Follow these tips to curate watchlists for quality time with your pets

The last time we talked about animals and films in the same breath a certain Bollywood Alisterrsquos controversial blockbuster had left everyone up in arms This time the tables have turned Flow 2024 the Latvian animated pet drama that bagged the 2025 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is uniting pet parents worldwide ldquoMy cat was transfixed by Flowrdquo one X user posted ldquoMy dogs are film snobs but theyrsquore watching this intentlyrdquo said anotherldquoWhen I watched the film what really stood out to me was how lifelike the animals were Their movements their body language their sounds everything It is perhaps this realism that seems to have caught the petsrsquo eyesrdquo explains Amanda Tong animal behaviourist and founder Animal Behaviour AcademyCharacters from the animated movie Flow 2024 Pic Courtesy Gints Zilbalodis on InstagramTelltail signsPradnya Hattiangadi canine behaviour consultant has one golden rule when it comes to pet trends proceed with caution ldquoNot every dog enjoys screen timerdquo she clarifies adding ldquoSome just arenrsquot interested If your dog ignores video calls or walks away when you play something on your phone thatrsquos a clear sign that screens arenrsquot for them And thatrsquos completely okayrdquoFor dogs who enjoy it calming enrichmentbased content is the best choice ldquoVideos with sounds from nature like waves crashing leaves rustling or birds chirping can help them stay relaxed and engaged whether yoursquore at home or away Flow proved just thatrdquo Hattiangadi explains However she warns that breeds with strong guarding instincts such as rottweilers or German shepherds may become overstimulated by certain noises especially those of other animals ldquoIn such cases itrsquos best to choose content that does not feature other smaller animals or prey Breeds like shih tzus and Lhasa apsos are more likely to stay calm and enjoy the experiencerdquo she revealsAmanda Tong plays with her cat using a preyhunting emulation toy PIC COURTESYAMANDA TONG right Pradnya Hattiangadi bonds with her weimaraner after a walk PIC COURTESYPRADNYA HATTIANGADIIn a heartwarming revelation Hattiangadi shares that for dogs itrsquos not only about what theyrsquore watching but also about having their human partner by their side ldquoIrsquove met dogs who could bond through rock music just because their parents preferred it Another was addicted to bhajans My own puppy watched the popular sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah for the longest time alongside usrdquo she laughsFeline funTong who has a MSc degree in Clinical Animal Behaviour and has spent years studying cats explains that for the felines screen time primarily serves to sharpen their hunting instincts ldquoVideos of bugs and birds are a great way to add stimulation to an indoor catrsquos day For cats these arenrsquot just screens mdash they see them as reallife windowsrdquo she explains However this altered perception of reality comes with a caveat ldquoIf a cat watches these videos all day but never gets the satisfaction of an actual hunt it can eventually lead to frustrationrdquo she warnsSwitch offExperts unanimously agree that whether itrsquos bonding or enrichment nothing digital can truly replace real world experiences for our furry friends Tong suggests wrapping up screen time with some physical play ldquoA simple game with a wand toy where the cat gets to catch a small mock prey at the end helps satisfy their instincts and restore balancerdquo she explainsHattiangadi on the other hand has a simple yet powerful hack for dog parents ldquoAfter a walk donrsquot rush back into your routine Find a patch of grass in your apartment complex or a park nearby Sit with your dog feel the grass and just be in the moment These little pauses mean more than anything for themrdquo she saysBinge buddiesPet parents from the city reveal their furry friendsrsquo goto picks Nemo watches Tanmay Bhatrsquos show PIC COURTESYPURVI DASNemo is a certified birdwatcherhellip on the laptop Hersquos also a big fan of playing ball at home so cricket matches are a mustwatch The sound of the ball probably reminds him of play time But his quirkiest obsession is comedian Tanmay Bhatrsquos YouTube livestreams packed with laughs and giggles He watches them from start to finish without pausesPurvi Das MatungaMomo by nature is a calm soul When wersquore out running errands he stays engaged with videos by Paul Dinning featuring nature sounds and scenery Once wersquore back we make up for lost time with play sessions using his favourite pet toys We keep Momorsquos screen time to a minimum since he enjoys socialising with his friends in the area But a little bit of TV can never hurt anyoneKunal Koli and Anand Patel Vile ParleSimran and Nifty watch Dog TV PIC COURTESYSIMRAN PUNJABINifty is a big fan of Dog TV and Siesta Dog TV on YouTube Both channels host videos that are specially colourgraded to suit a dogrsquos vision At first she seemed unsure about the visuals but she quickly warmed up to them I often use TV as a calming distraction during loud events like thunderstorms and festivals One of our most memorable moments was watching A Dogrsquos Way Home together It has become a core memory for usSimran Punjabi AndheriHridaan Jain with Tokyo PIC COURTESYCHANDNI JAINTokyo loves watching the animated series Bluey which was created especially for dogs Movies like Moana and The Lion King have also become favourites My 11yearold son Hridaan often sits and explains the plot to Tokyo as it unfolds Our weekend mornings are reserved for a dance party to songs that comprise everything from Taylor Swift to Punjabi hiphop Needless to say Tokyo joins in For her itrsquos more about spending time with us I can sense some FOMO in her when she canrsquotChandni Jain Ghatkopar