Netflix & Woof: Pets Beat People as Preferred Netflix Binging Companions

Our love for our pets has reached epic heights—special pet taxi services in Mumbai, paid leave in Italy when your dog is sick, emotional support miniature horses in Canada—so it should come as no surprise that our four-legged and even two-legged furry friends have infiltrated our entertainment habits as well. According to a new survey released by Netflix, when it comes to watching TV, four out of five members have watched Netflix with their pet, and the majority (61%) find pets to be the best binge partner, beating out parents, romantic partners, friends, and kids.

Let’s face it—you and your S.O. might disagree on what to watch and your bestie might dare to stream an episode without you. Pets, on the other hand, are not only awesome cuddlers, they don’t hog the remote, they’ll never share spoilers, and they’re always down for one more episode! They make the perfect partners for the company, the cuddles (one in three have turned to their furry friends for comfort during a sad or scary scene) and even the conversation (22% have talked to their pet about the show or movie they were watching). 

Though you should be warned that pet bingeing can also be ruff. Almost half of respondents (44%) have moved where they were sitting so their pet would be more comfortable, 16% have bribed them with treats to watch longer, and some (11%) have even gone so far as turning off a show because their pet didn't appear to like it. The snuggle is real. 

Bird people appear to take watching Netflix with their pet to the next level. More than a quarter of bird owners have picked a show because they thought their pet would like it, as opposed to 17% of dog owners and 16% of cat owners. But it doesn’t stop there—35% of bird owners have a separate profile for watching Netflix with their pet, while only 18% of dog owners and 16% of cat owners can say the same. Now that’s dedication.