Furry friends flock to pet programming

Another cat in the Campbell household, named Molly Meu, watches the shopping channel QVC. “She sits on the arm of the chair facing the screen and is fascinated when close-ups of jewelry are shown. I think she likes the sparkle.”

Campbell’s felines also have a growing collection of their own DVDs and software that she puts on to amuse them while she is out. There’s no question that this is a growing market spawned to help pets wile away lonely hours and combat separation anxiety.

“When it comes to cats, there are different kinds of play and play motivation,” says Dr. John Wright, an animal behaviorist and professor of psychology at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. Wright, together with software engineer Matt Wolf, created the popular Cyberpounce CD.

“The amount of time a cat will play per day is a good indicator of whether it’s likely to enjoy interactive software,” explains Wright.

Couch potato pets
The latest in feline entertainment, the Couch Potato Kitty DVD, caters to feline predatory instincts with butterflies and hamsters in wheels, while canine entertainment, like the Pooch TV DVD, is filled with dogs playing and exploring. It also features the odd turkey for amusement.

As a rule, most cats and dogs like to be in the company of their owners. So for an increasing number of pets, it’s the people on the couch that is the main attraction. In fact 87 percent of people surveyed in the AKC-Iams study said their pets curl up with them or at their feet when they watch TV.

Not to be left behind, savvy marketing executives are now selling TV snacks for pets. There’s everything from Woofy Pop popcorn, nachews (doggy tortilla chips), bacon-, peanut butter- or cheese-flavored rawhide chips, ice cream, canine yogurt cups (strawberry flavored), and old-fashioned feline and canine treat packs.

Whether you decide to invest in these kinds of products or not, watching TV is an excellent excuse for spending quality time with your favorite pet. So break out the goodies, possibly even a grooming brush, get comfortable on the couch and get ready to channel surf together.

Sandy Robins is a freelance writer and columnist based in Irvine Calif. Her work has appeared in numerous publications in the United States and internationally.

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