Cat as Service Animal

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I was the one who mentioned what I had read online after someone else brought her up. I wouldn't know enough about ASD to know if anybody was faking, really. I'm 48 and was only diagnosed in my early 40's, and I only know what I've looked into to learn about my own AS. I remember looking her up online after the interview and was impressed, then I started seen those other pages and all, so I don't know. It doesn't matter to me really, either way, I was just asking what people thought, and I hope nobody took offense.

I had no idea you could do that though. Now I'm going to worry that I'll suddenly do that. How common is it? I don't really think that's going to happen, but now that I know it can, I'll have to read online about it until I'm either frantic with worry or I see something that makes me think it won't happen to me.

Are there signs beforehand that it's happening, how fast does it happen, etc? Is there something that triggers it like medication or hormonal changes? I'm just curious now, because I had never heard of that.

As far as I know going to such extremes is pretty rare, just pointing out that it is possible. I personally have days where I'm definitely feeling more autistic than others (and people who know me well can tell as well) but I don't go into such extremes. I'm not sure what triggered the extreme change in the person I know, but I've always suspected something in her brain happened when the hormonal changes began. I'm sure she was high functioning enough to pass for "normal" before, because autism is something you're born with. Your brain is wired differently, it's not something that can suddenly be done to your brain. Nobody could really say much from a few videos or blog postings, etc. Even if they were trained in diagnosing autism.

Good point. In the US its not an option (or I'd actually be training my cat to be a service cat at the moment), but other places it might be.




I'm not entirely sure how I can explain how she tells me that something is wrong in general. If something doesn't seem right to her she'll act differently, including far more clingy without wanting to play or such. Generalizing from that to alerting to migraines, I found her actively trying to physically get my attention while in that state - headbutting me and pawing at me, not trying to play. I had no clue what was going on until after I'd gotten a migraine and realized she was trying to tell me that the migraine was wrong.

I have 3 cats, all of whom are extremely well trained. Cats are probabably even more trainable than dogs, it's just that you must have their respect to do so. All of my cats picked up training much quicker than my dogs. My other 2 cats are pretty good about stuff, most of my animals are actually.

One cat in particular is incredibly helpful. She's very anti social and hates people and other animals, but I walk her on her harness down to the corner store and the deli and everything. She jumps in my bag when we get there and stays in there while we are in the store, usually looking and smelling everything (she's way too curious).

She extremely intelligent, and when I start to overload at home she usually turns up as soon as she realises what's going on, let's me pat her as much as I need to when usually she only likes patting in small doses. She has prevented many meltdowns.

She also let's me know when my blood sugar is too low (she nudges my hand and wakes me up if necessary). She alerts me if she can smell something I am not supposed to eat in my food (saved me from getting glutened 2 days ago by a new product actually, she walks over to the product and refuses to let me touch it if it has gluten in it). On bad pain days she doesn't really leave my side for the day except to eat and drink.

I don't take her to work with me or anything though. She's not an offical support animal or anything, she just kind of took on that role. She's a very one person cat though, she doesn't like anyone else, she won't even let people touch her. I tried getting her used to people when she was young, but it's just her personality.

I think if it's the right kind of cat and it's intelligent and loyal, it's probably very trainable. You would need a good understanding of animals to train it yourself though. Professional training would cost a boatload I imagine.

Regarding "regression," there is a condition called "autistic catatonia" or "Parkinson-like deterioration" that can happen with some ASD people. I gather that it can cause ASD adults (it tends to happen at adolescence or later) to lose speech and develop serious issues with movement (and probably other things, too).

There's a paper where about 500 people who had been referred to an autism clinic were checked and about 17% had a serious decrease in functioning due to that condition. And, apparently, exposure to antipsychotic drugs (which are used for non-psychotic reasons all the time) seems to hasten along the progress of the condition.

http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/176/4/357.full

I've been wondering for a while if that condition exists on a continuum, and I think it probably does. (My reasons come from anecdotal stuff at this point, but research on the condition is still thin and confined to severe cases.) There have been the threads here and elsewhere about burnout and/or depression leading to speech or cognitive problems in ASD adults. And on a personal note, this week I've been withdrawing from a drug that can cause catatonia (in anyone) when you withdraw from it, and it is reminiscent of my "burnout days" (in the sense that in that my inertia and spacing-out is worse than usual).

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Someone else posted about autistic catatonia, which is a condition that can cause autism to become more severe over time. Amanda often refers to it as a "movement disorder," which it is. It has Parkinsons-like symptoms, but also schizoprhrenic catatonia-like symptoms. Tony Attwood talks about the condition in his Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome, but there is at least one more book about it (I think I have a recommendation for it from Amanda in my PMs, but I have a few hundred of those right now and it'd take awhile to dig it up).

There are a lot of stories about Amanda online, but I don't really give them much credence. Having interacted with her online and seen her videos, and read the material her detractors have posted and watching at least a couple of those videos, I don't really find their accounts particularly accurate.

My understanding is that Amanda was diagnosed with PDD-NOS in her early teens at the latest, and later re-diagnosed with autism. I never asked her about the schizophrenia story, but I think she explained what was going on with that somewhere. My recollection was that it had to do with people gaslighting her, and some of the online material is an extension of that.

I am not sure who is trying to follow her around and debunk her, but I am dubious about their motives and veracity, and I have not so far seen any reason to doubt Amanda herself.

Anyway, here's a study about catatonia in autism:

http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/176/4/357.full

even though cats are great pets and can be very helpful there can not be used as service animals

"In addition to the expanded definition of service animals, it was also revised to limit the type of animal used. Previously, the term left the option open for people with disabilities to choose the use of such animals as a monkey, cat, bird or pig as their service animal. Now, the regulation states, “Service animal means any dog…” (DOJ). Effective March 15, 2011, this restriction will be applied (with some limited exception to miniature horses)."

(wont let me post links so i just did that paragraph for more info go to invisibledisabilitiesDOTorg)

the new laws limits it to dogs like mine and miniature horses hope that helps sorry bout the mad news

It all depends on where the original poster is from... In Canada, it's not limited to dogs and ponies.

your right i was just assuming that they were from the states witch i should not have done. However, for people that come here now that are looking for this answer from the states will now have the information

That is crazy. I know monkeys that help with different sorts of paralysis (fetching and grabbing things, even feeding assistance). If that is not a service animal I do not know how they define service.

An monkey trained to do that not legally required to be allowed public access anymore.

According to the service dog forums I'm on, its possible to have non-public access service animals. An animal explicitly trained in tasks to help with a disability (and very explicitly trained and not just an ESA, if it is not trained to do things that an animal of the type doesn't normally do that are helping specifically with the disability then its /not/ a service animal according to the ADA - training is required) is a service animal within the home. However public access laws are only relevant to dogs (and sometimes miniature ponies) .

This means that its possible to have a home-only service animal, and that's like where Ada (my cat) falls.

Also, with either ESAs (so those not task trained but still helping with the disability) or with non-public access service animals, places can allow the animals in, and are much more likely to let them in than pets.

That is useful for getting a place to live if an animal is an issue.

Well, Emotional Support Animals, are covered by the fair housing and air travel laws anyways. A non-public access service animal seems to have the same rights as an ESA, but is technically a service animal.

It might be relevant to some things to do with money and medical expenses.

But yeah, my kitty is allowed in most housing that doesn't allow pets.

On the subject of training cats, my currently baby is a 13 lbs. male 8 month bi-color abyssian-tabby mix (he's very prettty even if calico's are my favorite). He is also very skinny at that weight, and incredibly long. He was chooses for personality at 10 weeks from the shelter and as I took the anti-cat with me (my dad) this made sure that the new addition would be social and love people (he does, especially if you pet him-attention hog).

I tried toilet training, but my roommate's cat (5years old)had trouble with it no matter how slow I progressed the training I had to leave a litter box out. Thus about 2/3 the way through (when there was minimal litter on a cellophane wrap with a four inch hole over the water) my cat decided that the litter box was great and the toilet was for play. If my roommate goes on holiday for a few weeks with her cat (not likely as the cat generally stays, unlike my cat who travels with me) I might try that again.

My kitty is currently leash training with good results (walks on leash 30 min with harness in apartment) but is still having trouble moving to the out doors (but I will get there soon, I may need to try quieter times of day but I live next to two major freeways so maybe a new location).

I am looking for a way to train him to climb in my lap at a command or cue when I am becoming sensory overloaded, as his weight in my lap helps me to process and block out things.

But with all of this he will be in the USA a emotional support kitty, as cats apparently cannot be service animals. But he can still fly with me in the cabin for free and most times he is not required to stay in the carrier (depends on flight crew).

Forgive my grammar as I just took a Lortab for pain for my broken wrist (evil scaphoid fracture)

nebrets, have you been doing clicker training? It's what I recommend, especially for training cats.

What I'm doing with Ada for training her to get into my lap is starting with saying "Ada, Lap", then picking her up, putting her in my lap (where this is not from very far away, just from sitting or standing next to me), and clicking her clicker, then giving her her treat. I'm having to start here because she's still somewhat uncomfortable about being in my lap at all (her previous owner taught her laps were not allowed places before abandoning her). If she climbs into my lap of her own accord I'm giving her more praise.

If its a cat that likes climbing in laps and is prone to it, then I'd probably skip the picking up step. However generally, give command, get response you want, use clicker immediately upon response, then give treat. Ada's treats are freeze dried shrimp, she loves them, and she got "come" quickly with clicker training with the treats she loves.

Ada also is great on her leash inside, even in areas she doesn't know well, but has issues as soon as we go outside. She's scared of cars. I'm probably not going to work on that any more because at the moment if she escapes through an open door she won't leave the porch because she knows that its outside off of it and she wants to be inside. I'll use her leash whenever she leaves the apartment though, she doesn't go in a cat carrier anywhere.

I have not tried clicker training (or heard of it before) thank you for telling me about it. I have relied on simple treat training, or for bad behaviors (getting in trash can, on table etc) I have a spray bottle with water and a teaspoon of vinegar.