Pets-eye view: the joys of working from home with a pet

For those freelancers lucky enough to have a furry companion, you’ll know all too well the joys of working from home with a pet. Your four-legged friend is there to offer companionship and can help combat that feeling of loneliness. They also provide a welcome distraction when the going gets tough. But, have you ever wondered how your pet feels about you working from home? What would they say if only they could talk…

“My human isn’t like other humans; she works with me at home. She has a particular room where she goes to do her work. In the morning, I like to go and climb on her chair just before she gets there. She loves this because it makes the chair nice and furry ready for her to sit on.

We then play a little game where she tries to nudge me off the chair gently, but I dig my claws in, so she has to try harder. When I finally let her win, she gets her favourite toy out; it’s a little machine that sucks up fur and dirt, and she loves playing with it. She uses it to get all my hair off the chair. I don’t really like the noise it makes, so I leave the room while she has her fun.

Another favourite game of ours is where she gets all dressed up in her smart clothes, and then I rub around her ankles or jump up into her lap. She shoos me away, but I keep going back. She loves it.

If she’s in a particularly playful mood, she’ll leave her blazer laying neatly across a chair so I can sit on it while I wash myself. When I do this, she gets really excited because it means she can play with her other favourite toy – the sticky roller thing.

Most of the time, I sleep peacefully curled up somewhere comfy like my human’s bed or the sofa. But, whenever my human needs me, I go to her office and make sure she knows I am there for her.

I can tell when she needs me because she’ll be tapping furiously on her computer or rifling through piles of paperwork. I help her by jumping up on the desk and sitting on her keyboard while she tries to type or walking over the papers she is sorting through. Whenever I do this, she makes funny, loud noises and calls me names. This is how she shows her gratitude. We make such a good team.

Today my human had an important video call. I know when she has one of these because she shuts the office door. It’s ok though; I let her know that I am still there for her by scratching at the door, clawing at the carpet and meowing as loudly as I can.

Sometimes she will open the door, and I run away and hide under the bed. If she catches me, she’ll put me outside.

It’s raining today, so I go straight for the bedroom when she comes after me. Unfortunately, I’m not quick enough, and she puts me out in the rain.

Not to worry, I’ll head over to number 25 and meow at their door. They like it when I visit, and they always have a cute bag of treats for me.

When I return home, my human is being extra nice. She probably feels bad for putting me outside. She puts my favourite food in my bowl, but I’m not hungry because the neighbours gave me a lot of treats today.

My human tries to stroke me, but I turn my back on her and walk away. She needs to learn that she can’t just have my attention whenever she wants it. I’ll forgive her later of course, when she’s learnt her lesson. For now, I want to find a cosy spot to snuggle up in and get some sleep. It’s a tiring job looking after these humans. They don’t half wear you out.

I spot my human’s favourite dress laid out on the spare bed, all nice and crease free. Bless her; she clearly wants to make things up to me. I decide to forgive her, so I climb up onto her dress. She’ll probably want me to get it ready for that important meeting she has tomorrow…”

5 benefits of having a pet when you work from home

Working from home with a pet can be lots of fun. They might decide they want your attention at the most inconvenient times, but they’re always there when you need a snuggle.

If you don’t already have a pet, or are looking for an excuse to adopt more, here are five benefits of having a pet when you work from home.

1. Company
   One of the most significant drawbacks of working from home is the feeling of isolation. Having a furry friend to keep you company can reduce the loneliness. That said, it is still a good idea to get out and connect with humans every so often.
2. Break up the day
   It’s essential to take regular breaks from work, especially if you work in front of a screen all day. Having a pet gives you an excuse to get up from your desk and stretch your legs. Whether it’s just to feed the cat or to take the dog for a nice long walk, pets provide a good distraction.
3. Provide comfort
   When you’re having a bad day, pets offer great comfort. Who doesn’t feel better after having a cuddle with their pet?
4. Lower your stress levels
   Working for yourself can be extremely stressful, but having a pet can help keep you relaxed. It’s been proven that pet owners have lower blood pressure than non-pet owners, so having a pet is actually good for you.
5. They keep you healthy
   Pets bring a lot of germs into the house with them which helps you build a better immune system. This means you become less susceptible to colds and infections, which is excellent news when you work for yourself and don’t have the luxury of sick pay.

10 facts about cats

1. A group of cats is called a clowder
2. Cats sleep for around 70% of their lives
3. Most cats are lactose intolerant, so milk is not suitable for them
4. Isaac Newton is credited with inventing the cat flap
5. In ancient Egypt, people shaved their eyebrows off if their pet cat died
6. A town in Alaska had a cat as mayor for twenty years
7. Only one cat has ever travelled into space
8. A cat’s brain is 90% similar to a human’s
9. Cats use their whiskers to decide whether they can fit through a space
10. There are more than 500 million domestic cats in the world

10 facts about dogs

1. Dogs are capable of understanding more than 1000 words
2. Greyhounds are the fastest dog breed and can run up to 45mph
3. Like human fingerprints, every dog has a unique ‘noseprint’
4. Dogs have no colour receptors for red and instead see in shades of black and white, as well as blue and yellow
5. A dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 times stronger than a human’s
6. An adult dog has 42 teeth
7. Dogs can see in the dark
8. The tallest dog in the world measured 44 inches in height
9. Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic
10. There are approximately 400 million dogs in the world
    The big debate

Those of you fortunate enough to work at home with pets will know the many joys they can bring, but the thing we really want to know is:

Which are better; dogs or cats?

Let us know in the comments below.