Home Page › Blog › Can Cats Be Service Animals?
Latest Posts
Dogs Can Donate Blood, Too!
Yes, dogs can donate blood — and it’s a lot like human blood donation! If your dog is healthy, weighs over 35-50 pounds (depending on the donor location), and has a calm temperament, they could be a lifesaving hero to other pups in need. Most dogs can safely donate every couple of months at veterinary […]
Read More
Can Dogs Eat Pineapple?
Yes, dogs can safely eat fresh pineapple in moderation. This comprehensive guide combines scientific research with practical advice to help you safely share this tropical fruit with your canine. ⚡🍍 Quick Facts 🍍⚡ ✅ Fresh pineapple is safe in moderation ❌ Avoid canned, dried, and juice forms 🥣 2-3 small chunks per […]
Read More
How to Train Your Service Dog for Grounding Tasks
If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack or severe anxiety, you know how overwhelming the symptoms can feel — racing thoughts, pounding heart, that disconnected sensation that makes the world seem far away. Maybe you’ve tried various coping strategies: meditation apps, breathing exercises, and therapy. While these tools can be incredibly helpful, there’s another powerful […]
Read More
yes that may be the case but service animal or not they should never be allowed in a food grocery store as the owners and public alike pet the animals then go and handle produce items that are not sealed someway.
And exactly what germs do you think they have!?! Far less than the average snotty nosed child! And far less than the mother that has just changed her kids diaper and didn’t wash her hands!
Had animals for years! The only time I get sick is when I babysit neighbors kids!
Bravo Nancy! this is an excellent point! Otherwise healthy animals are rarely more contagious than a sick human being, or even a healthy one for that matter.
Service animals are medical aids, you wouldn’t tell someone to leave their oxygen tank at home would you?
Cats can be trained as a service animal. They are very intelligent animals, and they can perform many of the tasks that service dogs can. I’m training my 15 week old kitten to be a medical cat for me. He’s learning to carry a harness with side pockets, and he’s doing really well!
Thats… why you’re not supposed to pet service animals? How else is the person supposed to go shopping? Just stay home all the time?
How can i get my cats as theraputic animals
Actually no. Almost all people I know that have service dogs, are very adamant about people NOT petting their dogs in public, because they are WORKING, and they don’t want them distracted. My boy-friend has a service dog, and the first few times we went out, he corrected me on trying to pet him while we were out. And this is pretty much the norm with most other service dog handlers. If you see a service dog and ask the handler if you can pet him, the majority of the time the answer will be “no, he’s working”.
You’re actually not supposed to pet any service animal while they are working with their owner in public.
My cat predicted my last 3 seizures, which are NOT Grand Mal but a rare type of seizures that can kill. I am in the process of having her certified as a service animal, NOT emotional support, for that reason. So there ARE exceptions. California is training cats for that very purpose right now so laws are about to change again. My cat just happens to pick up on chemical changes in my body on her own & started telling me about 2mins before a seizure after almost 7 years of ownership. She is 8 now. She IS an exception mostly because aside from hospital stays, she’s been with me 24/7 since the day she was born. So she’s not phased by loud noises, be is traffic or others, walks on a leash like a dog, rides the shopping carts in stores or a baby stroller in summer (hot asphalt). So she is ideal as a true service animal, but as you can see, it required a lot of time & love investment from my part. It just happened to unexpectedly pay off for my health, which icing on the cake. There are ALWAYS exceptions… & airlines do recognize them even now…quietly. The animal’s behavior is a big part. Along with the belief system of the employees at hand. Until the law changes soon, we are stuck with that, so if she can’t go somewhere, I don’t go either. My life depends on it…
Such an informative article! I spoke with a woman in a Walmart with an adorable Pomeranian trained to sense if her blood sugar got too low. I wondered if cats could be service animals, to her knowledge, cats cannot be trained the way dogs can. One of my cats is oblivious to everything, the other cat can fetch, dance atop stereo speakers, and sometimes meows things that sound like sentences. I am doubtful that he could manage a lot of other responsibilities, plus when a cat starts running, good luck catching up especially to high places! Now I know why cats could be allowed in a no pet apartment complex. Once I was booking hotel reservations and, a lady wanted to know if we allow dogs, I replied yes, we do allow pets, but the reason she wanted to know was because she was bringing her cat that was allergic to dog fur. What protection do allergy sufferers have from these service animals?
My cat recently turned 2 years old and she has woken me up in the middle of the night multiple times when i was on the verge of an asthma attack, she wakes me up from nightmares too, personally i think cats should be qualified to act as a service pet, they help us out don’t they?
It doesn’t bother me if someone brings a pet into a store whether it is a grocery store or something like Walmart. They would behave better that a child and not go crazy. I think humans have more germs than animals.
Yes. You are absolutely right! Cats are lovable creations of god and it a source of smile for the owner. They Bring lot of things from the backyard but Bings Health is such an amazing thing for me. Great Article. I love the way you narrate.
can cats be service animals.
Unfortunately, cats cannot be service animals. The ADA only recognizes service dogs. However, a cat can be an emotional support animal. ESAs don’t have the same rights as service animals, but they can live with their owners in housing with no-pets policies and travel in the cabin of a plane. You may find this article on how to qualify for an emotional support animal interesting https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/how-to-qualify-for-an-emotional-support-animal/.
Right here is the right blog for anybody who wants to find out about this topic.
You understand so much its almost tough to argue with you (not that I actually will need to…HaHa).
You definitely put a new spin on a topic that’s been written about for decades.
Wonderful stuff, just wonderful!
The status on service cats is more complex than you state. The information in this article is both incomplete and misleading.
Thanks to Eric Holder, Barak Obama’s attorney general, the only service animals the federal government recognizes are dogs and miniature horses.
From a practical perspective, the ADA sets the MINIMUM standard for accommodating the disabled under FEDERAL law. However, many states recognize species other than dogs and miniature horses as service animals and they (and their handlers) can enjoy protection under STATE law. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, cats are recognized as service animals. This means that a landlord who states that their apartment is ‘no pets’ can not deny the opportunity to rent the apartment because a disabled potential tenant has. a service cat. Nor can the landlord charge additional rent or an additional security deposit because the potential tenant has a service cat. Service cats enjoy the right to public accommodation. They also enjoy the right to travel on public conveyance, as long as it is within the Commonwealth. They are expected to display exemplary behavior in public, (no hissing, growling, threatening gestures, inappropriate elimination, etc) that is, if you take a service cat out in public.
If you live in a state that does recognize service cats, realize that if you have to take public transportation where you will cross state lines (such as trains, busses and airplanes), your service cat will be treated as a pet. Some common carriers will not accept cats. Others have fairly strict rules that you have to follow (such as limits on the number of pets being transported in the passenger cabin, size and construction of the carrier. If you are traveling across state lines, you will want to know if the state you are visiting recognizes cats as service animals. Again, if this is the case, your service animal will be treated as a pet and subject to rules governing pets. (For example, you might have to pay a surcharge to have your service cat in your hotel room if the hotel allows pets; you will not be able to bring your service cat into a restaurant or coffee shop even if the cat is crated , etc.)
All of this being said, if you are a service cat handler, it is your responsibility to check and understand your particular state’s laws, rules and regulations on this topic. This applies to traveling with a service cat–understand the applicable laws, rules and regulations in the states you plan on visiting.
Yes, cats can detect low blood sugar and alert. Not all cats are willing to provide this service. I sometimes have to take medication that impairs executive functioning. I don’t know how my cat does this. I do know that she gives me a good sniff (using her Jacobson’s organs). Siamese cats are known for being very smart and my cat is both smart, polite and very well behaved (she’s chats–she mews rather than meows).. When she becomes ‘velcro kitty’; that is wanting to be really close to me and refuses to play / go on patrol, I know that it’s best for me not to go out. So, when you adopt a cat, adopt him or her for companionship and the other standard forms of feline service (such as rodent control). Don’t expect that your cat will ever become a service animal.
My vet gives a small discount on her services to service animals, and that includes service cats. She’s a cats only vet and is more expensive than neighboring vets. That discount brings her fees in line with those of neighboring vets.
I own my home, I have an INDOOR cat as emotional support companion. When are on my patio, she is harnessed and leashed. I also have a pet stroller should I choose to be in the small community.
The HOA board continues to harass me regarding the pet policy which requires annual vaccine/registration.
As a longtime pet owner, over 60 years, I know how to keep my furbabies healthy.
I do not expect to be harassed about my companion that resides inside my home!
Thank you for allowing me this outlet to vent.
I suffer from panic attacks. My cats will lay on my chest too help me calm down. Now if that doesn’t qualify as a service animal I don’t know what does. I already have my cats registered as ESA. How do we get cats included in the ADA Service animal?
Unfortunately cats cannot qualify as service animals under current ADA rules.
I have diabetes. I have a cat. She has saved my life 6 times now. When my blood sugar drops. She acts crazy and will meow and become very loud and persists until she wakes me.
My Bobby does the same thing. Just tonight, he came and woke me. I felt awful and when I checked my sugar it was down to 50. I’ve been having issues getting my medication doses right, and this is the fourth or fifth time he has provided this service for me. He trained himself, BTW, and I’m grateful for his love and support.