A survey of 2,000 pet owners has uncovered the top 25 questions dog and cat owners wish they could ask their furry friends – from ‘are you happy?’ to ‘do you ever judge me?’
‘Are you happy?’, ‘Do you like me?’ and ‘Do you talk about me to other animals?’ feature amongst the top 25 questions pet owners wish they could ask their beloved companions.
A survey of 2,000 cat and dog owners discovered that 54% frequently wish they could have a conversation with their four-legged friends to gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts and feelings.
Roughly one in 10 cat owners have pondered what their pet might be scheming, while 36% suspect their feline may actually be able to read their mind.
Meanwhile, one in five dog owners are keen to know whether their pet could be autistic. Others revealed they’d love to discover whether their animals are passing judgement on them – or whether they experience jealousy.
This follows pet insurer Petgevity, which commissioned the study, launching its first ever podcast this week, focusing on neurodiversity in pets. Doctor Who actor James Hoyles and his four-legged companion Trevor the Iggy have joined forces with the insurer for the project.
The actor and content creator said: “Having a pet means you never stop learning, especially when you realise just how complex they can be.
“No pet is the same – every animal is different and will have different needs, and it is completely normal to have questions you never expected to ask.”
The study also found that 88% of owners are confident they understand their pet, with 41% claiming their pet understands them better than any other human.
Four in ten frequently find themselves talking to their pet as if they were human, routinely seeking their counsel on major life decisions, such as a new job or a relationship breakup, despite knowing they won’t get a response.
Many have also pictured their pet possessing human characteristics, such as a preferred type of food (43%), a distinctive sense of humour (32%), and caring about their appearance (21%).
However, some would like to probe deeper, with pressing questions centred on their pet-owner bond, such as ‘what’s your favourite thing we do together?’ (34%) and ‘do you wish I did anything differently?’ (33%)
Kerry Willecome, pet insurance expert at Petgevity, added: “They aren’t just pets but friends and members of our family.
“We develop deep meaningful connections with our pets which is why it’s always worth seeking trusted advice when something doesn’t seem quite right
“And the fact owners always have questions about their furry friends just goes to show how much they want to understand their pets and make them happy.”
THE TOP 25 BURNING QUESTIONS OWNERS HAVE FOR THEIR PETS:
- Are you happy?
- Do you like your life?
- Do you understand every word I say?
- What’s your favourite thing we do together?
- What is actually happening in that head?
- Do you wish I did anything differently?
- What’s your favourite type of food?
- Do you like me?
- Does my cat/dog love me?
- Which family members do you like and dislike?
- Do you ever talk about me to other animals?
- Do you ever judge me?
- Do you ever get jealous?
- Have you ever considered running away?
- Do you secretly know more than me?
- If you could create a new rule for the house, what would it be?
- Do you ever visit other human’s houses?
- Are you plotting something?
- Have you ever fallen in love?
- If you had a secret talent, what would it be?
- If you could speak any language, which would you choose (besides animal-speak)?
- If you could swap bodies with any animal for a day, which would you choose?
- Can you read?
- Would you like being famous?
- Are you the one who keeps stealing the remote?
