Best Emotional Support Cat Breeds | Finding the Purr-fect Feline Match

Emotional support animals (ESAs) provide significant comfort for people managing mental and emotional health challenges, and felines are among the best companions for solace.

Cats have a unique way of bringing calmness and helping dispel feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. 

To help you find the ideal companion, we’ll present the best emotional support cat breeds and highlight their most prevalent traits.

5 Best Cat Breeds for ESA

Finding the best cat match is crucial because felines have distinct personalities, so it’s better to understand your future friend’s most prominent traits before you start sharing your living space with them. 

Here’s a helpful list of the most popular ESA cat breeds to choose from: 

1. Maine Coon
2. Persian
3. Burmese
4. Siamese
5. American Shorthair

1. Maine Coon

Originating from the state of Maine, U.S., the Maine Coon has become one of America’s most popular breeds. It’s affectionately known as the “gentle giant” for its robust body and lush, shaggy coat. They typically weigh around 8–18 pounds and stand at an impressive 10–16 inches. 

These majestic creatures can enjoy a long lifespan of 10–13 years, or longer, giving you many, many years of friendship and happiness.

Personality traits

Despite their domineering size, Maine Coons are known for their gentle, friendly, unwavering dog-like personality. They are loyal, playful, highly intelligent, curious, and can even enjoy games like fetch!

Coons love to be involved with their humans’ activities but are not clingy or demanding. With their calm and patient demeanor and soothing presence, these cats are well-suited to provide emotional support. Their playful nature can help distract you from anxiety or stress while still giving them some personal space. 

Care Tips

Maine Coons require lots of love and care to thrive and be healthy. Here’s how to tend to them:

• Brush your Maine Coon with a good-quality brush at least two to three times a week. Schedule regular grooming sessions to reduce shedding and hairballs
• Teach your Coon new tricks or use clicker training to help them adapt well. They also respond well to treats and praise
• Coons are a large breed, so feed them high-quality protein meals to support their muscle mass and energy levels, and consult your vet for personalized dietary advice

2. Persian

If you like quiet, calm, and independent, then consider a Persian cat. Originating from ancient Persia (Iran), these beautiful creatures offer unassuming feline companionship. They are a medium-to-large-sized cat breed, generally weighing 7–13 pounds, and are about 10–15 inches tall. These elegant cats live a long life of 10–15 years.

Personality traits

Their sweet, flat faces offer the brightness you need on a gloomy day. They’re exceptionally calm, preferring quiet environments and gentle interactions—affectionate but not too demanding. They are particularly sensitive to human emotions, and their docile disposition helps deal with anxiety or stress. 

Their low-key energy makes them perfect for calm households, providing a reassuring presence that can alleviate overwhelming feelings. 

Care Tips

Caring for a Persian cat requires some dedication:

• Their coat requires daily brushing with a steel comb and regular professional grooming. Their eyes also need gentle daily wiping to reduce tear staining
• Persians are not generally active, but they can be litter-trained and learn basic commands. Still, don’t expect them to fetch the morning paper!
• Due to their flat faces, they may sometimes have difficulty picking up kibble food, so you may need specialized foods and bowls to meet their needs

3. Burmese

This Burma-originating cat breed is the epitome of elegance and warmth. It’s a small-medium, cute cat breed with a sleek, glossy coat and deeply affectionate eyes. Despite their size, they have a compact and muscular build, making them heavier than they appear. They weigh about 8–15 pounds, stand around 10–12 inches tall, and typically live for 10–17 years. 

Personality traits

Burmese cats are popular for their playful and incredibly social nature, thriving from human interaction and attention. They’re like the Chihuahua of cats, constantly attached to their owners, earning them the “Velcro cat” nickname. 

Burmese cats are intelligent, love to play games, and are happiest when involved in your daily life. They’re always ready to offer gentle comfort, which could help deal with loneliness, anxiety, or depression. Their playful antics can also provide a welcome distraction on days you need it the most.

Care Tips

Burmese cats are easy to care for and don’t require much grooming. Here’s how to give them the best care:

• A weekly brushing is sufficient to keep their short, sleek coat in top shape. It removes loose hairs and keeps the coat looking neat
• They’re highly intelligent and trainable, so you can teach them tricks, play fetch, and even walk them on a leash
• You should monitor their portions to ensure they don’t overeat and become overweight. They thrive on a high-protein, meat-based diet

4. Siamese

Siamese cats are among the oldest and most recognizable cat breeds, with their striking blue eyes and white and brown fur. Beyond their stunning looks, they’re intelligent, incredibly devoted, and loud about their affection. These cats weigh about 6–14 pounds and are 8–10 inches tall. They provide many years of companionship and have a 15–20 year lifespan.

Personality traits

If you need a cat to have playful “conversations” with, Siamese cats are a perfect choice. Like Huskies, these cats are vocal, often “talking” with their humans with distinctive, sometimes demanding meows. They’re playful and energetic, enjoying interactive toys, puzzle feeders, and climbing!

Their playfulness offers a sweet distraction from unpleasant thoughts and feelings, and their affection can be beneficial when dealing with loneliness and depression.

Care Tips

If you need a low-maintenance cat, this one’s a catch. Here are a few care tips:

• Brush their short, fine coat every week to remove loose hairs and keep it sleek. They’re excellent self-groomers who keep themselves clean
• Teach them tricks and reinforce positive behavior with treats, praise, and play. Due to their highly trainable nature, they can also be leash-trained and sociable
• Offer them meat-based meals like fish and poultry. They’re not typically prone to food allergies, but consult your vet for specific food recommendations

5. American Shorthair

This low-maintenance, highly dependable feline is one of the best ESA cat breeds, cherished for its easy-going temperament and charm. They were initially bred to be working cats but have since adapted to become resilient and healthy. They’re sturdy, medium-to-large-sized, and weigh 6–15 pounds, depending on the sex. They often live to be 15–20 years old.

Personality traits

Shorthairs are the definition of a steady friendship—they’re easy-going, adaptable, and affectionate, striking a balance between playful and social, without being clingy. They thrive on both human connection and self-entertainment. 

Shorthairs are intelligent and curious, offering companionship when needed. Their temperament also makes them great for households with children and other pets. They respect your space, so they’re a good fit for individuals with stressful, busy lifestyles who need independent support animals. 

A good example is Marius, the emotional support cat, who helped music student Erin and her roommates deal with the stress of academic life.

Care Tips

American Shorthairs require basic grooming and maintenance, including:

• A weekly brush to remove loose hairs, reduce shedding, and keep their coats healthy
• Clicker training to teach them to come when called, play fetch, or adapt to routines
• Early socialization to keep them calm around new people
• A high-quality, balanced diet with the essential nutrients to keep them healthy, and a fresh supply of water

Where and How To Adopt the Best Emotional Support Cat 

Once you’ve decided on the perfect ESA cat breed to bring home, the next step is adoption. Here are a few reliable places to find your new feline friend:

While the adoption process is generally easy, some documentation-related challenges may prevent you from taking your cat home.

What Can Get in the Way of the Adoption Process?

If you live in a building with a no-pet policy, you’ll need an ESA letter to bring your cat home legally. Landlords may not recognize ESAs unless you back up your emotional support claim with a legally binding document. 

The process of getting an ESA letter is pretty straightforward on paper, but in reality, it can entail significant hurdles, including: 

1. Finding a Therapist: Locating a licensed mental health professional (LMHP) in your state can be like a scavenger hunt. Not all therapists offer this service, and the ones that do may not be readily available
2. Scheduling Appointments: Many therapists prefer in-person visits and don’t offer remote appointments, so finding a suitable slot can take a while
3. No Diagnosis Guarantee: Even when you find a therapist and attend the consultation, there’s no guarantee they can make a formal diagnosis according to the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
4. Potential Scams: You can fall victim to scammers on the internet promising to instantly approve or certify your mental health condition without a proper consultation. Falsified ESA letters can lead to rejection or legal action by your landlord

Still, getting your legitimate ESA doesn’t have to be complicated. With Your Service Animal, the process is fast and convenient. You’ll be connected with LMHPs and can get your ESA letter in as quickly as two days!

Bring Your Cat Home Faster With Your Service Animal

Your Service Animal (YSA) offers an innovative solution to the challenges of acquiring an ESA letter. It simplifies and speeds up the process without you having to navigate the complex ESA laws and confusing regulations that pertain to your state. 

The table outlines how Your Service Animal can help you bring your ESA cat home quickly: 

Get Your ESA Letter ASAP

To get your ESA letter and bring your cat home, take the following steps:

1. Find out if you’re a good fit for an ESA letter with this online quiz
2. Schedule an online appointment with a licensed mental health practitioner in your state
3. Attend the online call and receive your ESA letter if clinically appropriate
4. Receive a full refund if the therapist doesn’t issue an ESA letter or your landlord rejects your letter