Understanding “Depression Kitty”: What BoJack Horseman Teaches Us About Mental Illness

In the emotionally nuanced and critically acclaimed animated series BoJack Horseman, mental illness is neither minimized nor glamorized. Instead, it’s presented in complex, often painful, but refreshingly honest ways. One of the most compelling metaphors for depression in the show is the character known as the “Depression Kitty.” This character offers a unique lens through which we can explore the reality of living with mental health challenges and reflect on the importance of understanding, empathy, and equitable mental health support.

Who is the Depression Kitty?

The Depression Kitty appears in the mind of BoJack’s friend, Sarah Lynn, and later in the dreamscape of Princess Carolyn’s assistant, Ruthie. Large, lethargic, and maternal in tone, the Depression Kitty doesn’t shout or scold. She coos softly, encourages inertia, and convinces her victims that staying in bed and avoiding the world is the safest option.

The character is voiced in a way that blurs the line between comfort and suffocation—perfectly mirroring how depression can feel like a warm, heavy blanket that you can’t get out from under.

A Metaphor Rooted in Lived Experience

Rather than dramatizing mental illness with theatrics or clichés, the Depression Kitty is a personification of persistent, chronic depression—a condition that affects people across all demographics, regardless of age, race, gender identity, or socioeconomic status. Her presence is a reminder that depression is often not about sadness, but about numbness, isolation, and exhaustion.

In this way, BoJack Horseman succeeds in showing that depression isn’t always explosive. Sometimes, it’s quiet. And that’s what makes it so dangerous.

A DEO-Friendly Perspective: Centering Equity in Mental Health

From a Diversity, Equity, and Opportunity (DEO) standpoint, the Depression Kitty is more than a narrative tool. It symbolizes the often-unspoken barriers people face in seeking help—whether due to stigma in marginalized communities, lack of culturally competent care, or structural inequalities in healthcare systems.

Here’s what BoJack Horseman gets right through characters like the Depression Kitty:

• Representation Matters: By depicting different characters dealing with mental health—women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals—the show challenges the myth that depression looks the same in everyone or only affects certain groups.
• De-stigmatization: The show normalizes conversations around therapy, addiction, trauma, and relapse. It acknowledges that healing isn’t linear and that setbacks are part of the process.
• Accountability with Compassion: While BoJack makes many harmful choices, the show doesn’t excuse his behavior through his mental illness. Instead, it presents a nuanced dialogue: people are responsible for their actions and they also deserve help.
• Cultural Context: For characters like Diane Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American writer, depression intersects with cultural expectations and immigrant family dynamics. Her struggles highlight how mental illness cannot be separated from identity, culture, and upbringing.

What We Can Learn

The Depression Kitty teaches us that:

• Depression isn’t always obvious. It can be masked by productivity, humor, or apparent stability.
• Support must be accessible and inclusive. Mental health services need to be attuned to the lived realities of diverse communities.
• We should cultivate environments—at home, at school, at work—that are compassionate and trauma-informed.

Conclusion: A Call for Equity in Mental Health

BoJack Horseman doesn’t offer easy answers. Instead, it holds up a mirror to our world, inviting viewers to reflect on how we treat ourselves and each other. The Depression Kitty is a quiet, but powerful reminder of the invisible weight many people carry every day.

To build a truly equitable future, we must destigmatize mental illness, invest in inclusive care systems, and amplify the voices of those who have too often been left out of the conversation. As BoJack shows us, understanding begins with listening—and healing begins with being seen.