Stealing the neighbour’s Sunday dinner, flooding the kitchen and smashing an urn containing the ashes of a loved one- new research provides a revealing insight into the secret world of Britain’s pets.
They may well be one of the family but what do our pets get up to when no one’s looking? A study of 2,000 UK pet owners revealed the most extreme, funny and unbelievable secret actions of cats and dogs around the country.
One dog attempted a ‘great escape’ – managing to tunnel through the kitchen floorboards- spending two days under the house.
And one woman returned home to find her cats had somehow flicked the tap on and were sat marooned on top of the washing machine with the entire kitchen flooded.
While another greedy cat dragged a whole cooked chicken into the house through the cat flap – with the owners too embarrassed to find out which neighbour’s Sunday dinner had been stolen.
Remarkably, another couple returned home to greet their overweight tomcat, only to find he was in fact a ‘she’ and had given birth to kittens whilst they were away.
There was also a university student whose dog really did eat her homework, while a pair of glasses, designer handbag and even a set of false teeth also made the menu for Britain’s canine companions.
The incredible insight into the shenanigans of Britain’s cats and dogs was commissioned by the Panasonic Smart Home monitoring system, which allows you to keep an eye on our pets when away from home.
Other strange surprises awaiting pet owners included many a pet being curiously the wrong side of a supposedly locked door, while several clever animals learned just how to open the fridge-and demolish the contents.
But despite the surprises and sometimes chaos of our dear furry friends, the value they bring is obvious – the average owner enjoys over 16 hours of quality time with their pet per week.
A spokesman for Panasonic Smart Home said: “Any dog or cat owner will tell you that there’s nothing better than the warm welcome they give you when coming in the front door but, just occasionally, there might also be a surprise of some kind.
“Our pets bring so much to our daily lives and are a firm part of the family, but owners wonder – and often worry – about what it is their pets get up to when they’re not around.
“The results provide a revealing insight into some of the adventures (and antics!) they’re having when not under their owner’s watchful eyes.”
And we owe them a lot too – a quarter said they are at their happiest when spending time with their pet while a third even prefer being with their pet to being with friends.
Just under half of respondents said they were less stressed because of their pet, while boosts to avoiding loneliness and getting more energy were common.
Many owners even rely on a pet psychologist- more than half ask their pets questions despite knowing they won’t get an answer, while one in four has spoken to their ‘relationship councillor’ about their partner, or commented on them while they are still in the room.
In return, 77 per cent of Britain’s pets are well and truly pampered- receiving #130+ worth of goods and treats a year on average.
While more than half celebrate their pet’s birthday, results showed.
The Panasonic spokesman added: “Whether they give us unlimited affection, an attentive ear, help us de-stress or make us feel more secure in our homes, our pets play a very important part in our lives.
“To reward the nation’s Very Important Pets, Panasonic Smart Home is giving owners the chance to win a host of well-deserved prizes for them and their VIP to enjoy.
Pet Antics:
*A couple’s excitable puppy smashed an urn, spilling ashes all over the floor
*Another couple returned to a flooded kitchen with their guilty-looking cats marooned on top of the washing machine
*A couple returned to greet their tubby tomcat- only to find he was a ‘she’ who had given birth to kittens while they were away
*Two dogs sat quietly on the sofa… watching a burglar rob the house
*Another made a ‘great escape’ tunnelling under the kitchen floor boards and getting stuck for two days
*One greedy cat pulled a whole cooked roast chicken through the cat flap – a neighbour’s Sunday roast
*A cat playfully shredded a wad of cash left out by the owners
*One puppy ate his way through important vehicle registration documents and, ironically, a book called ‘Perfect Puppy’
*One dog mysteriously managed to get on the other side of a locked door
*One dog ate both arms of a pair of glasses
*Another ate a minty mouth guard and dentures
*One man’s delivery of several Marks and Spencer jumpers was left in his garden- only to be torn apart by his dogs
*Another hapless dog managed to lock himself inside a cupboard- luckily his whimpering got him released
