Unpopular opinion: pet interruptions during video calls are not funny

I had a virtual meeting last Tuesday with my boss about a promotion. My cat jumped on the keyboard, closed the whole window, and I got marked as absent for 10 minutes. Everyone in this group laughs about it, but I lost a serious opportunity because of that chaos. Pet interruptions can actually mess up your work reputation in a real way. Has anyone else had a pet cost them something important, not just a funny moment?

2 comments

2 Comments

ray_miller8423d ago

My dog barked right as I was negotiating my salary. Total disaster.

bell.felix23d ago

@ray_miller84 Dogs really do have the worst timing. Mine once started howling RIGHT as I was on a call with a client about a big order. Tried to play it off like it was a siren outside but nobody bought it. Honestly, you should lean into it next time. Tell them it was your negotiation support dog cheering you on. Might actually break the ice and get them on your side. Your dog probably knew you needed backup anyway, just had the wrong approach.