Emotional support cat on campus?

<p>Good evening,</p>

<p>I have heard from my university that they are permitting me to return for this next spring semester (super late, right?). </p>

<p>Anyway, if you live on campus you are not allowed to have a pet unless it's a small thing like a rabbit, gerbil, fish, etc. My plan is to live on campus when I return. However, the school knows that I got a cat since I have been away from school. This cat is my best friend. She follows me around quite a bit and we play together. A lot. I didn't ask the school this, but they said that I could bring the cat back with me in January as an "emotional support animal" so live on campus with me. I don't know how I feel about that. If they're letting me bring my cat to campus, they should let everyone who wants to bring their cat or other animal to campus with them. My cat most certainly wouldn't be a service animal or anything, just there for some emotional support. If the cat did not return to campus with me she would just live with my parents as she does at the moment. She is also technically their cat and not mine. However, they indicated that if I didn't live on campus and had a landlord that liked cats, that I could bring her with me. However, they have become emotionally attached to the cat and she has been therapeutically beneficial for them too. They have been much happier with her around. </p>

<p>I also have many issues with not leaving campus enough. I think because of that I fell into a dark place and had to leave school last spring. I feel like by having a cat right there I will hardly leave campus, if at all, and fall back into that same space. I have discovered that I really love cats during this time off, and could definitely spend time with them at peoples' houses who live off-campus.</p>

<p>Thoughts? Should I bring the cat? Should I not?</p>

<p>Thanks a lot,
Wishmunk</p>

<p>P.S: Sorry for the duplicate post, but I wanted to post again with a better title.</p>

<p>As much as you love your cat–and I totally understand how animals provide emotional support–I wouldn’t bring her. I think the suggestion of visiting people near your campus with cats is a better idea. As much as you can, you should try to have a normal student life and I fear that having your pet with you will prevent you from doing that.</p>

<p>I would not bring your cat. It sounds like you can totally live without it. I think it was cause emotional stress if anything, because you would have to explain to people why you need a cat to live a dorm, which will put people off.</p>