I spent a week with hidden cameras watching my cat while I worked, and the footage made me question whether we're fooling ourselves about animal emotions. Is my cat actually bored when he stares at the wall, or is that my human need to anthropomorphize everything? Animals have evolved to conserve energy and stay alert for real threats, so what looks like boredom might just be efficient resting. But I've also seen my dog pace and whine when his walk is late, which suggests some level of frustration that feels close to what we call boredom. Maybe the real question isn't whether animals get bored, but whether our pets have learned to mirror our schedules and expectations in ways that make them restless when we're not around.