Some cats do take part in animal-assisted services, but a small survey does not show that cats generally make effective therapy animals—or that they enjoy the work. A 2021 study in Flanders found differences in caregiver-reported behavior scores between 12 cats reported to participate in animal-assisted services and 462 cats not reported to participate. The findings are a starting point for studying individual cats, not proof that any cat is suited to visits.
What the study found
Researchers surveyed caregivers of 474 cats in Flanders, Belgium, using an online questionnaire and a Flemish translation of the Feline Behavioural Assessment and Research Questionnaire (Fe-BARQ). Caregivers identified 12 cats as taking part in at least one kind of animal-assisted service (AAS); the other 462 were classified as non-AAS cats. The survey was conducted in 2021 and the paper was published online in December 2024, then in the 2025 volume of Animals.
On five of the 19 behavioral subscales analyzed, the AAS cats had statistically significant differences in group scores. Caregivers reported higher scores for sociability with people, attention seeking, sociability with cats, and predatory behavior, and lower scores for resistance to restraint. These are questionnaire comparisons between two groups—not measures of therapy success, clinical benefit, or an individual cat’s suitability.
The paper in Animals describes the study and results; PubMed’s record lists its publication details and abstract.
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Can cats be therapy animals?
The study confirms that caregivers reported some cats participating in AAS, but it does not establish that cats as a species are suitable therapy animals. Because only 12 cats were in the AAS group, and because the design was observational, the results cannot show that the measured traits led cats to be selected or made visits successful. The authors say they cannot draw conclusions about cats’ suitability from these findings alone.
Animal-assisted services can encompass different activities and settings; the survey grouped cats reported to take part in at least one kind. It did not test a single standardized therapy program. Whether a particular cat can participate safely and comfortably is therefore a separate question from whether the group scores differed.
What makes an individual cat a candidate?
The survey does not provide a validated checklist for selecting a therapy cat. Its group-level findings should not be used as a pass-or-fail test: a sociable score or low resistance-to-restraint score cannot by itself predict how a cat will respond to a new room, unfamiliar people, handling, noise, or travel.
For an individual animal, suitability needs to be considered in the context of the actual service setting and the cat’s welfare. That means evaluating the animal’s responses and comfort rather than assuming that a breed, personality label, or one questionnaire score settles the matter. The study did not assess stress during visits or whether the cats enjoyed participating.
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Are cats as effective as therapy dogs?
This study did not compare cats with dogs or measure outcomes for people receiving services. It therefore cannot show that cats are more effective, equally effective, or less effective than therapy dogs.
In an interview about the study, co-author Patricia Pendry noted that people who dislike or feel uncomfortable around dogs may be less likely to participate in animal-assisted therapy, and that a cat might be an animal they would choose to interact with. That is a plausible way cats could broaden access for some participants, not an outcome measured by the survey. Kellie B. Gormly’s Cats.com article reports the interview and the study context.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do cats enjoy therapy visits?
The questionnaire study did not measure enjoyment, stress, or coping during visits. A cat’s reported behavior profile cannot answer those welfare questions, and participation by some cats is not evidence that all cats—or even every participating cat—welcomes the experience.
The authors call for larger samples of AAS cats and further methods, including direct behavioral observation and physiological measures, to investigate these questions. Until such evidence is available, welfare should be assessed at the level of the individual cat and the specific circumstances, rather than inferred from this survey.
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