13 pets who judged their owners for reading

Forget curiosity killing the cat, if feline looks could kill there'd be no more readers left in the world. . .

Picture this: you're in the middle of your latest read when you get an eerie feeling. You can sense it - you're being watched. The goosebumps go down your arm as you dog-ear the page, put down your e-reader or pause your audiobook and look around. Two eyes stare at you from across the room. Is that judgement at your reading choice from your once loyal companion, or worse – resentment that something else is holding your attention?

If your pet has ever given you a judgemental sideways glance as you dive into your latest book, you're not alone. We asked our colleagues if they ever felt like their pet got in the way of their 'To Be Read' piles, and this was the answer. Enjoy every meowment.

Roman the cat giving evil looks at Open Throat by Henry Hoke.

Roman the cat may have taken the title of Henry Hoke's Open Throat a little too seriously. Either that, or he was asserting dominance over the mountain lion the book centres on.

A sweet puppy carrying Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin away from its owner who wants to read it.

Maybe you'll be able to finish reading Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow tomorrow. If you can find it.

A bengal cat standing over The Greatest Manifestation Journal, preventing its owner from manifesting.

Tiger Kitty SoftPaws won't be letting you manifest anything today, even if it is in The Greatest Manifestation Book. Unless it's a second breakfast, of course. . .

Amber the cat with two paws on top of A Power Unbound by Freya Marske, preventing reading.

Amber the cat may look like sweetness and innocence, but trying to get back into A Power Unbound only resulted in scars.

Simba the puppy giving his owner puppy dog eyes by resting his head on an open book, Greenwild, preventing reading progress.

How could anyone continue reading (even if it is Blackwell's Children's Book of the Year Greenwild) with Simba's puppy-dog eyes seducing you for pats and cuddles? What page were we even on, again?

Roly the tortoise staring at himself with a stern look in the mirror for one of our children's books, Babies Laugh at Everything.

Roly the tortoise wanted to see why he wasn't getting attention, then realised it was because of an attractive tortoise in the mirror of Babies Laugh at Everything. Tortoises clearly don't laugh at everything, though . . .

Book cover for Greenwild: The World Behind The Door — Greenwild: The World Behind The Door
Pari Thomson

Book cover for The Greatest Manifestation Book (is the one written by you) — The Greatest Manifestation Book (is the one written by you)
Vex King

Book cover for Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow — Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin

Book cover for Babies Laugh at Everything — Babies Laugh at Everything
Dr Caspar Addyman

Bruce the kitten stares on as his owner reads. He is demanding attention.

Kitten Bruce looks on as his owner attempts to read. Difficult when you have a pair of eyes staring at you demanding attention.

Stella, a Yorkie, stands by a bookshelf full of books. She is not recommending books, but preventing the owner from selecting a book and giving it attention instead of her.

Stella the Yorkie likes to stand by the bookshelf. It's not to give book recommendations, though. . . You shall not pass!

Two furry paws stand atop a copy of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, preventing any reading from happening.

Pebbles, a Legend in her own right, has taken it upon herself to stop her owner from continuing Legends & Lattes. You'll have to go through her to get to this cosy fantasy.

Bruce, a black cat, staring at his owner as they read Cassandra Clare's Sword Catcher. He is very displeased.

Sword Catcher? More like Hand Catcher for anyone that tried to pick up this book on Bruce's watch. Look closely and you may even see that the claws are drawn...

Marmite, a fluffy black cat, is standing on a shelf filled with folders, papers, books and stationary. She is does not look pleased at the lack of attention being given to her.

Marmite is standing guard for anyone that dares to try and take any of the stationary, folders, or books. The price you pay is in pats.

Pepper the cat biting an e-reader while her owner attempts to read.

Pepper is one of those cats that believes ebooks are in-fur-ior to their physical counterparts, clearly. . . (No e-readers were harmed in the taking of this photo.)