ESA Letter for Cat: What You Need to Know

Emotional support animals are some of the best companions that you can have. This is because they can help you manage mental health conditions, especially when you pair them with medication, therapy, and other treatment modalities. Plus, there's more flexibility when it comes to the types of animals that can be ESAs.

That said, you'll need an emotional support animal (ESA) letter if you want to live somewhere that's not pet-friendly. What's more, these letters will help you avoid fees that are found in non-pet-friendly housing.

In this guide, we cover the ESA letter for cats. Read on to learn more.

What Is an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)?

An emotional support animal (ESA) is a unique companion animal that has protections from the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The most notable protection from the FHA is that ESAs are allowed to live in homes that are otherwise non-pet-friendly. For these reasons, you don't have to worry about not bringing your cat with you if you change apartments.

Another benefit of an emotional support animal is that you don't have to worry about fees. So, not only are you able to live in housing that's not usually pet-friendly, but you can also avoid pet fees. Of course, ESAs also help with mental health disorders, especially when your cat comes over and plops down on your lap.

Who Qualifies for an ESA Cat?

Emotional support animal cats are viable options for lots of people. The main factor that determines if you qualify comes down to the mental health disability that you have. Some common disabilities that qualify for an ESA cat include:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Bipolar disorder

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Chronic stress

• Loneliness

It's important to note that these are only a handful of mental health disorders that qualify for an ESA. At the end of the day, whether or not you qualify comes down to a licensed mental health professional (LMHP).

What Is an ESA Letter for Cat?

An ESA letter for a cat is an emotional support letter that states why you need support from a companion animal, the mental health condition the animal helps with, and a signature from an LMHP in your state. The LMHP also needs to include information about their license on the letter, along with identifying information.

Depending on the ESA letter, it may also include more information, like the name of your cat, their age, and information about the breed. Overall, you need this ESA letter to enjoy the benefits that come from the FHA.

Without an ESA letter, your cat can't legally avoid pet fees or live in homes that aren't pet-friendly.

How to Get an ESA Letter for Cat

When it's time to get an ESA letter for your cat, you have a handful of options. There are dozens of websites that will help you with the process, or you can work with a trusted LMHP in your state. When it comes to working with online options, it's important to ensure that you only work with reputable organizations that are familiar with ESA cats; for example, US Service Animals offers an entire guide on ESA cats as well as legally valid ESA letters for cats.

US Service Animals makes it easy to get an ESA letter for a cat by connecting you with an LMHP in your state via a telehealth appointment. What's more, US Service Animals follows state law, so you don't have to worry about getting an ESA letter that's illegitimate.

On the other hand, you can always see if your LMHP will write one for you. Just make sure they're from the state you live in or that they have a license in that state. Also, if it's not covered by insurance, you may want to focus more on online options due to their affordability.

Get an ESA Letter for Cat Today!

When you need an ESA letter for cats, you can't go wrong with platforms that connect you with LMHPs, like US Service Animals. However, it's important to ensure that your cat is helping you with mental health disorders, and you need to be able to describe how they help. All of this information will be included in an ESA letter that's signed by an LMHP, and landlords can ask for this letter, so make sure you're prepared for questions about your cat’s status.

That said, once you have an ESA letter for your cat, you don't have to worry about any pet bans or fees from landlords. Instead, you can bring your cat with you without any issues.