I like dogs, especially those (well) cared for by other people. I will happily scritch and make much of them. But I’m with Steve on the subject of frantically barking sofa-scramblers whose humans coo and chuckle as the wretched hounds destroy any attempt at conversation. I am keenly aware of the constant effort required to keep a dog happy, confident and engaged, not unlike a small child.

I love cats, although they are not always quiet, sometimes irritatingly intrusive, and — okay, I admit it — sometimes *really* hard on the furniture. It’s their air of self-possession that gets me, and the sleek beauty of their form. The sight of Watson (black short-haired tomcat) leaning into the kitchen sink to drink from the tap never fails to make me smile.