It’s a truism that any newspaper article with a question in the title can usually be answered by a resounding “no” – and we’re afraid that this one is no exception. No matter how intelligent or perceptive they may seem, your dog/cat/ rabbit/micro pig/ other companion animal cannot “see” Pokémon.

The augmented reality feature of the hit Nintendo and Niantis smartphone game Pokémon Go might make it appear as if the brightly coloured carton critters really do inhabit our world – but the prosaic, eternally disappointing truth is that they exist only within the game itself.