Pets in the background are the best part of communicating with colleagues from home these days.

From dogs dropping in on Zoom meetings to cats taking their morning constitutional across your lap during FaceTime, we now know a lot more about the furriest members of everyone’s households.

And while it’s provided a sometimes awkward look into people’s book collections or wall art, it’s given us a most welcome glimpse of their pets.

As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, even television stations have sent some of their staff homes to broadcast the local news as studios close down to maintain social distancing.

Jeff Lyons, the Chief Meteorologist for WFIE-TV 14 News in Evansville, Indiana is enjoying working from home, even if it’s led to some unexpected attention.

“Working from home has been an adventure. I have my studio and green screen set up in the dining room. It’s nice to have a 30-second commute after the late news,” he told Bored Panda.

But the reason he’s going viral is that his broadcasts star the ultimate protestor of social distancing – his cat, Betty.

“Betty was under the dining room table during one weathercast, and the director asked to see her, so I held her up for the camera. We just had the final 30-second weather to do, so I kept her in my arms just for fun…little did I know!”

Lyons is now forecasting in front of a green screen in his dining room – but it’s really Betty that fans are watching for.

After all, she can give him the same look we’d like to give our weathermen and women when they try to predict the weather 3, 5, or even 7 days out.

If only cats could roll their eyes.

But since Betty has gone viral, people all over the world are tuning into Lyon’s online forecasts. And anyone outside of the area doesn’t particularly care if they’re accurate.

As one commenter pointed out:

“I came here to follow you just because of your cat 😂 Your forecast won’t be relevant to me, but…a cat on the news called to me. So here I am. Looking forward to watching 😄 From SW Ontario Canada.”

It’s all about Betty, who is now hosting her own Facebook Live segments as well. Of course, she also doesn’t care about the weather – either in her neighborhood or anywhere else.

Rain in Evansville? Betty is less than impressed. (Though she will watch her dad do his job.)

Lyons knows why most people are tuning in, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still have a job to do.

“You’re tuning in to watch the cat, I realize that, but it’s going to be cold tonight,” he said in one video.

The veteran meteorologist has no choice these days but to feature the cat since that whole world is tuning in just to see her. And it’s a good thing Betty seems to be willing to make an appearance whether it’s scheduled or not.

Tens (and sometimes even hundreds) of thousands of people are now watching the weather forecasts for a small city in southwest Indiana.

Of course, they don’t care if it’s rain or shine, they’re tuning in for a chance of furballs.

Be sure to scroll down below to see Betty at work.

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Source: Jeff Lyons – 14 News via Facebook, Bored Panda (h/t The Animal Rescue Site)