Cats rule in our house, so when one of us humans has to be away, we work hard to make sure it doesn’t impact their cushy lifestyle. When I go for my annual trip home to see my mum, Tom reorganises his schedule and yet our furry divas act as though they’re suffering agonies of deprivation.

To amuse themselves, the little fiends plague him with all kinds of innovations. A trip or two ago, they convinced him to serve extra meals. This year, Target decided they needed a steady flow of homecooked chicken – and my hapless better half caved completely and delivered.