In the age-old debate comparing cats and dogs, a frequent discussion centers around their utility as service animals. Dogs are commonly trained to be service animals, prompting many feline owners to question if their furry friends can assume the same role. While cats are intelligent animals and have the intellectual capacity to be trained, they cannot be legally classified as service animals.
However, cats have great potential to assist people with disabilities and make their lives easier.
To learn more about regulations surrounding service animals and how cats can serve these roles, read ahead.
What are Service Animals?
Sometimes also referred to as assistance animals or helper animals, service animals are trained working animals. These animals receive specialized training to assist people with disabilities with various tasks. The training must involve tasks directly related to a person’s disability, such as supporting people with visual, hearing, or mobility impairments.
Many official definitions define service animals as dogs and occasionally miniature horses. All breeds and sizes of dogs are acceptable as service animals.
ADA Laws Around Service Animals
ADA regulations issued by the US Department of Justice describe service animals as dogs that are trained to assist someone with a disability. This includes intellectual, psychiatric, physical, and sensory difficulties.
The ADA declares all other species, trained or untrained, as not service animals. A special exception is made for miniature horses that have received training to work as service animals.
Can Cats Become Service Animals?
Cats are smart animals that can be trained to perform a variety of tasks. Cats are also known to be quite intuitive and sensitive to their surroundings, quickly responding to changes in the environment.
However, while cats may receive the same training that dogs do to become service animals, they cannot be legally considered working animals. Additionally, many tasks that service animals are required to perform, such as assisting with mobility issues, cannot be performed adequately by cats. ADA regulations clearly outline that cats are not service animals. This means that a feline companion, trained or untrained, cannot be granted the access privileges that service dogs get.
Can Cats Become Therapy Animals?
Cats’ calm, gentle dispositions make them excellent therapy animals. Therapy cats work with professionals such as doctors and nurses to comfort people in healthcare environments.
Therapy cats can be used for two functions: Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Animal-Assisted Activities Therapy (AAAT). AAT cats help patients recover from an injury through physical therapy. Patients may pet and hold cats to aid healing. AAAT cats provide emotional support and comfort to people, helping them relax.
Cats used in these therapy sessions often work alongside cat behavior specialists and do not live with the patients they assist.
Can Cats Become Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)?
Emotional support animals (ESAs) can comfort people with emotional and mental difficulties. They do not require special training and can include species of any age or size. To qualify, the owner of an ESA must obtain a letter from a licensed therapist outlining a need for the animal; they can also opt for an ESA certification for extra documentation. This prescription is followed by regular evaluations of the animal’s effectiveness in helping their owner.
Cats make great ESAs because they can form emotional bonds with their owners and offer companionship. Emotional support animals, including cats, receive special rights through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Housing Act. This legislation allows ESAs to live with their owners regardless of local housing policies. In effect, an emotional support cat is allowed to bypass a no-pets policy in any housing arrangement.
However, emotional support cats do not qualify as service animals and do not have the same public and private access privileges as service dogs do.
How Can Cats Help the Disabled?
Despite not being recognized as service animals, cats can improve the quality of life of disabled individuals in several ways, including:
- Reducing feelings of anxiousness
- Improving relaxation and providing comfort
- Alleviating stress and fear
- Alerting to medical conditions
Your Feline Companion
There is no denying that cats can be quite helpful to people with disabilities, offering companionship and support. Legally, they cannot be classified as service animals and hence are not protected by clauses outlined in ADA regulations.
This does not mean that cats cannot be trained to help disabled individuals in an unofficial capacity. Cats can still be trained to perform specialized tasks or be used as therapy and emotional support animals.
