The best animal companions for depression

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

The idea that they are aloof loners that don't give a crap about their owners is a complete myth perpetuated by cat owners who have no clue what they hell they are doing and don't care to. Cats are just as affectionate if not more so than dogs and don't let anyone tell you different.

As with all things, it's down to the individual cat. Some cats are aloof loners, others are clingy, cuddly schmoozers. Some are neurotic headcases. Some are the life of the party.

On a general 1:1 level, cats are a bit more "aloof" than dogs, because they tend to sleep more and spend more time engaged in solitary activity. That, however, is only on a general level. On an individual level, anything goes.

Put the cat box near the toilet, Change to flushable litter, start raising it up like 1 book at a time then put it on the toilet cut a hole in the middle making the hole bigger each time until there is no litter at all. There are multiple ways to get them to flush, either put a scratcher on the handle or get a switch they push the button on.

My sister tried that, many years ago. Worked like gangbusters until the cat fell in the toilet. That was the end of that.

Yea it is a good idea to get or build them a stool that sits next to the toilet at the same height so they have more balance. Works really well especially when they get older to prevent them from falling. Once you have one cat trained to use the toilet training any new cats coming in is much easier since they have an example and all cats like to go in the same spot.

 

[MCerberus]

I'd note that 1. cats have breeds.

Oh definitively. If anyone wanted a friendly cat, they could just pay through the nose for a Ragdoll. I'm generally against selective breeding in domestic animals, though, because of all the corresponding health issues it introduces, so I like to encourage "mutts". And with mutts, you never know what you're gonna get, outside of the nurture factors you have control over.

One of the good things about American Shorthairs is that they're essentially a breed of mutts. They've been selected for compatibility with humans over individual traits.

And note I did recommend Siamese Classic. There are other breeds of Siamese that have been "exaggerated". Classics are just cats with the distinctive coloring and are majestic as fuck. That and Siamese kittens are deadly, deadly adorable.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Spoiler

Cats, definitely. I have 3 and I can honestly tell you that all 3 put together are less work to take care of than 1 dog. Basically the only things you really have to clean their litterboxes daily, brush them if a longhair, feed them, train them to use a scratching post which in my experience most cats will take to a good one right away with barely any prompting and hardly ever claw anything else, and play with it for a few minutes daily, and even that is basically negated if you get two of them.

The idea that they are aloof loners that don't give a crap about their owners is a complete myth perpetuated by cat owners who have no clue what they hell they are doing and don't care to. Cats are just as affectionate if not more so than dogs and don't let anyone tell you different. I have at least one of them near me purring away basically 24/7 including right now. One in particular meows constantly if I'm not paying attention it, meets me at the door whenever I get back from wherever I was, follows me around most of the time, and wants me to pet him or play with him constantly (get your cat fixed early BTW, especially if it's a male if you don't want marking behavior). Just do your research and become informed like with any animal you might get and do what the research says and you'll be fine. Also, don't let cats outside especially unsupervised, it's unnecessary and puts them at risk for no benefit whatsoever.

It is actually really easy to toilet train your cat so you do not have to deal with a litter box at all.

Put the cat box near the toilet, Change to flushable litter, start raising it up like 1 book at a time then put it on the toilet cut a hole in the middle making the hole bigger each time until there is no litter at all. There are multiple ways to get them to flush, either put a scratcher on the handle or get a switch they push the button on. I prefer male cats, and you are right, get them fixed as soon as your vet will do it. Some do it younger than others, but the younger the better so they will never start to spray.

You know, suddenly, all those videos I've seen of cat's balancing between the toilet and the tub and shitting on the floor beneath make sense.

I actually put their ledge stool in between the tub and the toilet so never had that happen. HAHA! If you make a toilet height stool that fits between the tub and the toilet they will use that to keep from falling and gives them better balance.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

I'd note that 1. cats have breeds.

Oh definitively. If anyone wanted a friendly cat, they could just pay through the nose for a Ragdoll. I'm generally against selective breeding in domestic animals, though, because of all the corresponding health issues it introduces, so I like to encourage "mutts". And with mutts, you never know what you're gonna get, outside of the nurture factors you have control over.

One of the good things about American Shorthairs is that they're essentially a breed of mutts. They've been selected for compatibility with humans over individual traits.

And note I did recommend Siamese Classic. There are other breeds of Siamese that have been "exaggerated". Classics are just cats with the distinctive coloring and are majestic as fuck. That and Siamese kittens are deadly, deadly adorable.

The best thing about "mutts" is they usually have stronger immune systems than purebreds and purebreds frequently also come with high Vet bills, some MUCH higher depending on the breed.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

One of the good things about American Shorthairs is that they're essentially a breed of mutts. They've been selected for compatibility with humans over individual traits.

And note I did recommend Siamese Classic. There are other breeds of Siamese that have been "exaggerated". Classics are just cats with the distinctive coloring and are majestic as fuck. That and Siamese kittens are deadly, deadly adorable.

My girlfriend adopted a show-cat who had been poorly treated in his prior life...he was a neat cat, but had no end of psychological and health issues. The current cat is a pugnacious tabby mutt who gives no fucks and is as hardy as a horse. The show cat was the last purebred I'll ever own. Although I was tempted by Maine Coons and Ragdolls, the former for their majesty, the latter for their temperament. I often think on that temperament when my current cat is beating on me.

I think it's dogs who got the shorter end of the purebred stick, as most of their breeds have been more aggressively winnowed. Not sure how accurate, but I remember seeing this...

http://imgur.com/gallery/YxodC

...and feeling terrible for the dogs.

 

[MCerberus]

I think it's dogs who got the shorter end of the purebred stick, as most of their breeds have been more aggressively winnowed. Not sure how accurate, but I remember seeing this...

http://imgur.com/gallery/YxodC

...and feeling terrible for the dogs.

The AKC and its televised show can burn down. Not for all I care, I actively hope the society is destroyed.
Last dog I had was when I was in college. Purebred Yorkie from a breeder (who cared, but still was adjacent to breed expectations). Neurotic little thing(as we all are). Lasted longer than all of its litter but was the cheapest because it wasn't life-threateningly small. It was Twilight-zone bizarre how that happened.

The best thing about "mutts" is they usually have stronger immune systems than purebreds and purebreds frequently also come with high Vet bills, some MUCH higher depending on the breed.

Best cat ever was a ???. it was huge and had brown with darker stripes and large areas of white fur so it was easy to guess the components though. Former street tough, scar across its bridge. Nicest guy ever, great around everything, indestructible.

edit- OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH OP, I just remembered. Vet cats. Poke your head in the nearest vet, say you're looking for a pet. They're up on their shots, socialized, and comfortable around animals. 90% of vet cats are up for adoption. They don't move fast because generally they're older than 2 but if there's anything medical wrong with them, the vet will tell you up front.

 

[DefunctTheory]

One of the good things about American Shorthairs is that they're essentially a breed of mutts. They've been selected for compatibility with humans over individual traits.

And note I did recommend Siamese Classic. There are other breeds of Siamese that have been "exaggerated". Classics are just cats with the distinctive coloring and are majestic as fuck. That and Siamese kittens are deadly, deadly adorable.

My girlfriend adopted a show-cat who had been poorly treated in his prior life...he was a neat cat, but had no end of psychological and health issues. The current cat is a pugnacious tabby mutt who gives no fucks and is as hardy as a horse. The show cat was the last purebred I'll ever own. Although I was tempted by Maine Coons and Ragdolls, the former for their majesty, the latter for their temperament. I often think on that temperament when my current cat is beating on me.

I think it's dogs who got the shorter end of the purebred stick, as most of their breeds have been more aggressively winnowed. Not sure how accurate, but I remember seeing this...

http://imgur.com/gallery/YxodC

...and feeling terrible for the dogs.

There's quite a few dog breeds that are almost fucked up beyond any hope. Where genetic defects, propensity for disease/conditions/cancer, and physical deformities are so prevalent that any attempt to breed it out of them would, in effect, create an entirely new breed, or just a massive collection of mutts.

German Shepherds are sadly getting close to that point. They're in the middle of an interbreeding program to try and fix them, but people don't want 'fixed' shepherds, they want shepherds. It's pretty sad.

Only dogs I've ever had were mutts. When I was young, we had a German Shepherd/Collie mix, and I loved her. Died of cancer, but lasted as long as a dog of that size typically does. We have a black lab/something rescue right now, and though she's timid, always looks sad, has to eat special food and seizure meds, and is scared of everything under the sun, she's a good dog.

 

[bliebblob]

Have you considered a therapist? They're not only there for extreme cases after all, and financially likely not too dissimilar to a pet.

 

[immortalfrieza]

It is actually really easy to toilet train your cat so you do not have to deal with a litter box at all.

Put the cat box near the toilet, Change to flushable litter, start raising it up like 1 book at a time then put it on the toilet cut a hole in the middle making the hole bigger each time until there is no litter at all. There are multiple ways to get them to flush, either put a scratcher on the handle or get a switch they push the button on.

I know toilet training cats can be done, but it can also cause the cat to eliminate outside either the litterbox or toilet as well especially with a cat that wasn't trained for it at a young age, thus I just prefer to deal with litter because it's much more certain not to cause problems.

As with all things, it's down to the individual cat. Some cats are aloof loners, others are clingy, cuddly schmoozers. Some are neurotic headcases. Some are the life of the party.

On a general 1:1 level, cats are a bit more "aloof" than dogs, because they tend to sleep more and spend more time engaged in solitary activity. That, however, is only on a general level. On an individual level, anything goes.

Which is why I generally prefer to get kittens, since shaping their personality and behavior is much easier. However, I have and will continue to have older cats too, which can be gradually made affectionate and playful even the most neurotic and aloof, at least towards their owner it is just a matter of knowing what one is doing when it comes to cats. Cats respond to positive reinforcement much much better than negative reinforcement for one, play in particular being very good for modifying and correcting a great deal of behaviors.

And with mutts, you never know what you're gonna get, outside of the nurture factors you have control over.

Which is why I think breeds are good, despite having only mutts myself. With mutts there's any number of genetic conditions and behavioral problems that are a roll of the dice as far as our ability to predict and do something about, while with properly bred cats one knows the look, general behavior, and potential health issues the breed might have right off the bat and can account for them. In fact, quite a few breeds have no genetic health issues to speak of. Breeders also work to eliminate said health issues as much as possible with each generation and help keep the population down by controlling whether breeding is possible, as opposed to mutts which are so widespread they can't avoid breeding like crazy. The problem with breeds is not the occurrence of them but the inbreeding and disreputable breeders rampant in the practice, which needs to be stamped out.

 

[RedDeadFred]

I went through a mild period of depression. My dog really helped me through that. She always wants to sit with me when I watch TV or play games, so I always felt wanted by someone, even if that person wasn't human. I'd be sitting there and she'd actually walk up and paw at me to let her up.

 

[The White Hunter]

Ferrets and cats are excellent for depression.

Playful, cuddly, enjoy being petted and handled, fairly low maintenance compared to dogs and generally have relatively long lives.

Ferrets do take some attention and prep to keep though, they love digging through god damn everything, they will try get through any gap, and by jove they WILL bite.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Ferrets and cats are excellent for depression.

Playful, cuddly, enjoy being petted and handled, fairly low maintenance compared to dogs and generally have relatively long lives.

Ferrets do take some attention and prep to keep though, they love digging through god damn everything, they will try get through any gap, and by jove they WILL bite.

I think the unexpected and off the wall shit they do is what makes them so entertaining. Coming in and finding your cat on top of the door, or in the couch with just claws sticking out or running in circles with a box stuck on it's head is countless hours of entertainment.

 

[happyninja42]

I'd say dogs are, indeed, the best animals in general, and for companionship. Pretty much the most social domestic animal we've ever had and will have.

It's Stockholm syndrome. I find the way humans treat dogs pretty messed up. Breeding them according to traits we find cute, sterilizing, training and instilling fear, entrapping or leashing them at all times... I can't think of any other animal that's so frequently leashed. Of course the dog will learn to love its captor when it's being yanked and led around all the time. In prehistory, we domesticated out of necessity. Now we do it almost strictly for amusement. Humans are so selfish.

Because they're morons and they will run into traffic or instinctively just run until they get lost or worse may attack another dog or human out of fear and the state will force them to be put down.

You leash a dog because you care about it. Not the other way around, yo.

I get that. It doesn't change what I talked about. If someone asked me why I don't want a dog, one of the many things I'd say that I don't like the idea of domesticating them. They become too dependent and needy. I find it annoying and kinda pathetic.

Missed the domesticating boat by a few thousand years since an undomesticated dog is a wolf.

Yeah, and when I think about that, I have trouble deciding what I'd like done with them. Maybe we should stop breeding the vast majority of them and keep the most useful ones for utilitarian purposes. Better to let some species die out than to breed millions of psychologically damaged dependents. I never understood needing company from other species.

A bit off topic here, but I find it funny how these two little shits are always barking at me from behind their fence, but when the gate is open, they just look at me from afar. I don't have much love for dogs.

You sound like you are a member of PETA. If not, you should probably check them out. They share your "let them die out instead of keeping them as part of our lives" mentality.

 

[The White Hunter]

Ferrets and cats are excellent for depression.

Playful, cuddly, enjoy being petted and handled, fairly low maintenance compared to dogs and generally have relatively long lives.

Ferrets do take some attention and prep to keep though, they love digging through god damn everything, they will try get through any gap, and by jove they WILL bite.

I think the unexpected and off the wall shit they do is what makes them so entertaining. Coming in and finding your cat on top of the door, or in the couch with just claws sticking out or running in circles with a box stuck on it's head is countless hours of entertainment.

Mine is sadly departed but it used to catch bats.

Bats.

FUCKING BATS.

And bring them inside and let them free to fly about and screech and be a nuisance.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Ferrets and cats are excellent for depression.

Playful, cuddly, enjoy being petted and handled, fairly low maintenance compared to dogs and generally have relatively long lives.

Ferrets do take some attention and prep to keep though, they love digging through god damn everything, they will try get through any gap, and by jove they WILL bite.

I think the unexpected and off the wall shit they do is what makes them so entertaining. Coming in and finding your cat on top of the door, or in the couch with just claws sticking out or running in circles with a box stuck on it's head is countless hours of entertainment.

Mine is sadly departed but it used to catch bats.

Bats.

FUCKING BATS.

And bring them inside and let them free to fly about and screech and be a nuisance.

They were probably your presents from your cat looking to take good care of his/her human. The cat probably wanted you to eat it.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Spoiler

Ferrets and cats are excellent for depression.

Playful, cuddly, enjoy being petted and handled, fairly low maintenance compared to dogs and generally have relatively long lives.

Ferrets do take some attention and prep to keep though, they love digging through god damn everything, they will try get through any gap, and by jove they WILL bite.

I think the unexpected and off the wall shit they do is what makes them so entertaining. Coming in and finding your cat on top of the door, or in the couch with just claws sticking out or running in circles with a box stuck on it's head is countless hours of entertainment.

Mine is sadly departed but it used to catch bats.

Bats.

FUCKING BATS.

And bring them inside and let them free to fly about and screech and be a nuisance.

Could be worse. We have two outside cats, and every time you go outside in the morning, you're treated to a brand new scene that looks like it belongs in a squirrel version of The Chain Saw Massacre. Headless bodies, bodyless heads, dismember limbs and guts and blood all over the place.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Animals make me happy, they always have. Seeing as I have been in what is sometimes called 'a state of depression' since approximately January, I have been thinking of going to a nearby animal shelter to adopt a furry friend. The hope is that they will provide some anchor of sanity to the world and provide roughly the opposite effect to the people I see every day.

I like dogs for how intelligent and loving they are, but I realize that a dog is a serious commitment and it'd be unwise to start big like that. That in mind, I thought a small animal like a rabbit, gerbil or chinchilla might be more appropriate. What do you recommend, Escapists?

I dislike cats to a degree that stops comfortably short of kicking them, but wouldn't dismiss the option of adopting one entirely, potentially from a difficult or abusive life. Any animal willing to respect my home and family will hopefully always find itself welcome and cared for. [https://i.imgur.com/OQ73zr9.jpg?1]

I'd say go with a cat for several reasons. Just looking at cats is proven to calm people down, they're objectively more intelligent than dogs, but more important... A cat's purr is at a specific frequency that promotes healing, lowers blood pressure, and improves mood. Cat antics are also great to watch, very entertaining.

Rabbits are a bit difficult as they tend to be pretty temperamental. They only cuddle when they want, not necessarily when you want, and they tend to chew wires. Chinchillas are needy and difficult to extremes, while gerbils are neurotic and tend to bite. If you want something in the rodent family, Guinea Pigs are amazing. They're low maintenance, super cuddly, usually really calm, sweet natured, and the fun part... Your Guinea Pig will start excitedly oinking up a storm when you come home and when you feed it. They're very people oriented and they can even work well with other pets, just so long as the other pet's not attempting to eat it. But they're pretty people oriented little animals, so they tend to be super friendly and loving.

Although cats have one advantage over most other pets, play time. Cats are amazingly fun to play with, you can make them leap high in to the air, chase a little red dot all over the house, and such. Although with cats, you're going to want to interact with them before you adopt. Try to find the most people oriented one you possibly can, if possible a kitten, because it'll be far easier to teach a kitten how your household works.

 

[Lieju]

I love my ferret and she is very low effort and affectionate pet...

I love ferrets, but surprised to hear you say this. I consider ferrets analogous to extremely high energy dogs. When they're "on", they require near constant attention and supervision. They may sleep more than dogs and operate indoors better than dogs, but holy shit those energy levels are through the roof.

I'd also start socking money away now, because when they get older ferrets tend to have cascading health issues, which can be extremely expensive to deal with as many vets consider them "exotics" and it's hard to get pet insurance for them. Not in a "doom and gloom" sense, just so you don't get blindsided by $5000 in vet bills one day.

It depends on how you have prepared for having a ferret. She doesn't need supervision because the flat is safe for her but of course I do play with her. I have had her for four years. And yes, I know about the vet bills. Luckily I have a vet nearby who is specialized in ferrets and I have money saved in case of that. (and obviously there are regular vet visits etc but those and surprise bills can happen with any pets... My grandparents dog who is only few years old has recently had aseries of expensive surgeries. It's a risk with any pets,but ofcourse sinceferrets don't live as long they get oldquicker as well...)
She is WAY easier than my cat ever was, mainly because I have been able to furnish my home so she doesn't get anywhere she shouldn't. Plus she sleeps during the day when I'm away and while she is high energy when she's on, that's not all the time?

Also while ferrets can be difficult to teach to use the box,can't say I have had big problems with her shitting everywhere. Unless you count the fact she chose her toilet and I just had to adapt to it and put the box where she wanted to. I'd say she is easier than a cat but depends on your circumstances really.

That surprises me. The ferrets I lived with decided that the proper place to shit was that 90 degree angle where the wall meets the floor. And not one wall or anything - ALL walls. And I swear to God that they refused to shit anywhere in their cage. Little bastards would hold it in for when they were let out.

I have been lucky with her. I know many people with ferrets and I have heard of problems,and she did that as a kit but I managed to train her out of it. She does occasionally shit next to the box but still pretty much on the same spot and I put newspaper on there. But I haven't had any surprise poo anywhere in years.

(now when we visit my mum's house it's a different matter, and there I need to keep her in a cage and only let her out supervised,and she poops under the bed if she's not kept an eye on)

But yeah, ferrets arenot for everyone,but for me she is way less effort than a dog would be for example since taking them regularly on walks for example would take lot of effort for me...
Also I dislike barking and ferrets are quiet pets.

So considering my lifestyle and what kind of person I am it's way easier than having a dog.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

The obvious answer is a doggy (preferably from a dog shelter). But they do require much responsibility, it depends on how acute the depression is. A dinosaur however...or a sabre tooth tiger...
Cats can actually be loving pets. It depends how you raise them. People seem to assume they are loveless assholes that just demand food, scratch ppl and hide, sleeping all day. Now while the last point may be true, the rest depends on their environment. I am currently housesitting a zoo full of animals and there are 8 cats as part of the animals i tend to. They are all very comfortable with people and love to be petted/fussed. But they do not rely on it, like dogs. perfect for down time. I hope you are coping well currently, it is an unpleasant issue to deal with, to say the least. The US mental healthcare system would be a joke, if it wasn't so damaging. If it's any consolation, i understand, and would like to help somehow.