Emotional Support Cat or Emotional Support Dog – Which Is Better?

 

Emotional support animals offer various benefits to individuals with a form of disability.  For example, people with visual impairments, mobility impairments, deafness, and seizures. These animals are specially trained to offer support and companionship while alleviating one or more aspects of the disability.

How to register an emotional support dog in florida? Click the button below to get register now!

 

Dogs and cats are the most prevalent emotional support animals. Other fascinating and unusual animals that provide emotional support include;

• Turkey
• Kangaroo
• Peacock
• Squirrel
• Miniature pigs
• Hamster
• Miniature Horses
• Duck
• Parrots
• Rats

Which is the best emotional support animal?

Like most people, you are probably wondering which is the best emotional support animal. The debate has been there and is still ongoing.  In search of enlightenment and knowledge to make better decisions, individuals follow these debates and arguments.

 

 

As much as there are numerous emotional support animals, dogs and cats take the lead in the discussions. So, which is the best between the two? We won’t take sides; however, we will give you adequate information that will help you make the best decision based on your needs. Below are some of the things to consider when selecting your emotional support animal.

1. Purpose of the emotional support animal

Every animal comes with unique benefits. Individual breeds within dogs and cats are also as diverse with a range of attention requirements, temperaments, and energy levels. Besides companionship, these animals calm feelings of isolation and encourage you to be more active.

They can also lessen feelings of anxiety in certain situations. You need to choose an animal depending on what you expect it to do for you. Dogs and cats behave differently. For instance, if you love a bubbly life, you will pick a different animal from that which will suit your needs if you are just looking for a cuddle.

2. Physical benefits

Both cats and dogs are active, but their level of activity differs. Emotional support dogs boost your physical activity. They love walking, running, and playing outdoors. In the long run, you will have a healthier heart and minimize the chances of a heart attack. If you have suffered a heart attack, an emotional support dog can improve your recovery by more than 70% compared to individuals who don’t own a dog.

Cats are active as well, but they need less exercise and prefer playing in the house. The activity can be fun and vigorous. If you own a cat, you are less likely to die of a stroke or heart attack compared to individuals who don’t have one. Emotional support cats are a perfect choice if you have immobility issues since you will remain active with low strain activities.

 

3. Animal Features

Before picking an emotional support animal, understand what benefits or support you want from the animal plus the features you prefer. For instance, if you dislike big animals, then the alternative should be a small dog or a cat.  Do you want silence or some noise? When you specify what you want and what will give you peace, choosing the right animal becomes easy.

4. State laws in regards to emotional support animals

Before getting an emotional support animal, ensure you find out what the law states. You will weigh your options depending on your ability to keep up with the demands of your State law.

5. Your schedule

Both dogs and cats require attention, care, and love. If you want to keep an emotional support animal, you should be ready and willing to take care of them. It’s selfish just to receive emotional support while you neglect the animal. Every animal requires individual attention.

For this reason, you should only choose what you can handle effortlessly. Cats are shy animals; therefore, they demand more attention than dogs. It’s almost impossible to carry a cat to your office and expect it to remain inactive. If you don’t operate under a tight schedule, or you work from home, a cat will be an excellent choice.

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 Conclusion

Whether it’s a cat or a dog, choosing your emotional support animal is purely up to you. The most important thing is to ensure that you pick an animal you can take care of without straining.

All animals have needs and feelings as well. Loving a specific animal isn’t enough; find out whether it can offer the emotional support you need. In case you are unable to decide, feel free to have both, and enjoy maximum benefits.

You can reach out to a licensed professional at Mango Clinic to get an ESA letter for your emotional support animal. You can also contact us by using an online ESA letter application.