Original Guest post past Lexi Carr; updated by Lauren Mieli on ii/8/2022

The bottom line:

  • Service Fauna vs. ESA: Service animals can only be dogs where ESAs can be whatsoever pet. Additionally service animals demand to meet a sure standard of preparation whereas an emotional support animal does non.
  • How To Qualify For An ESA: A licensed mental wellness professional in your country needs to evaluate y'all and recommend an ESA for you to qualify.
  • Tin can Cats Be Emotional Back up Animals: Yes they can.
  • How To Brand My Cat An Emotional Back up Animal: Connect with a licensed mental health professional person in your country to come across if you qualify. Nosotros recommend using a reputable telehealth service so you can connect with ane quickly and from the comfort of your own abode.
  • Best Emotional Back up Animal Service
    • OUR Height Selection – Pettable: But service offering a satisfaction guarantee, meaning your letter works or your money back.
    • Runner Up – Certapet
    • Alternative – United states Service Animals

Cheque out our top option

There are many reasons that a person may choose to speak to their doctor or mental health provider about owning an emotional back up animal. Any the reason may be, the process to discuss your needs for an ESA doesn't have to be long and arduous. If yous have considered speaking to your provider about an emotional support animal, here are some things to go along in mind.

What is an emotional back up beast?

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 suffer from mental illnesses. Those who authorize have mental health conditions that can disrupt one's day-to-day life activities and include conditions like anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and clinical low.

An emotional support brute can be a great asset to anyone who lives with these conditions. An ESA can offer comfort and back up to its owner amongst stressful situations. If you accept talked to a medical professional and find that an emotional support pet is right for you, don't experience limited by the type of pet you own. If you lot already own a pet, your pet doesn't need to exist a specific type of animal to exist an ESA.

Can cats be emotional support animals?

When you imagine an emotional support animal, you might picture a service dog. But ESAs are not limited to simply emotional support dogs. The process to obtain an ESA letter for an emotional support dog is the same for whatsoever animal. Usually, any domesticated creature tin serve you as an emotional back up pet. Yous might exist surprised by the types of animals that brand the best ESAs. While emotional support dogs make great ESAs, so exercise rabbits, mini pigs, miniature horses, and cats. Cats tin certainly make excellent emotional support animals for several reasons. Cats may have a heed of their own at times, but they tin can also be appreciating and perceptive to their possessor'due south emotions.

If you retrieve some dogs are as well rambunctious, cats brand a dandy alternative to someone who wants their pet to serve them as an emotional support cat. Cats are smaller than dogs and tin can 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 splendid course of emotional support for individuals that live with anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions. If you lot have a cat and want your cat to serve you as an ESA, you beginning demand to authorize for an emotional back up cat.

How to authorize for an emotional support cat?

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

Once you discuss your needs with a medical professional, you volition demand to complete the necessary steps to become an official ESA letter. When you take documentation from a medical professional stating that yous need an ESA, y'all and so qualify for your cat to exist an emotional support true cat. The procedure to qualify for an emotional support cat is a elementary 1, and there are endless benefits for your cat to be an emotional support animal.

Benefits of Having an Emotional Back up Cat

The benefits to an ESA are as personal as the bond y'all share with your pet. Only there are some benefits that all ESA owners will experience when they speak to a medical professional person about owning an emotional support cat.

They Offering Emotional Support

Just as the proper noun states, an emotional support animal supports you emotionally, whether you struggle with PTSD, anxiety , depression, emotional disabilities, or other mental health struggles. ESAs are companions for their owners through hard times that otherwise take the potential to derail an unabridged mean solar day. With an ESA, you're given emotional comfort in difficult times.

ESAs Ease Travel Anxiety

Traveling is a stressful ordeal for most people. When you travel with an ESA, your pet tin help at-home some of those traveling nerves. When you choose to travel with your pet, some airlines will honor the ESA letter of the alphabet you have for your pet. This will allow yous to travel with your emotional support pet, which can ease the anxiety that comes with traveling. You volition take to check with individual airlines because the rules oftentimes change, but it's worth checking if your ESA tin can at-home your travel anxiety.

Avert Pet Deposit Fees

When you take an ESA, you lot make information technology clear that you have a medical demand to own your pet. Because your pet supports your mental wellness, yous tin prove your official ESA letter to your landlord and so that your pet eolith fees are waived. This will permit you to live 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 true cat, the process to brand your true cat an emotional support cat is simple.

How to brand my true cat an emotional back up animal?

If you already own a true cat, you lot can discuss your needs to have your cat serve you lot every bit an ESA cat. You tin can start by asking yourself if your cat offers you emotional back up in your daily life. If your cat gives you emotional back up, then there isn't much else you need to do to make your cat an ESA. Your cat doesn't demand to go through any special training to be an emotional back up cat for you. Your true cat may exist doing the job of an ESA for you considering your cat is already a companion to y'all.

Considering an emotional support creature doesn't need special grooming to become an ESA, your true cat can serve you as an ESA because it is already a role of your family. When you speak to a medical professional person and talk over your demand for an ESA, you won't demand to practice anything else to make your true cat an emotional support animal. Once yous decide that your cat is a skillful fit as an ESA for you, at that place are several ways to get your ESA letter .

Best Emotional Support Animal Letter Services

The emotional support animal qualification procedure does not need to be hard. Hither are some reputable establishments that can help you go your official ESA letter.

Pettable

Pettable Website

Pros:

  • Fast turnaround fourth dimension
  • Quick and easy online procedure
  • Offers an online prequalification quiz
  • Official letters that are compliant with federal laws
  • Full coin-back guarantee
  • Excellent customer service

Cons:

  • Pre-screening quiz requires your electronic mail address and phone number
  • Information about pricing is non provided upfront
  • Consultations with a medical professional are only done by telephone

When you pursue an official ESA letter of the alphabet through Pettable , at that place are some upsides and downsides to consider. When you utilize Pettable to speak to a medical professional near an ESA letter, Pettable offers a quick turnaround time. After you consummate the necessary steps, you lot will receive your recommendation to have an ESA from a licensed medical professional inside 24 hours. This is a benefit to anyone that needs their official ESA letter inside a specific time frame. Another do good of Pettable is its quick and like shooting fish in a barrel online process.

Pettable online process

Pettable'south process for an ESA letter of the alphabet is quick, easy, and online, so you can complete the necessary steps from your home. That fashion, yous tin avoid waiting in long lines to discuss your need for an ESA with a medical professional. Starting time, you'll have a quiz to lucifer yourself with a mental health provider. And so y'all'll have a consultation with this medical professional. Pettable also provides y'all with an official ESA letter of the alphabet that is compliant with federal laws. You can easily download your official ESA letter to your telephone. This gives you easy access to your ESA letter and can greatly benefit yous when you lot need your alphabetic character quickly and on hand. Y'all tin also print a re-create of your letter to share with your landlord. Pettable is an excellent site to consider when you decide you may do good from an emotional support animal. At that place are many benefits that Pettable offers that you lot may not receive with other establishments.

While Pettable's process is online, the consultation you'll need to have with a medical professional is simply offered over the telephone. This is a necessary step to receive your ESA recommendation. In one case you complete the consultation with a medical professional person, they will decide if you could benefit from an emotional support animal. If the medical professional person decides that you qualify, yous will receive your ESA letter in but 24 hours. Pettable is only 1 of several options to discuss your needs for an emotional back up beast.

CertaPet

CertaPet

Pros:

  • Fast turnaround process
  • Consultation with a licensed medical professional
  • Official letters that are compliant with land and federal laws
  • Offers both ESA and PSD (psychiatric service domestic dog) consultations, for dwelling and travel purposes.
  • Over 7,500 5-Star Reviews
  • Serves U.S. and Canadian residents

Cons:

  • Your consultation fee is not-refundable
  • Multiple back up animals and additional add-ons are charged extra
  • Requires letter fee payment before evaluation
  • Customers volition receive a full refund if they are not approved, less a $35 fee .

CertaPet is some other instance of a reputable institution that can help y'all make up one's mind if you need an emotional support pet. CertaPet offers several benefits to individuals seeking a quick, easy process to discuss their needs for an ESA. Get-go, 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, you only need to take five minutes out of your day to participate in a gratuitous screening on CertaPet'south website. This screening will give you an idea of whether you are a good candidate for an ESA or not. After the screening, y'all will have a consultation with a licensed medical professional via a telehealth appointment. Lastly, if the medical professional feels that you would do good from having an emotional back up animal, yous volition receive a copy of an official ESA letter of the alphabet.

So, you lot can impress your letter, or CertaPet can mail service an official letter of the alphabet to you. The official letter that yous receive through CertaPet is recognized by federal and state laws. The procedure to obtain your ESA letter through CertaPet is quick and elementary. While CertaPet has many benefits, in that location is merely ane significant drawback to Cert Pet's process.

When you complete the consultation with CertaPet, you lot will need to pay a small, non-refundable fee of $35. This is i downside among many benefits that CertaPet offers. CertaPet is defended to providing a streamlined, easy-to-use process to all individuals seeking an emotional back up pet. While you may feel that an ESA is right for you, CertaPet can assistance yous know for sure after you speak to 1 of their licensed medical professionals. Pettable and CertaPet are excellent options to determine if you would do good from an ESA, and U.s.a. Service Animals is another pick.

The states Service Animals

US Service Animals

Pros:

  • Lifetime acknowledgement for pets
  • Always available for follow up questions
  • Offers multilingual customer support

Cons:

  • Charges money for unnecessary registration services
  • Does not offering split up housing and travel ESA letters
  • Not all pets qualify as US Service Animals

There are several things to consider when deciding on which service to apply to discuss your needs for an emotional support animal. If you lot determine your pet would serve yous best every bit a Us Service Fauna, the process to practice so is quick and easy. Just keep in listen, not all pets will hands qualify as a The states service pet. First, you demand to enter your pet's information into the US Service Brute official website.

After you enter your pet's information, speak to a medical professional, and put your pet in the US Service Animals system, you lot will receive your service letter of the alphabet and ID menu. US Service Animals will send your card to you in the post and digitally. There are several benefits once you successfully hash out your needs for your pet to serve you every bit a US service pet. Your pet will accept a lifetime acknowledgement every bit a US service pet once it'south officially a US service pet.

Y'all volition also have access to the US Service Animals helpline if you take any questions or need whatsoever further help with your service pet. Once you discuss your needs for a service pet with a medical professional person and qualify, yous volition likewise accept access to the Usa Service Creature legal team. This can exist beneficial if you lot feel your rights have been violated as an ESA owner. These are all benefits to keep in heed if you lot decide that your pet will serve you equally an emotional support fauna.

The main downside of pursuing a The states Service Animals letter of the alphabet for your pet is that not all pets will easily authorize as US service pets. There are several things to keep in mind if you lot make up one's mind that your pet volition best serve you lot as either a service pet or an emotional support pet. You demand to consider the wait fourth dimension for an official letter of the alphabet, whether yous will accept a consultation with a licensed medical professional, and the ease of the process to talk over your mental health needs. Another important consideration is whether or not your creature qualifies as an ESA or a service pet.

Knowing the difference between an Emotional Back up Brute and a Service Fauna

An emotional support animal (ESA), or a support animal, is a pet whose presence is deemed by a professional to provide benefits for people who suffer from mental illnesses. Those who qualify have mental health conditions that can disrupt one'southward day-to-mean solar day life activities and include conditions similar feet disorder, panic attacks, and clinical low.

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

There isn't an "official" registration for an Emotional Back up cat

The simply kind of registration that you will need is your ESA letter from a therapist. There is no official annals that yous are legally required to sign your cat up for. Additionally, an emotional support true cat doesn't have to wearable a special vest or tag of whatever sort, declaring your companion's condition as a back up animal.

Beware of scammers

Considering the process for registering your cat as an ESA is adequately unproblematic and straightforward and non at all every bit stringent as registering a service animal, there are many companies taking advantage of this fact and claim that they tin 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. Unlike back up animals, an ESA is not guaranteed into any venue.

Your ESA is covered under the Fair Housing Act

This human activity states that your landlord must provide reasonable accommodations to yous and your ESA; nevertheless, if it imposes any financial or authoritative strain on your landlord, your landlord can also turn down your ESA through legal proceedings. This is also possible if you lot accept an ESA that is very large (i.due east., a horse.)

Housing that isn't covered by FHA

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

Emotional Support Animals and the Air Carrier Admission Human activity (ACAA)

Your emotional service beast may be able to travel with you inside the aeroplane cabin simply due to meaning abuse of this regulation , information technology is currently nether scrutiny and the rules may change. Obtaining a alphabetic character from a licensed professional person is crucial in having your companion fly with you. Make certain you accept the alphabetic character dated no later than one yr before 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 Deed (ADA)

Under the Americans with Disabilities Human action, emotional support animals are not considered service animals. This is a really important stardom because support animals do not enjoy the same blazon of access as service animals. Services animals are specifically trained to perform a specific task for their possessor and they are not viewed as pets, only workers. Service animals assist blind people go around, help those with epilepsy know when a seizure will strike and so much more than. Today, the ADA will but consider dogs as service animals and they must undergo the advisable certification. Cats were previously immune to be service animals, provided they were trained. Those who have a service true cat that was previously certified are usually grandfathered into the program… only cats are no longer immune to be considered service animals.

Frequently Asked Questions Near Support Cats

Are cats good for emotional support?

Cats are affectionate and can easily bond with their caregivers. Cats are minor, quiet, clean, and can oftentimes exist compassionate animals. Considering of this, cats provide emotional support to their owners and make fantabulous emotional back up animals.

How to register a cat as an emotional back up beast?

While yous don't demand to have an ESA pet, the process is simple if you decide to hash out your medical needs for an ESA pet with a dr..  Y'all volition need to consummate a short screening and have a consultation with a licensed medical professional who will decide if y'all qualify for an ESA cat alphabetic character today.

Can a landlord refuse an emotional support cat?

No. If your emotional support cat does not pose a threat to others, your landlord cannot refuse your emotional support animal. Under the Fair Housing Act, a landlord cannot reject a tenant because they have a pet if that pet is an ESA.

How much does an emotional cat toll?

When yous seek out an emotional support cat, you will normally demand to pay the fees for your screening and your consultation with a medical professional. This cost ranges depending on which establishment you apply to become your ESA alphabetic character.

Are emotional support cats required to have a pet deposit?

No. Pet deposit fees are waived once you have your official ESA letter and you share your letter of the alphabet with your landlord. It is unlawful for your landlord to charge you a pet deposit when your pet is an emotional support cat.

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