Pets bring so much joy and love into our lives, but let’s be honest—they’re also little chaos machines. From eating things they shouldn’t to wreaking havoc on furniture, shoes, and even priceless family heirlooms, our furry, feathered, and scaly friends certainly know how to keep us on our toes.
Despite their mischievous tendencies, one look at those adorable faces usually melts away any frustration. Usually. But every pet owner has at least one story of their beloved companion doing something hilariously—or horrifically—unforgettable.
Recently, a Reddit user posed the question, “What’s the worst thing your pet has ever done?” The responses ranged from side-splitting to jaw-dropping, proving that pets are as unpredictable as they are lovable. Here are 22 of the most memorable (and sometimes traumatizing) tales shared by pet owners:
- Super Bowl Sabotage
“My dog dug up my neighbor’s cable line on Super Bowl Sunday, right before they had a big crowd coming over.” – @Living_Departure_265 - A Foul-Mouthed Feathered Friend
“My parrot learned how to swear and won’t stop. The strangest part? I have no idea where he picked it up—maybe he overheard the neighbors.” – @Pizza-pen - A Sentimental Cat-tastrophe
“As a kitten, she shredded a dried flower my mom kept as a keepsake from my grandmother’s funeral. It was literally irreplaceable.” – @Catstrudle - Beanbag Disaster
“Our teething puppy chewed through a beanbag chair filled with thousands of tiny Styrofoam pellets. Cleaning up the static-charged mess took three hours, and we kept finding pellets for years.” – @Darthfloyd - A Snake’s Bite of Betrayal
“My ball python once latched onto my eyebrow, mistaking it for prey. I sat there holding the four-foot snake dangling from my face until he let go. We didn’t make eye contact for the rest of the day.” – @Stevel-Knievel - Fridge Crimes
“Baxter pooped in the refrigerator and ate an entire wheel of cheese. I wasn’t even mad—it was impressive.” – @ryclarky - Holy Mischief
“My boxer knocked over a Virgin Mary statue, broke off the head, and ran around with it in his mouth.” – @Motherinlawdouche - Thumbtack Mayhem
“My calico cat knocked over a small shelf, scattering a case of thumbtacks across the entire living room. It was like walking through a minefield.” – @slumvillain - Fruit Punch Fiasco
“My blind cat knocked a full cup of fruit punch off the table just as I turned my back. It went everywhere.” – @colethefatcat - A Priceless Vase’s Demise
“Our family heirloom vase, passed down for four generations, met its end when our cats used the kitchen appliances to climb up and knock it over while we were on vacation.” – @mittiens - Renovation Required
“The first time we left our new dog alone, he chewed through the door trim, drywall, and almost the exterior of our house. It was like a home demo project gone rogue.” – @Fuzzy-Ad5756 - Soda Sneezes
“My cat sneezed into my last bit of Mountain Dew while inspecting it. That drink was my lifeline during broke college days. She ruined it.” – @LatterTowel9403 - Bacon Bedspread
“My new dog decided to enjoy a pig ear treat on my bed, leaving drool and crumbs embedded in the sheets. They smelled like bacon for weeks, even after washing.” – @ItsGotHeart - Aquarium Anarchy
“My betta fish managed to kill three tankmates in a week. It’s the fish mafia over here.” – @Tox1cShark7 - Bird Toy Gone Wrong
“My puppy mistook a chirping baby bird for a squeaky toy. She felt so guilty afterward that she wasn’t herself for the rest of the night.” – @justanotherperson218 - Headbutt to the Nose
“Our overly excited dog jumped up and accidentally broke my mom’s nose with his head.” – @mortokes - Feather Explosion
“In the middle of the night, my cat brought a live pigeon inside and released it in the living room. Feathers were everywhere.” – @effieokay - Poopocalypse
“My dog pooped on the floor, and my Roomba spread it across the carpet like abstract art. It was the collaboration I never asked for.” – @SleepsontheGround - Birthday Cake Bandit
“My friend’s dalmatian swam across a river to crash a kid’s birthday party, devouring the cake and BBQ before calmly swimming back.” – @Tanyabee - Staircase Sabotage
“My dog tripped me while I was rushing to the basement, and I tumbled down the stairs. All while dinner burned on the stove upstairs.” – [deleted] - Revenge Puke
“Our cat vomited in my mom’s work shoes after being kicked out of the bedroom. It was a very targeted act of revenge.” – @badguywindow - Brownie Overload
“My 55-pound dog ate an entire tray of pot brownies. The aftermath was… intense.” – @karmavorous
Pets might drive us crazy with their antics, but these stories prove one thing: even when they’re at their worst, they somehow remain our best friends.