Legally, emotional support animals are granted no special public access or treatment. According to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), under the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), an emotional support animal is a “reasonable accommodation” for people living in housing that bans pets. Even if your residence has a “no pets” rule, you are allowed to keep your emotional support cat as long as you can provide the landlord with a written note from a doctor or other health care professional stating that you have a disability and a disability-related need for an emotional support animal.