Therapy pet certification for cat

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have Recommendations for places that I can have my cat go through certification to become a therapy pet?

[Anonymous]

OP are you looking to train your cat? What would you like to train your cat to be able to do?

[Anonymous]

What therapeutic skills do you feel your cat will offer? I ask this as the mother of a child with multiple, complex disabilities who has years of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social skills therapy, and other types of therapy.

It's wonderful that you want to give back to the community. But realistically, OP, your cat does not have skills that will be recognizable in the therapeutic setting. If you imagine your cat will be able to help people feel calm and comfortable and cheer them up, that's great, but that's not a therapeutic skill. And there is a huge problem in the disability community of "therapy animals" and the like distracting actual certified service animals on the job when they are trying to work.

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

Maybe OP wants to take the cat places it is not currently allowed. Perhaps she already tried labeling it a comfort animal and was told that doesn’t legally justify entry.

[Anonymous]

Op here. My child has adhd, anxiety, and SPD. We have a cat that we’ve read us often used for pet therapy. Mostly to help with calming. Nothing beyond that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OP wants to take the cat places it is not currently allowed. Perhaps she already tried labeling it a comfort animal and was told that doesn’t legally justify entry.

Nope. Cat stays indoors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What therapeutic skills do you feel your cat will offer? I ask this as the mother of a child with multiple, complex disabilities who has years of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social skills therapy, and other types of therapy.

It's wonderful that you want to give back to the community. But realistically, OP, your cat does not have skills that will be recognizable in the therapeutic setting. If you imagine your cat will be able to help people feel calm and comfortable and cheer them up, that's great, but that's not a therapeutic skill. And there is a huge problem in the disability community of "therapy animals" and the like distracting actual certified service animals on the job when they are trying to work.

Thanks for informing me of this. Clearly I am learning

[Anonymous]

I don't think you can train a cat. Doesn't a cat by nature have a calming effect? (depends on the cat I suppose...)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. My child has adhd, anxiety, and SPD. We have a cat that we’ve read us often used for pet therapy. Mostly to help with calming. Nothing beyond that.

Why do you need a certification to get a cat? That's not therapy. That's a pet. Just get a pet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. My child has adhd, anxiety, and SPD. We have a cat that we’ve read us often used for pet therapy. Mostly to help with calming. Nothing beyond that.

Why do you need a certification to get a cat? That's not therapy. That's a pet. Just get a pet.

Reading comprehension, people! Sounds like she has the pet but would like it to be certified so she could bring the cat to other places as a therapy animal. I have a dog who does this. Originally a pet, but has an amazing personality (Golden Retriever, so not surprising) and he is certified as a therapy dog and does rounds in nursing homes and the local hospital.

OP- I am not aware of any similar programs for cats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OP wants to take the cat places it is not currently allowed. Perhaps she already tried labeling it a comfort animal and was told that doesn’t legally justify entry.

Nope. Cat stays indoors.

Is this a cat you are prohibited from keeping in your home (or other personal or business space), and you want to get some sort of certification to force an entity to allow you to keep it for your own child where you want?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. My child has adhd, anxiety, and SPD. We have a cat that we’ve read us often used for pet therapy. Mostly to help with calming. Nothing beyond that.

Why do you need a certification to get a cat? That's not therapy. That's a pet. Just get a pet.

Reading comprehension, people! Sounds like she has the pet but would like it to be certified so she could bring the cat to other places as a therapy animal. I have a dog who does this. Originally a pet, but has an amazing personality (Golden Retriever, so not surprising) and he is certified as a therapy dog and does rounds in nursing homes and the local hospital.

OP- I am not aware of any similar programs for cats.

I'm not sure that is the case. I am wondering if this is just for personal use. I am not sure OP is clear about the proper terms to use for her context.

[Anonymous]

PP here.

OP, this site has some easy to understand wording:

A service [animal] is trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Service [animals] are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) giving them public access rights.

A therapy [animal] is trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices, disaster areas. Therapy [animals] are not service animals and are not afforded the same privileges.

https://k9partnersforpatriots.com/difference-service-dog-therapy-dog/

So, a service animal would provide support services to your child. A therapy animal would be one you take into external sites to provide comfort to other people.

Which is it you are asking about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here.

OP, this site has some easy to understand wording:

A service [animal] is trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Service [animals] are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) giving them public access rights.

A therapy [animal] is trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices, disaster areas. Therapy [animals] are not service animals and are not afforded the same privileges.

https://k9partnersforpatriots.com/difference-service-dog-therapy-dog/

So, a service animal would provide support services to your child. A therapy animal would be one you take into external sites to provide comfort to other people.

Which is it you are asking about?

PP with a therapy dog who is the Golden Retriever latter but, with intense training, could be the former. Also raised guide dogs from 8 weeks to a year for a decade +. Not aware of any cats being trained in intense support services, so thinking "comfort" is kind of the most they can give. I work with PALS here in DC to bring my puppers to isolated seniors. They don't seem to work with cats, but there must be something similar. I was turned onto PALS because you go directly to someone's home. Isolated seniors arguably need that love more than people in facilities, and I am sure there are some cat lovers there?! I'd check them out and ask them for referrals if they aren't doing cats. Someone must be?!