How to Begin Pet Therapy With Your Cat

This article is written to give you helpful information about becoming a therapy pet team with your cat. It takes a unique person and very special cat!

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cat cloth collar with harness. Cat carrier for transporting cat to therapy visits.

1. To begin therapy visits to any health care facility you and your cat must be able to work as a team! Your cat must have total confidence and feel safe at all times while on a therapy visit.
   
   The cat should be extremely well socialized with people and very comfortable visiting new places. Take your cat to Pet Smart or other pet stores if they allow cats to enter with their handler. Watch his/her reaction. If they cannot tolerate visiting there, then they will not qualify to become a therapy cat.
   
   He/she should be accustomed to as many different sights, sounds and smells as possible. Drop a metal cake pan on the floor behind the cat, see if it is scared and runs. Bang on a wooden board with a hammer (construction is often going on at health care facilities) so your cat may hear, hammering, saws, and other power tools. Vacuum near your cat. Housekeeping staff on a therapy visit may have a vacuum or floor polisher running near you cat.

2. First, consider the temperament of your cat or kitten. Any cat should have the following qualifications.
   1. Love everyone it meets, no matter what the persons age or health condition.
   2. He/she must be very sociable. The cat must never show aggression or fear before or during a therapy visit.
   3. The cat must be willing for strangers to reach out and pet him/her. (Never allow anyone to hold your cat) they may unintentionally hurt him/her, thus making the cat react by biting or scratching.
   4. Be comfortable in any new surroundings. While visiting a nursing home, assisted living, hospital, etc. Your cat should not react negatively when you enter the building. Health care facilities smell different than probably anywhere you have taken him/her. There are numerous loud and unusual noises the cat has never heard before.
   5. Always have your cat on a leash at all times on a therapy visit. Never allow anyone else to hold the leash. You must be in control of the cat at all times while on a visit.
   6. Cat's claws must be clipped. Cat must be very clean (given a bath if he/she will tolerate it) if not pet wipes are available which cleans your cats fur and also makes them smell good while on a therapy visit.
   7. Your cat should be comfortable being around a dog or another cat. Although while on a therapy visit, avoid other animals. If someone is visiting with a cat or dog and you cannot avoid close contact with them, leave and visit another day when that pet is not there. The other animal may be aggressive, plus you don't know it's health condition and if it has had vaccinations.
   8. It is your responsibility to keep your cat safe on a therapy visit! If something upsets the cat, leave immediately.
   9. Your cat should not react if they see a bird. Residents may have a bird in a cage in their room. I once was going to visit a resident who had a large parrot loose in her room. Needless to say, I did not enter her room!
   10. Many health care facilities have aquariums. If your cat does not get anxious watching the fish you may want to allow him/her to watch them for a couple of minutes.

3. (Kittens should be at least six months old) and have all required vaccinations. Any cat making therapy visits should have all shots which the facility you are considering requires. Some require Leukemia, Rabies and other vaccinations your cat may not usually get.
   It is easier to get a kitten adjusted to making therapy visits than older cats.

4. With a cat it is much easier on him/her if you visit the same place every week. They adjust easier to the residents/patients. Nursing homes are the best health care facilities to visit with a cat. However, not everyone likes cats. Always, ask the person before you approach them if they would like to see your cat. Don't be surprised when they answer No.
   One week the person may love your cat and hate it on the next visit. Residents/patients often have their medications changed, thus their personality may be different on each therapy visit. Or, they may not feel well.
   Some residents may try to harm your cat, by pulling his/her fur, ears, tail, poking an eye. You must be always be alert and know when someone is going to do something like this and immediately get your cat away from them.

5. Always put a cloth collar and harness with leash on your cat before making a therapy visit. Never allow the cat to just wear a collar with leash. If they should get scared you have much better control over them with a harness. Never let go of the leash for any reason while on a therapy visit.
   Take a pet blanket or baby blanket in your car before making a therapy visit. It may be raining when you get to the health care facility. You can wrap your cat up in the blanket and keep him/her dry.

6. Your therapy visit officially begins the moment you step out of your car with your cat. There may be delivery drivers, postmen, visitors, staff, etc. in the parking lot. If they want to see your cat, allow them to interact with him/her. Your visit will officially end when you and your cat are back inside your car and ready to leave. Take a small bowl and small bottle of water with you and leave in the car. Cats often get thirsty and need a drink of water after a therapy visit. Health care facilities are often very warm with dry air which makes your cat thirsty.

7. While on a therapy visit people will probably ask a lot of questions about your cat: Name, age, sex, breed, etc.
   If you visit the same health care facility each week your cat will bond with the residents and staff (not all). Your cat will soon have favorites he/she looks forward to seeing.
   After you have done therapy visits and have become well acquainted with everyone you may decide to allow your cat to lay on the bed next to someone for a little while. Always ask the director or whoever is in charge before doing this. Some facilities do not allow it for health reasons.

8. Your cat should always remain calm in all situations. Remember too, your cat may hear noises while on a visit that you don't hear. Also, most health care facilities have a medicinal smell, even if you don't smell it, your cat will.

9. Don't make a therapy visit over once a week. Visits are very stressful and tiring on your cat. Your cat will probably sleep after the therapy visit. They are a working pet while on a therapy visit.

10. After your are 100% certain your cat may handle making a therapy visit, call the director of a health care facility. Talk to them about it. If they are interested, take your cat there first to meet the director and see how that goes.

Tips & Warnings

• Stay clam on therapy visits. Your cat is very sensitive and will know if you become alarmed or upset!
• Always be friendly and kind to residents/patients and staff while on a therapy visit. You are 1/2 of the therapy team.
• Get your cat comfortable being touched and petted all over before making a therapy visit. They should allow someone to touch and handle their feet, ears and tails without reacting in a negative way.
• I would suggest that you get insurance on your cat before beginning therapy visits. Talk to your insurance agent. Some do insure therapy pets. If you cannot get insurance, consider joining a therapy organization in your area. Some do not allow a cat and their handler to become members.
• Never take your cat on a therapy visit if he/she is ill or has had some type of experience that has him/her upset. Wait and go the next week or whenever your cat is well and calm.
• Be certain that your cat will not scratch or bite anyone and is totally comfortable with meeting and interacting with people, before attempting to make a therapy visit.
• This is just some of the things you need to know if you are interested in taking your cat on therapy visits. There are many other things you will learn after you begin making the visits.
• I cannot be held responsible for anything you or a cat you take do on a therapy visit or while preparing to become a therapy team.