My Therapist Has Whiskers: A Cat’s Advice for Stressed-Out Teens 

Or, Why Some Teens Need a Therapy Pet

By Ginger Grrrl with a little help from Mewla Young

August 5, 2026

Dear teenage humans,

 

Ginger Grrrl here.

 

It’s come to my attention that some of you really could use our help. The CDC found that you teenagers –especially girls—deal with some heavy doo-doo way too often.[1] Teen girls said that they regularly deal with crass jokes, sexual harassment, and sometimes even violence from boys and men. More than 11% of girls told the CDC that they were forced to have sex during the previous year.

 

Excuse me… but WHAT THE FURBALL?!!

 

No teenager should ever have to go through something like that.

 

You deserve someone who listen to you and take your struggles seriously.

Teens and Mental Health

Given everything many of you face, it’s not surprising that 41% of girls reported feeling sad or hopeless, compared with about 21% of boys. Those numbers represent real young people who are hurting. And some of you seem to have no one to help you deal with your troubles. 

 

Then I read something that broke my fuzzy little heart a little more. When asked about the past year [1]:

 

• • • Many teen girls (17%) and boys (12%) planned how they would attempt suicide. 
    • Sadly, almost one in ten girls and one in twenty boys actually did try to kill themselves.

If that’s you—or someone you care about—please know this:

 

You deserve help. You deserve kindness. And you deserve to feel safe.

 

Some of you may have parents or others who love you and look out for you. But sometimes that’s not enough. Sometimes parents and friends are too distracted to support you.

 

If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or thoughts of hurting yourself, talking with a mental health professional or another trusted adult can make a huge difference.

 

Mental health therapy can help you take care of yourself, but when people let you down, I bet some of you could use a hug from a soft fluffball like me.

Now, I’m a cat, not a licensed therapist.

 

But…

 

I am an expert at curling up beside sad humans, purring at exactly the right moment, and reminding people they aren’t alone.

 

As it turns out, science says my fellow animals and I are pretty good at that. 

How Cats (and Other Pets) Can Help

I’ve talked before about animal-assisted therapy—where specially trained pets hang out at hospitals, schools, counseling centers, and other places to comfort people (see https://mewlayoung.com/the-doctor-is-in/).

 

Turns out, researchers have studied how this helps teenagers, too.

 

One study followed more than 150 children and teens who had survived sexual abuse. Those who got to hang out with therapy animals had less anxiety, depression, anger, and post-traumatic stress symptoms, and felt better.[2]

Some research divides teenagers into groups where only half receive animal-assisted therapy. These studies show that the teens who get to hang out with animals do a lot better than those who don’t. For example:

 

• • • One program for teens with “severe conduct disorder” found that visits from animals made kids less aggro. Those who received pet visits were also more affectionate, nurturing, playful, and cooperative. [3]
    • Another group studied teens and pre-teens who had problems like depression, eating disorders, and/or wanting to kill themselves. Animal visits helped kids function much better. For example, the teens were able to go to school more often.[4]
    • A group of teens in residential treatment for mental health problems had stronger social skills, showed more leadership, and less hyperactive behavior compared to their peers who did not have animal visits.[5]
    • Teens in treatment for trauma (such as sexual abuse) who had visits from animals had less anxiety, depression, anger, PTSD, and dissociation.[6]

Your Mini Therapist

Here’s the best part, cherished teen. You don’t need an official therapy cat wearing a fancy little vest. Sometimes… you just need a cat.

 

Cat caretakers described us this way:

 

• “Sharing time with my cats is one of the highlights of my day.”
• “My cat is there whenever I need comfort.”
• “My cat helps me get through tough times.”
• “My cat is one of my best friends.”

 

Honestly? That’s exactly the job description I signed up for.

Now Back to Teenagers…

This brings me back to the teens who feel sad or hopeless and to the precious kids who thought about wanting to die. If animal-assisted therapy helps teens in group settings, I know we could help you, too.

If you can’t adopt a cat right now, ask a trusted adult whether you can:

 

• visit a cat café,
• spend time with cats at a local animal shelter,
• volunteer (if you’re old enough),
• visit a neighbor or relative who has a friendly cat, or
• when in a pinch, watch some cat videos.

Even a short visit with an affectionate cat can brighten a bad day.

 

Cats in feral colonies also need looking after. Sterling “TrapKing” Davis, has shared how caring for community cats helped him through a very difficult childhood. Read his story at TrapKing.

 

Learn about feral cat colonies from organizations like Alley Cat Rescue (see SaveACat.org) and Neighborhood Cats (https://www.neighborhoodcats.org/resources).

A Plea on Behalf of Cats

 

Sadly, some cats have been treated poorly by humans. These cats have turned away from people and may never be able to trust humans again.

 

Cats must be treated with kindness and respect. Cats who are raised with love and affection return that affection. These cats have lots of healing purrs to share.

 

For hints from me on how to care for a cat, see https://mewlayoung.com/choosing-a-cat/.

In Summary

In summary, some of you teenagers are dealing with far more stress, harassment, anxiety, and heartbreak than any young human should have to face. We all need to try a little harder to help and protect you.

 

And every teenager deserves someone who listens without judging.

 

Sometimes that’s a counselor.

 

Sometimes it’s a trusted adult.

 

And sometimes it’s a little furry therapist who curls up beside you, starts purring, and somehow makes the whole world feel a tiny bit better.

 

We cats can’t fix everything, but we can remind you that you’re not facing life alone.

 

 

Do you think cats can help teens cope with anxiety, depression, or loneliness?

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

MewlaYoung.com  August 2026 

REFERENCES

1. Center for Disease Control (2022). Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm
2. Dietz, T. J., Davis, D., & Pennings, J. (2012). Evaluating animal-assisted therapy in group treatment for child sexual abuse. Journal of child sexual abuse, 21(6), 665-683. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23194140/
3. Katcher, A., & Teumer, S. (2006). A 4-year trial of animal-assisted therapy with public school special education students. Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: Theoretical foundations and guidelines for practice, 2, 227-242. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0033294115626633
4. Stefanini, M. C., Martino, A., Allori, P., Galeotti, F., & Tani, F. (2015). The use of Animal-Assisted Therapy in adolescents with acute mental disorders: A randomized controlled study. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 21(1), 42-46. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25701449/
5. Balluerka, N., Muela, A., Amiano, N., & Caldentey, M. A. (2015). Promoting psychosocial adaptation of youths in residential care through animal-assisted psychotherapy. Child abuse & neglect, 50, 193-205. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26443670/
6. Balluerka, N., Muela, A., Amiano, N., & Caldentey, M. A. (2014). Influence of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) on the attachment representations of youth in residential care. Children and Youth Services Review, 42, 103-109. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-21557-014
7. Pet Partners in Collaboration with Dr. Lori Kogan (2024). Exploring the Cat:Human Bond Through the Special Impact of Therapy Cats. https://petpartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/EXPLORING-THE-CAT-HUMAN-BOND.pdf