In my household, we currently have 4 cats that I've grown up with over the years. Many times, I'm alone in the house, and I find their company just as comforting as people's.

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I talk to them about my stress and frustrations, and they listen. They don't understand my words, but understand my authentic intent of candor.

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I find cats to be amazing. The amount of diligence it takes to watch over territory and to maintain a hierarchy of their colony its commendable, and they form complex but sophisticated relationships with other cats and their humans.

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As mentioned before, I plan to attend University of South Florida in the summer, but not alone. I am in the process of getting a letter from a mental health professional to show that having Ema (the brown fluffy one) as an emotional support animal at the school is necessary to cope with the anxiety and depression I have.

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I know firsthand how she calms me from an anxiety attack, steadily purring like a motorboat as I run my fingers through her fur.

She makes me get up in the morning, when the days are hardest. If not for myself, I have short-term goals of feeding and cleaning her that gives me a purpose for being 

gives me a purpose for being productive. I am so at ease in her company

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The interesting thing about Ema, is she is very much a one-person cat. Meaning, that she does not get along with the other cats in the house, but as one person spends time with her she becomes more secure and a big lovebug. I am convinced that us having each other keeps our sanity, and for that alone, I believe in the power of pets.