Why do we see pets/most animals as cute? (lemmy.ca)

submitted 3 weeks ago by AmosBurton_ThatGuy@lemmy.ca to c/nostupidquestions@lemmy.ca

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As in, what's the evolutionary reason for this? I can get seeing dogs as cute because they probably helped early humans by being "guards" essentially and they're just great companions in general, but what purpose does a cat have for example? All they want is food, and you get nothing in return except a cute cat to look at. Hell, even bear cubs are adorable and they'll eventually turn into something that can kill you with one swipe.

Why do we find animals that are or will grow into dangerous creatures cute? What reason does this serve?

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[-] JoShmoe@ani.social 5 points 3 weeks ago

Mammals dominate the planet because we’re social creatures. We work together. Other animals like amphibians reptiles and bugs aren’t very social. I suspect the appeal of “cute” is a social construct that benefited mammals.

this post was submitted on 17 Mar 2025

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