Do Dogs Suffer Depression?

[kmw1954]

We have a 4yo. Husky that we've had since he was a 9 week old puppy. When we brought him home there was another dog, 7yo Sheltie and a 14yo cat. Well we finally had to put down the cat this spring as she quit eating and was having other signs of being almost 20 years old.

The 2 dogs did OK after she was gone but we could tell they at time would kind of look thru the house for her.

Now just a few weeks ago we also had to put down the Sheltie. He couldn't hardly walk anymore and was going blind. It was a very sad day.

When we got home from the vet the Husky was outside as he was when we left. He was waiting at the gate and was all excited and even more so when he didn't see his partner get out of the car. He spent all day howling and pacing to the door.

He's now gotten to the point that he seems lost, no interest and sticks right by our side all day long and all night. If we're in the house he has no interest in going out. He's sleeping at my feet right now as I write this.

We've started looking for a new companion for him hoping it will perk him up.

[JeffinNZ]

Is he on his own during the day? If so, that is going to be a big adjustment for him without his lifetime companions. Sounds like he is looking for company.

In stark contrast earlier this year I lost my constant cat companion Frodo. Near broke my heart but his litter mate seems to prefer being an only cat now. He has really come into his own.

[Lloyd Smale]

true story. My dad had two beagles, both from the same litter. One male and one female. They were 8 years old when the female got hit by a car right in front of the male and was killed. The male just quit eating and got sick and died three weeks later so I will say YES they definitely get depressed and suffer loss just like a human does.

[Teddy (punchie)]

Any animal can have it. Normal is a lack of something in diet. Sickness is what we look for in larger animals, like in cattle ears down, tail lazy, just a tried look. I talk to them and if off food treat. What is hard watching any animal go down and turn for worse. Had a 14 year old cow go down and that was hard.

Your dog is a pack animal and he lost is pack. They feel and know but have no knowledge or remember very little of the details. He will be okay but need to get him moving and out.

Sorry for the loss or your other pets.

[Taylor]

When my Flat Coat passed,Maggy my Redbone searched for days.I remember when I was 13,my father had an old mix breed dog.The dog met him every day when he would come home from work.When dad was killed,the dog continued to go to the end of the driveway and wait.But now he would howl and cry.Tormented my mother bad,she gave him to one of dad's friends.Yes,from my observations,they can get depressed and miss people as well as other animals.

[buckwheatpaul]

Since your husky was raised with other pets he bonded with them and depended on them......a lot of dogs tear things up when they are left alone for extended time.....We have 3 puppy children and a crazy cat.....they all interact and when one is missing the others look for the missing one.....I vote for another dog or cat ..... IMHO.....Paul

[sghart3578]

Yes, absolutely.

[w5pv]

I had a litter mate to my BMC and when he got hit by a car my BMC went into a depression state for several days.they had an old piece of strap that they played tug of war with that the BMC would get and face towards I had buried the other pup lay it down ad bark/whine for the other come play with him.

[Blackwater]

How would you feel if you were the last of your kind in your little corner of the world? Of course they can get depressed. Dogs are simple animals, and tend to expect things to always be the same way with no changes, simply because that's what they want. They're even worse at this than we humans tend to be. I'd recommend getting another dog. It is used to companionship, and needs some new dog or cat to provide that. It won't be the same, but it'll be much better than not having anyone there for much of the day. But that's just my opinion. These things are always a guess, and that's just the best I can come up with.

[44man]

It is absolutely true because dogs do think and feel. I will not agree they are simple but are more complex then some people. I watch mine dream, kick feet and make noises. They understand words and commands. They also love and it could be another dog or animal.
At 11 each night I shut the TV off, Mai will stand up so I can pick her up, she puts her head on my shoulder, under my chin and makes funny little sounds. She goes in her bed on her pillow.
They are much more and when I see mine tilt her head side to side when I talk to her, I know she understands.
Some get frantic if left alone. I put my shoes on and get my wallet and she sits and wags to go but when I tell her I need to go where she can't, she understands.
It is a bond like no other.

[Clay M]

My daughter got a new Border Collie pup.
She has been recovering from neck surgery so her dog has been in the pen. I go down every day with my four wheeler, let the little dog out and take it for a run. It is a sweet dog that loves people and attention.

Yes it gets lonesome and depressed when left unattended.
All it wants is someone to love it and play with it.

I guess I have a new dog in a way..

[kmw1954]

Roscoe and Diesel were very close. They'd do everything together. At the present time he's here with the wife and I all day, I'm retired. Seems ok when out for a walk or a ride in the car. Sad but funny how he reacted when we came back and Roscoe didn't get out of the car.

The 3 of us the day before.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/bonz-d/008_zpszexxcne1.jpg (http://s276.photobucket.com/user/bonz-d/media/008_zpszexxcne1.jpg.html)

We are now looking for another and now my question is do any of you have experience with rescue dogs? We've found a few that look interesting. our cut off point is a 2 year old.

[Clay M]

Rescue dogs may be fine, especially if you can get a pup. I like to get a young dog so I can work with them and train them from the start.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Oh yes! Any person who has dogs and communicates with them knows.

[snuffy]

When my springer Ziggy had to be put down, I was given a golden that my son's-wife's-brother had. He was unwanted by the brother's common law wife. He was a house dog. They also had a black lab who was an outside dog. When Arrow the golden came to live with me, his companion the BL went into a funk. He refused to eat, waited at the door for Arrow to come out and play. They almost renigged on the deal to give Arrow to me in order to save the BL from starvation. They got him a baby cat!:shock: Those two were inseparable! He "raised" that cat.:bigsmyl2:


Arrow was simply ignored by the former owners! We bonded in a matter of a couple of days. He was so hungry for affection and somebody who cared for a dog. Yes, they can--do love us. And they do love and care about their companions--litter mates and pack mates.

[quack1]

Dogs definitely miss people. After my wife died, our lab would, several times a day, go all over the house and look in every room and the cellar for her. That lasted about a month. Even now, almost four years later, if I say "where's Kathy?", he'll look for her.

[Char-Gar]

Dogs are sentient beings. They think, feel and have emotions. They love and therefore grieve when the loved one is gone. Dogs in general are pack animals, they want to be a part of a group. People, other dogs and even cats can be part of their pack. They grow very very attached to members of their pack. I call it love, but it probably isn't love as humans understand that term.

[jcwit]

Wife and I have cats, and yes even them have & show emotions.

[725]

Rescue dogs are a toss up. My prior Sheppard was raised by us from the start. No finer dog ever lived. Old age took him and we got another Sheppard. The new one is very affectionate and it has taken years so far to bring her along as much as we have. It's an effort to "unmess" what others have done to mess her up. Wouldn't trade her for the world.

[Char-Gar]

Wife and I have cats, and yes even them have & show emotions.

I like cats also. They are very complex animals. Some like others cats and others do not. However, they are all highly intelligent and do bond very closely with people. They just won't put up with your BS like a dog will.

[kmw1954]

Our cats name was Critter. A forever house cat that feared going outside. She was almost 20 years old. When you would pet her she would purr so hard she'd droll. She had us trained well and took no BS from either of the dogs..

Poor Diesel is once again laying at my feet. I know he dreams as there are times he'll make small noises sometimes it sounds like he's laughing!


We've gotten all of our loved pets when they were very young so we were able to set the environment for them. All were loving and very well behaved with great temperaments. Which is why I ask about rescue animals. Not sure I want one with emotional problems.

Long ago I received a Shepard that was about 1.5 yrs. old that had been mistreated and kept gaged as a guard dog for a garage. When I got him he had a server fear and dislike for men. Took months to turn him around and he became very protective of me..

We do need to find Diesel a new play mate. Just not sure what kind. The other issue with this is do we look for another male of a female? Don't need dominance issues either.

[Clay M]

I have had good luck with female dogs. I use to breed Labradors and sell the pups.

[kmw1954]

Well D does have a slightly dominate temper so guess we'll need to sort that. He does tolerate other male dogs as we had our daughters male Lab/Rot mix stay with us before. They were both alpha's and they would try to bully each other at times.

[bedbugbilly]

Yes they can suffer from depression.

We don't have children, so our dogs are our "children". We have always had two and several times in the last 40 years, we've had three. We had a Jack Russell mix who was with a Cairn Terrier. The Cairn developed cancer and we kept it comfortable for as long as we could. The Jack Russell could sense that the Cairn was sick . . . he'd hang around it all day and snuggle in close to it. They were "best buds". In a matter of overnight, the Cairn did a major downturn and we felt it best to have it put down . . it's never easy but to me, that's the last act of "love" we can do for them to see that they don't suffer.

Anyway . . . the Jack Russell sent in to a deep depression. Moped around, looked for his buddy and instantly went off his food. In spite of giving it lots of attention, etc. . . . I could not get him to eat. I tried different foods, canned food and even steak and he wouldn't eat. He would drink but had not interest in food at all. This went on for two weeks and I was afraid I was going to lose him but then he came out of it and showed fairly fast improvement.

Let's face it . . . animals do grieve just like we do and it takes time. With the ones we've had . . .some do it more than others. We got another Cairn fairly fast and the Jack Russell mix soon became good buddies with it . . . sort of took on a "parent role".

Over the years, I've had Vets tell me that dogs don't grieve, dogs have no concept of time, etc. I say "bull hockey" . . . they do and I'm a firm believer that we will see those that have passed when we reach the Pearly Gates . . . and I hope I have some treats in my pocket when I get there as I look forward to the reunion with all of them!

[crowbuster]

KMW1954. You are on the right track. Good on you for looking out for your 4 legged buddy. A new pal will do wonders for him i'll bet.

[9w1911]

I am so happy you are getting a rescue, they are wonderful, expect 6-12months adjustment, others fit right in, the last rescue I had gave me this look almost 12 months to the date when I dropped his bowl of food down in front of him. He just kind of relaxed and his look said "youre alright".
I have 3 malamutes, one mom, one son and one great great granddaughter, Wednesday I am going to pick up the youngest brother. He is 3 like her. The reasons are sad, her best buddy is 11 and he is slowing down, he is the son of my best friend and I miss him dearly, now his son is slowing down. The mom, she is 12, and she just stays in the yard now, maybe she will go down to the river once every 10 days now. So I am afraid, that when one goes, the other may be close behind and I could be left with one severely upset 3yo dog. So I am hoping to bridge the gap. I am helping the new dog as well he is in a decent home but does not get the love he should, his sister has turned into a great dog.

[kmw1954]

So the rescue we've been talking to just received a litter of 8 Australian Shepard/Border Collie mix puppies that we are very interested in. All adorable and should be of the same size as Roscoe was when they become adults.

[Clay M]

So the rescue we've been talking to just received a litter of 8 Australian Shepard/Border Collie mix puppies that we are very interested in. All adorable and should be of the same size as Roscoe was when they become adults.


Sounds great, go check them out ASAP.
Our Border Collie is purebred .She is blue merle in color.

[Skunk1]

Defiantly. We had to put the wife's Boston down because is seizures. Her French was the safest dog I have ever seen. Since got a new Boston. Best friends again just different dog.

[Elkins45]

All of our dogs have been rescues and all have been great. I wouldn't have changed a thing other than to somehow have made them live longer.

Dogs are different: when our first one died one of the remaining two was noticeably depressed and kept looking for her while the other didn't even seem to notice. We were down to one old Lab mix until about a month ago when someone begged us to take a misfit off their hands. The old guy has absolutely flourished with his new friend. I think the new dog might well add a year or two to his life.

[DerekP Houston]

Oh yes! Any person who has dogs and communicates with them knows.

My dogs usually sense my bad moods and are super sweet until they are satisfied everything is ok still. Then again i did get poked in the eye with a snout this morning he was so excited for his collar.

[kmw1954]

Thanks for all the responses.

We've got to do something quick. It's getting to the point that Diesel doesn't even want to go outside unless someone is out with him.

[lead-1]

We have a shepherd and a ridgeback mix that have been together with us for four years, the shepherd was first. They were together for two years or more when my oldest son wanted his ridgeback back, after much arguement we gave in. They were back together in only three days because they were miserable, they each just laid around and pouted, didn't act like they wanted to eat or play.
I have a heart condition and I am with them the most, one day I had felt dizzy so I laid in the floor before I fell there, I then passed out and my defibrillator shocked me. When I came to both dogs were laying across from me watching me with the most concerned sag to their eyes, "Ah, bull you say", when I got off the floor and sat in the chair, both of them tried to get in my lap at the same time.
I think dogs will get very depressed at times.

BTW, we got the oldest sons dog because he went on a oil company job that had him away for 2-3 weeks at a time.

[smokeywolf]

One of the most common emotional responses seen in dogs is "separation anxiety". If they can experience "separation anxiety" they can certainly experience "depression".

[kmw1954]

lead-1 I can relate to that. I too have heart problems with 11 stents. Every time I've come home from the hospital I swear they knew. They'd be all over me but never try to jump up on me. Lots of kisses though.

Diesel has separation issues even while Roscoe was with us. We can home on afternoon and everything looked great until we went into the bedroom. He'd gotten up on the bed, know because the spread was covered in hair, and he chewed apart my pillow. Oh almost forgot there was also a half a loaf of eaten bread on the floor.


Now with Roscoe gone we are really afraid to leave him home alone!

[jonp]

Be careful anthropomorphizing animals especially ones humans have a psychological bond to.

[Lloyd Smale]

That's if you think its just a human trait to begin with. Personaly I think its us humans that come up short in showing love, trust, and feelings when stacked up next to a dog.
Be careful anthropomorphizing animals especially ones humans have a psychological bond to.

[Thin Man]

We were given a kitten when weaned, a female (got her fixed). She was with us about 8 years when the son-in-law brought us a kitten - a male cat that was freshly born then abandoned in his yard by the feral mother. Our female watched him from a distance and never really connected with him. We raised the male by hand feeding. Infant cat formula was fun to administer with eye droppers, then larger syringe bodies until he was able to eat on his own. Over the years he (by then fixed) tried to bond with her the answer was always "NO". This got to be a contest. He would romp all over the house chasing and encouraging her to play. She saw this as an invasion of her space. In time she aged out, got ill and passed away. For the next 6 months he would prowl the entire house and scream is if looking for her to come out from hiding. Now he travels to neighbors houses where they have cats working to have company. We WILL have another cat in the house for his companion, just wanted to wait for the initial shock to fade and let him establish the certainty that she was gone and to come to balance with his own priorities. While we always have been very affectionate with him, there is still a void where he wants and needs companionship of his own kind.

Thin Man

[44man]

That's if you think its just a human trait to begin with. Personaly I think its us humans that come up short in showing love, trust, and feelings when stacked up next to a dog.
Yes, even Carol does not understand me with my dog but she has bought 100 toys for her. She just acts tough.
The most heartbreaking thing I ever seen was a soldiers dog that would not leave the casket.
Family will rush in to take what you owned but a dog only wants you and your love.
People disappoint me and is why I love all of you because all of you are like me.

[shooter2]

No doubts in my mind. We adopted two English Springers through ESRA. They were a loving pair that would wrestle with each other. Lots of noise, but never a yelp. Buddy got ill and we lost him. Makena was heartbroken. We adopted another male, Ben, and while they get along, it's not the same. We feel that two is a good number and that the difference in ages should be minimal. But I digress. Yes dogs have feelings.

[Lonegun1894]

I'll take a dog over most people any day. My ex learned this when she told me to choose her or my dog. The dog is still here. :)

[jcwit]

That's if you think its just a human trait to begin with. Personaly I think its us humans that come up short in showing love, trust, and feelings when stacked up next to a dog.

Exactly, people have lost touch with a large portion of the world, both the seen and the unseen.

I do believe the Native American still holds onto some of it tho, the rest of us, not so much!

[Ballistics in Scotland]

They can be depressed when there is a reason for it, but they don't get clinical depression, the kind which really worries doctors, and which consists of depression without a reason. If you show depressive symptoms and the doctor learns that you have some kind of depression or irresolvable problem in your life, it is a tremendously healthy sign. Maybe depression with cause was a benign condition in our caveman days, stopping us from going out and falling an easy prey to the sabre-tooth, or pushing off in our canoe without a paddle.

When our old Labrador died, our cairn terrier, although apparently an unsentimental little hoodlum, went into decline. Or rather the reverse. She would take no exercise at all, and got so fat she was concave across the back. When carried to the nearby park she wouldn't move unless a big light brown dog was seen. She would run to it so fast I was afraid something would happen, only to relapse into gloom when she realized it was a stranger.

That dog would have been dead in weeks. So as I was at university I bought a puppy described as a mongrel terrier for thirty shillings in a Glasgow petshop. It seemed to have made matters worse, for the cairn was passionately jealous. A good dog will never bite a puppy, but she wouldn't stay in the room for three weeks. Then that little black nose pushed the door open. and they started wrestling away like two puppies. The cairn's weight fell away, and they kept it up until the puppy, which had turned into a curiously foxy and silky collie, was too big. Not that she was ever too big to be bullied, though.

She looked like a German shepherd/ Shetland collie cross, but I've seen them breeding more or less true like that in the back streets of Glasgow. If it was the Third World - and parts of Glasgow are close - someone would have registered them as a rare breed by now. I've had shepherds tell me she was a phenomenon even by border collie standards - "Laddie, it's pure sin for a collie like that tae be raised an amateur". But she was a pure pacifist, who caught up with rabbits but lost interest on finding out they don't want to play with dogs. The little cairn bounced up and down in horrow, and wouldn't walk within six feet of her all the way home. Both of them lived in good health to the age of fifteen, and I never carried a lead in the nine or so we had the collie alone.

172606

[Clay M]

Prozac is labeled for dogs, and bears in zoos.
I know because my wife is a veterinarian.

My old fifteen year old cat used to get frantically sad when we would go off for the weekend. He would cry for an hour when we would return home.
I got two new cats to keep him company ,and he is always calm when we come back home.

[trapper9260]

The 2 coydogs I had and they where brothers and one came down with lung cancer and was just short of 12 years old I had to put him down his brother could not eat hardly and then over eat later and when ever I would take him for a ride he was thinking we where going to get his brother. Then the next year, I got another one that was a puppy and he stay away from it the first night and then the next day he put the puppy in his place now one is need to be around the other. the first one is now over 14 1/2 years old and then was puppy is over 2 years old . Got him when he was 8 weeks , the brothers was the vet said was about 6 1/2 weeks old at the time.Reason do not know there age was because i got them from the wild and one got caught in my coyote trap.

[GhostHawk]

I am pretty sure that dogs can experience grief. We have all heard story's of the old man who passed away and his faithful dog lays on his grave. He knows that is where his master went. He probably also knows that his master is dead.

Dogs are pack animals, it would be normal to lose pack mates. Be still and quiet for a time dealing with it.
And it would look like depression.

I am not sure they experience depression as we do, being down, depressed, lethargic for no real reason other than we feel that way.

I think with dogs it is all situational, and with time and love it may go away, and it may not.

I also agree with Lloyd that it is us humans who almost never match up to the unconditional love, trust, and acceptance shown in almost every dog. If we loved more, and better, like dogs. Not for what we get out of it, but for love's sake. Well the world would be a better place.

[jcwit]

I am pretty sure that dogs can experience grief. We have all heard story's of the old man who passed away and his faithful dog lays on his grave. He knows that is where his master went. He probably also knows that his master is dead.

Dogs are pack animals, it would be normal to lose pack mates. Be still and quiet for a time dealing with it.
And it would look like depression.

I am not sure they experience depression as we do, being down, depressed, lethargic for no real reason other than we feel that way.

I think with dogs it is all situational, and with time and love it may go away, and it may not.

I also agree with Lloyd that it is us humans who almost never match up to the unconditional love, trust, and acceptance shown in almost every dog. If we loved more, and better, like dogs. Not for what we get out of it, but for love's sake. Well the world would be a better place.

Without a doubt that it would!

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Prozac is labeled for dogs, and bears in zoos.
I know because my wife is a veterinarian.

My old fifteen year old cat used to get frantically sad when we would go off for the weekend. He would cry for an hour when we would return home.
I got two new cats to keep him company ,and he is always calm when we come back home.

Some zoos are pretty enlightened nowadays, but can never quite reproduce the wild, and in the past the conditions would send just about any large animal around the bend. The petshop where I had bought my collie in 1968 was called Wilsons the Zoologist, and by that time had about mutated from an animal dealer and archaic indoor menagerie. In the 1950s, as a child, I saw a bear, Himalayan I think, which was actually rocking, and a black panther which incessantly paced up and down in its small, bare cage with tail swishing. A lot of zoo animals aren't half as dangerous as people imagine. There is nothing in it for them, and they see people all day. But I was learned in the classics, and even with my age in single figures I wouldn't have put my hand within range of those bars.

http://www.sheerpoetry.co.uk/junior/junior-poetry-library/in-the-classroom-part-one/the-lion-and-albert

[Goatwhiskers]

Just remember, God gave us dogs to teach us the meaning of unconditional love. GW

[jcwit]

Off topic, but wondering why the title of this thread got changed to "Y"?

[No_1]

Off topic, but wondering why the title of this thread got changed to "Y"?

Things happen - title fixed.

Robert

[Driver man]

The Lion and Albert by Marriot Edgar
THE LION AND ALBERTThere’s a famous seaside place called Blackpool,
That’s noted for fresh air and fun,
And Mr and Mrs Ramsbottom
Went there with young Albert, their son.
A grand little lad was young Albert,
All dressed in his best; quite a swell
With a stick with an ‘orse’s ‘ead ‘andle,
The finest that Woolworth’s could sell.
They didn’t think much to the Ocean:
The waves, they was fiddlin’ and small,
There was no wrecks and nobody drownded,
Fact, nothing to laugh at at all.
So, seeking for further amusement,
they paid and went into the Zoo,
Where they’d Lions and Tigers and Camels,
And old ale and sandwiches too.
There were one great big Lion called Wallace;
His nose were all covered with scars-
He lay in a somnolent posture,
With the side of his face on the bars.
Now Albert had heard about Lions,
How they was ferocious and wild-
To see Wallace lying so peaceful,
Well, it didn’t seem right to the child.
So straightway the brave little feller,
Not showing a morsel of fear,
Took his stick with it’s’orse’s ‘ead ‘andle
...And pushed it in Wallace’s ear.
You could see that the Liion didn’t like it,
For giving a kind of a roll,
He pulled Albert inside the cage with ‘im,
And swallowed the little lad ‘ole.
Then Pa, who had seen the occurence,
And didn’t know what to do next,
Said “Mother! Yon Lion’s ‘et Albert”,
And Mother said, ‘Well I am vexed!”
Then Mr and Mrs Ramsbottom-
Quite rightly, when all’s said and done-
Complained to the Animal Keeper,
That the Lion had eaten their son.
The keeper was quite nice about it;
He said “What a nasty mishap.
Are you sure that it’s your boy he’s eaten?”
Pa said “Am I sure? There’s his cap!”
The manager had to be sent for.
He came and he said “What’s to do?”
Pa said “Yon Lion’s ‘et Albert,
And ‘im in his Sunday clothes, too.”
The Mother said, “Right’s right, young feller;
I think it’s a shame and a sin,
For a lion to go and eat Albert,
And after we’ve paid to come in.”
The manager wanted no trouble,
He took out his purse right away,
Saying “How much to settle the matter?”
And Pa said “What do you usually pay?”
But Mother had turned a bit awkward
When she thought where her Albert had gone.
She said “No! someone’s got to be summonsed”-
So that was decided upon.
Then off they went to the P’lice Station,
In front of the Magistrate chap;
They told ‘im what happened to Albert,
And proved it by showing his cap.
The Magistrate gave his opinion
That no one was really to blame
And he said that he hoped the Ramsbottoms
Would have further sons to their name.
At that Mother got proper blazing,
“And thank you, sir, kindly,” said she.
“What waste all our lives raising children
To feed ruddy Lions? Not me!”
MARRIOTT EDGAR

[kmw1954]

Thank you Robert for the fix! Any idea what causes this?

[KCSO]

I saw a gal last week fluffing up and kissing her little pootsie wootsie and I am SURE there is one depressed dog! It use to depress me when my aunts did it!

[kmw1954]

Well the puppies didn't work out. Diesel didn't want anything to do with them. We think they were too small or he thought they were chew toys. Rabbits are not safe inside his fence. He did fine amongst all the adult dogs that were present.

[BCRider]

I've never had multiple pets. But I know lots of families that do. Dogs very much feel confused and at a loss when a family member, human or animal, fail to come home. They'll wander around looking for them on and off for months after.

My sister and the BIL have had multiple dogs and a few cats tossed in for many years. They live up on their own property well out of town. Each time one of the animals has passed on the burial has been on the property and the other pets have seen and smelled the body. It seems like having seen the body they don't like it and will be depressed for a while. But I saw that they accept it and re-adjust more readily as opposed to homes in the city where the other animal just simply doesn't come home ever again. For my friends with pets where that is the case they say that the searching and expectation that the passed on pet will someday show up or jump down out of the car when the folks come home seems to last for months. It may sound silly but perhaps it's a case of the city animal lacking a sense of closure by not being able to see and smell the body of the passed one.

Cats? I'm sure that those that play together will miss each other for a while. But cats are so independent that I doubt it lasts for long. I think it's a stronger trait for dogs because of their being more of a pack oriented animal.

[facetious]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuOCeJSQCTs&app=desktop

This was just sent to me.

We have had Jacks for twenty years and when we lost our first one "Critter" the other two never did get over it all the way. Our rat dog "Skittles"just lost any intrest in doing the things that he did with his buddy. "Pearl" never got the spark back the she had. We got another Jack "Cookie" in 2009 when we lost Critter and thy excepted her but it was never the same. In late 2014 we lost Pearl and Skittles with in weeks of each other. Cookie went in to depression bad so we got another Jack puppy. He was kind of a rescue, had a bad hip on the left rear but it never slowed him down. We had him for five years, and every day he let me know when it was time for our walk and then one day he didn't want go any more. We took him to the vet and found he had bone cancer, we lost him a few weeks later. Now Cookie would whine when ever I left for work, and the wife said she would get in her box and not come out till I came home. She figured out that some times you can leave and never come back. We got another Jack pup "Boomer" just over a year ago and she took to mothering him but he six years younger then she is and kind of got tired of him, he is like he is on meth or some thing, some times as far as I can tell he only has two speeds "sleep and full speed flat out " So the wife come home with another pup "Loki" for him to play with. Loki came from a puppy rescue by way of the vet. All we know was she was part of a litter that some one dumped along a road in Oklahoma some where. Papers just say "hound mix". But we think she is a Pit/Ridgeback/? mix. At what we think is nine months she is 30lbs she can give Boomer a good work out and thy are getting to be buds. And Cookie can still put them in their places.

So yes thy know and can miss the ones thy love when thy go.

[jonp]

No, be careful to not anthropomorphise

[kmw1954]

No, be careful to not anthropomorphise

So I'm guessing you feel animals do not feel emotion or have a sense of self?