Can animals commit suicide?

Answer 1

I have a friend who was playing with a stray kitten she'd rescued from the street. As she was petting its back, the little thing bit her violently enough to draw blood. Then it leapt onto her apartment window sill and jumped out. Fell six stories, and unfortunately, didn't survive.

My friend took retrieved it from the sidewalk and took it with her to the ER. Docs started rabies shots on her immediately, even before they found out for certain the animal was sick (and it was).

We'll never know if Kitty died intentionally, but if a person did the same thing under similar circumstances, we'd likely consider it a suicide.

Answer 2

The sting of a honeybee is designed to kill other insects. But when stinging a person or large animal their stingers, because of their barbed design, get lodged in skin and honey bees unintentionally disembowel themselves when they fly away (and die soon afterwards).

Fish jump out of uncovered aquariums all the time and end up on the floor where they die if not discovered in a timely manner.

Many kinds of animals (certain bugs, certain fish, octopus, etc) die soon after breeding or laying eggs, and theoretically would live longer if they never attempted to reproduce.

Colony insects like ants and bees will swarm and attack a larger and more powerful intruder in self-defense, even if doing so means getting killed.

Animals can inadvertently kill themselves, but it probably can't be considered suicide since intent to self destruct isn't evident.

Answer 3

Good question! I've read that lemmings do. However I rather doubt that lemmings or other critters ( except humans) have the cognitive ability to deliberately plan their deaths. Perhaps the lemmings are just playing follow the leader over the cliff. But what gave the leader the idea? Maybe we will hear from a scientist on the subject.

Answer 4

No. Suicide implies a conscious decision to end life, and animals are not capable of making decisions of this kind.

Answer 5

yes they can. but i don't know if Suicide is the correct term. take for example the Araibian Eagle. if u capture him an put him inside a cage and notices that he will kill him self using his "claws". it is like a reputation thing for him .

to train an Arabian Egale u must cut his nails and covr his eyes first. and then the trainning take a long time, it is a whole science:p

Answer 6

Yes. My friend's goldfish was very lonely and depressed so it jumped out of it's waterbowl and committed suicide. That's the honest truth!

Answer 7

I have heard about animals seemingly plunging themselves to death down a cliff on purpose.
Maybe this happens under stressful cirumstances....such as too many of the same species in a too small territory.

Answer 8

Sure why not? Are you their owner. Might want to re-think being a pet owner if your animal is contemplating suicide

Answer 9

I had a Bird that did.They slit there throats with there feet when they get sick and hang upside down.Never seen anything like it before it happened to me.He was old.There he was still hanging upside down with a pool of blood on the bottom of his cage.It was a long time ago,I can still see him in my mind.No Joke.Good Luck!

Answer 10

I don't know, but a lady that my mom works with sued her neighbor because her neighbor's cat pushed her cat off the roof and killed it. The lady actually saw the cat push her cat. So to answer your question, I don't know if they can committ suicide, but they can be murderers.