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It’s the season for a sneaky drink or two. Which often means getting home a little late and a little tipsy! But have you ever felt like those eyes know you’ve been drinking?
Well, I’ve been doing some investigating. And you might be surprised at what they know…
I’m not sure if this is news but the thing is, we’re not exactly subtle or understated when we get home from a party!
We’re a little louder, more affectionate and often way more emotionally needy when we try to hug them at 1am. But maybe that’s just me.
And that’s when dogs, cats and really all the furry family start to retreat, flash you the side eye and just look at you in the way that implies judgement.
So are they judging us? Well, yes…yes they are. But in the most interesting ways. Here’s what’s happening.
1. They smell the alcohol. Obviously, their sense of smell is ridiculously good. But what you might not know is how pungent alcohol vapour is on your breath. That’s the first flag.
2. It’s in the way you move. Pets don’t understand English. But they get around this by being incredible translators of our body language. They know what every movement means. But when we get home from a party after a few drinks, we’re different. Our movements are exaggerated, we’re louder and we might even sway. And this change from the usual freaks them out. Instinctively, if they saw another dog or cat acting like this, they’d assume they’d been poisoned or had a disease. As a result, they often want to stay away from us!
3. Since you’ve been gone. They’re already confused by your change in routine. But add to that the fact they know you’ve been away a long time and you’ve created two big triggers for separation anxiety. So when a different version of you arrives home to an anxious version of them, it’s a complex combination of feelings.
So yes, much like your parents did when you were 17, they know more than you realise about your night out.
But it’s ok. And completely salvageable. Once you sleep off the drinks...and the judgement!
