If you mean it as just kill themselves, including accidentally and without intention, then oh my yes. If you mean specifically make a decision and do something, then no. Here and there it's tried to be attributed to animals, but it takes a level of consciousness and thought that only we have.
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lemmeeleev, Zzzzz, crova and 1 other person
"Lemmings have become the subject of a widely popular misconception that they are driven to commit mass suicide when they migrate by jumping off cliffs. It is not a deliberate mass suicide where the animal voluntarily chooses to die, but rather a result of their migratory behavior. Driven by strong biological urges, some species of lemmings may migrate in large groups when population density becomes too great"
Animal suicide refers to any kind of self-destructive behavior displayed by various species of animals, resulting in their death. Although contradicting the natural progression of life and an animal's evolutionary instinct for survival, some situations may lead to an animal inducing their own death. Animal suicide in the defense of the group could be instantaneous or altruistic self-removal once an animal becomes diseased.[1] There are anecdotal reports of grieving pets displaying such behaviour after the death of their owner, or monogamous animals refusing to feed after the death of their mate.
Some parasites manipulate the behavior of their host, causing them to expose themselves to greater risks of predation to enable the parasite to proceed to the next life-cycle stage. Some carpenter ants and termites use autothysis, producing a sticky secretion to trap colony marauders, and pea aphids will sometimes explode, protecting other pea aphids from ladybugs.
It is generally considered that humans are the only known beings to use weapons when putting an end to their own life. Some species might be driven to engage in suicidal behavior for the sake of others, this is an example of altruism in animals. These actions are performed when the reproductive fitness of others outweighs the reproductive fitness of the individual.[2] There are examples of animals dying in defense of their family or colony, such as the case of pea aphids increasing their chances of death as a response to parasitism.[3] Vervet monkeys will alert others when a predator is near, consequently drawing attention to itself and increasing their likelihood of being attacked.[4]
Many animals that appear to be depressed or grieving begin to exhibit self-destructive behavior that sometimes ends in death.[5]
Who knows, maybe animals have been speaking with each other and freely thinking all along... maybe we're the animals to them! Haha, maybe my cat has been telling all my secrets to the other neighborhood cats all along...
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Ssrejisser, lemmeeleev, Efem and 5 others
I know that a horse just lays down and does when it knows it's their time. I feel dead but my fucking diseased body keeps getting up every morning even though I feel like I'm done.
I am convinced that Hammy the Gerbil i had as a kid topped himself. The poor thing was tormented daily by the cat that had worked out that pushing his cage of the side would result in one no longer safe gerbil to try to eat. The poor thing took the only non eaten escape he could get & made the fatal jump off the dining room table.
I did a non scientific survey amongst my fellow punters on a ward once & quite a few of us who were suicidal also had pets as kids that had died suspiciously :-)
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