid yous know for certain after you speak to ane of their licensed medical professionals. Pettable and CertaPet are first-class options to determine if you would do good from an ESA, and US Service Animals is another option.

U.s. Service Animals

US Service Animals

Pros:

  • Lifetime acknowledgement for pets
  • E'er available for follow up questions
  • Offers multilingual customer support

Cons:

  • Charges money for unnecessary registration services
  • Does non offer split up housing and travel ESA messages
  • Non all pets qualify equally US Service Animals

In that location are several things to consider when deciding on which service to utilize to discuss your needs for an emotional support animal. If you decide your pet would serve you lot best as a Usa Service Animal, the procedure to practice and so is quick and easy. But keep in listen, non all pets will easily qualify as a US service pet. Starting time, you need to enter your pet's information into the US Service Animal official website.

After yous enter your pet's information, speak to a medical professional, and put your pet in the US Service Animals system, yous will receive your service letter of the alphabet and ID card. US Service Animals volition send your carte du jour to y'all in the postal service and digitally. There are several benefits once you successfully hash out your needs for your pet to serve you as a U.s.a. service pet. Your pet will have a lifetime acknowledgement equally a US service pet once it'due south officially a US service pet.

You volition also have access to the US Service Animals helpline if you have whatsoever questions or need whatsoever further assist with your service pet. In one case you discuss your needs for a service pet with a medical professional and authorize, you will too take access to the Us Service Brute legal team. This can be beneficial if you feel your rights accept been violated as an ESA owner. These are all benefits to keep in mind if y'all determine that your pet volition serve you equally an emotional support animal.

The primary downside of pursuing a US Service Animals letter for your pet is that not all pets will hands qualify as United states of america service pets. At that place are several things to keep in mind if you lot decide that your pet will best serve you every bit either a service pet or an emotional support pet. You need to consider the wait time for an official alphabetic character, whether you will accept a consultation with a licensed medical professional person, and the ease of the process to discuss your mental wellness needs. Another important consideration is whether or not your animal qualifies equally an ESA or a service pet.

Knowing the deviation betwixt an Emotional Support Beast and a Service Fauna

An emotional back up animal (ESA), or a support animal, is a pet whose presence is deemed by a professional to provide benefits for people who endure from mental illnesses. Those who qualify have mental health atmospheric condition that can disrupt 1's 24-hour interval-to-twenty-four hours life activities and include conditions like anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and clinical depression.

ESAs differ from service animals in that service animals are specifically trained to perform a diversity of tasks (i.e., detect seizures before they strike, provide deep pressure therapy, bring medication to their handler.) While it is typical for a dog to exist registered every bit an ESA, that doesn't necessarily mean that other animals cannot, as in that location are no rules that specify what an ESA animal should be. This means that, if you have a cat, and you are accounted qualified by a mental health professional —you lot can annals your feline companion every bit an ESA. Even so, there are quite a few things that you have to consider before registering your cat as an emotional service animal.

At that place isn't an "official" registration for an Emotional Support cat

The only kind of registration that yous will demand is your ESA alphabetic character from a therapist. There is no official register that you are legally required to sign your cat upwards for. Additionally, an emotional support cat doesn't take to wearable a special vest or tag of whatever sort, declaring your companion's status as a back up animal.

Beware of scammers

Considering the process for registering your cat as an ESA is fairly unproblematic and straightforward and non at all as stringent as registering a service fauna, there are many companies taking reward of this fact and claim that they can "officially certify" your ESA. Without any prior knowledge of ESAs, a pet owner could end up paying money for an illegitimate document or phony certification. Dissimilar support animals, an ESA is non guaranteed into any venue.

Your ESA is covered under the Off-white Housing Deed

This deed states that your landlord must provide reasonable accommodations to you and your ESA; however, if it imposes any fiscal or administrative strain on your landlord, your landlord can likewise refuse your ESA through legal proceedings. This is also possible if y'all take an ESA that is very large (i.e., a horse.)

Housing that isn't covered by FHA

Rental spaces of four units or less (where the owner is really living in ane of the units), single family homes that are sold/rented by the owner without the use of a broker, and housing that is operated by private clubs and religious organizations that restrict occupancy to their members are not covered by FHA.

Emotional Support Animals and the Air Carrier Admission Deed (ACAA)

Your emotional service fauna may be able to travel with you inside the aeroplane cabin but due to significant corruption of this regulation , it is currently under scrutiny and the rules may change. Obtaining a letter from a licensed professional is crucial in having your companion wing with you. Make certain you take the letter dated no later than one yr earlier you use information technology. Contact your airline a few days before your scheduled flying to make proper arrangements.

Emotional Support Animals and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Nether the Americans with Disabilities Act, emotional support animals are not considered service animals. This is a actually of import stardom because support animals practise non enjoy the same type of admission as service animals. Services animals are specifically trained to perform a specific task for their owner and they are not viewed as pets, simply workers. Service animals aid blind people get around, help those with epilepsy know when a seizure will strike and and so much more than. Today, the ADA will merely consider dogs as service animals and they must undergo the appropriate certification. Cats were previously immune to be service animals, provided they were trained. Those who have a service cat that was previously certified are usually grandfathered into the program… simply cats are no longer allowed to be considered service animals.

Ofttimes Asked Questions Virtually Support Cats

Are cats good for emotional support?

Cats are affectionate and can easily bond with their caregivers. Cats are modest, quiet, make clean, and can often be compassionate animals. Because of this, cats provide emotional support to their owners and make splendid emotional support animals.

How to register a cat equally an emotional support animal?

While you don't need to have an ESA pet, the process is unproblematic if you decide to discuss your medical needs for an ESA pet with a md.  You volition need to complete a short screening and have a consultation with a licensed medical professional who will make up one's mind if you qualify for an ESA cat letter of the alphabet today.

Can a landlord refuse an emotional support cat?

No. If your emotional back up true cat does not pose a threat to others, your landlord cannot decline your emotional support beast. Under the Fair Housing Act, a landlord cannot refuse a tenant considering they have a pet if that pet is an ESA.

How much does an emotional cat price?

When you lot seek out an emotional back up cat, you will usually demand to pay the fees for your screening and your consultation with a medical professional. This cost ranges depending on which establishment you use to get your ESA letter.

Are emotional support cats required to have a pet deposit?

No. Pet deposit fees are waived once you take your official ESA letter and yous share your letter of the alphabet with your landlord. It is unlawful for your landlord to accuse you lot a pet deposit when your pet is an emotional back up cat.

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