Felinotherapy is an activity in the field od Animal Assisted Interventions, sometimes called zoorehabilitation. Animal Assisted Interventions was  first defined in the USA. It includes all positive beneficial interactions, where people and animals meet. Possitive interactions between humans and animals  has had a long history which could be traced to the middle ages.

Delta Society, now Pet Partners is one of the well know organizations which works in this field. 

ESAAT is an Europian umbrella organization for Animal Assisted Therapy. This organization defines canistherapy as individual activity, but does not define felinotherapy.  In the previous east block countries like The Czech and Slowak Republic went zoorehabilitation a bit different ways. Felinotherapy has been a part of Animal Assisted Activities in the Czech Republic  since 2002 and in the Slowak Republic since 2009. It is possible to finde some videos about felinotherapy form Austria, Poland. Izrael and Russia as well.

The volunteers are called handlers and make up an Felinotherapy team with their cats.

The cats and the handler  have  to be tested. The character of these cats is very rare and specific. They have to be well socialized, healthy, fearless, communicative. They have to be able to travel with their handler by car, bus or train for quite long distances without troubles and work with clients of all ages and disabilities. They have to work in various settings and facilities.

This testing procedure involves a  veterinary part including propper vacciantion an the part of character examination of the cat. Then the  Felinotherapy team is undergoing a half year training in a certain setting. It could be an elderly home, hospital, kindergarten, home for disabled people. After this training is the Felinotherapy team tested for team work.

The handler has to be empative to the people and his/her cat, needs to be able to read body language of people, cat or other animal which could be at the same place. The handler  needs to have good communicaton skills, protect his/her cat in all situations, be aware of veterinary aspect of cat breeding and basic laws regarding this activity.

There are not many Felinotherapy teams in those  countries. The Felinotherapy teams work with British cats, Devon Rexes, Maine Coon cats, Norwegian Forest cats, Ragdolls and Ragamuffins, Siamese and Oriental cats, Siberian cats and House cats. They perform a high quality service. 

It is common, that one hander works with one cat in one setting, but it depends on the cats and handler. In training, it is allowed to work with the cat from the age of half a year.

To unify testing methods in this field International Felinotherapy Association is beeing founded.

 The cats and the handler  have  to be tested. The character of these cats is very rare and specific. They have to be well socialized, healthy, fearless, communicative. They have to be able to travel with their handlers by car, bus or train for quite long distances without troubles and work with klients of all age and disabilities. They have to work in various settings and facilities.

This testing procedure involves  veterinary part including propper vacciantio, regulat checking up, testing for genetical diseases if possible  and the part of character examination of the cat. Then the  Felinotherapy team is undergoing a half year training in a certain setting. It could be an elderly home, hospital, kindergarten, home for disable people an so one. After this training is the Felinotherapy team tested for team work.

The handlers have to be reliable,  empathetic to the clients, members of their families and  the staff of the facilities. They have to be empathetic to their cats, need to be able to read body language of people, cat or other animals which could be at the same place. The handlers  need to have good communicaton skills, protect their cats in all situations, be aware of veterinary aspect of cat breeding and know the basic laws regarding this activity.

AAI includes four basic forms:

AAA- Animal Assisted Activities - this activisations is  performed by volunteers with their cats. Most forms of felinotehrapy are provided in this field.

AAT - Animal Assisted Therapy - this activisations is  performed by therapisst with their cats. It means by psychologist, physiotherapist, speech therapist ad so one.

AAE - Animal Assisted Education - education is performed by teachers, other educators or speech therapists.

AACR - Animal Assisted Crisis Response   - in this field the specialists provide help to those who suffer in natural disasters or terrorist attacks. It is very rare use of felinotherapy.