Nice Cate -- 2

Fact: Cats are cute. You know it, we know it, everyone knows it. Even self-declared “dog people” can’t deny the inherent cuteness of our feline friends. But why are cats so cute? That’s a little more complicated. While fluffy kittens are fairly straightforward, human brains are mysterious organisms – especially in the face of extreme adorableness. So what’s the deal with all these super cute cats? Science has some theories – and so do we. Defining Cuteness First things first: What is “cuteness,” anyway? Merriam-Webster defines cute as “attractive or pretty, especially in a childish, youthful or delicate way.” While this may seem subjective, researchers have attempted to define the concept of cuteness more scientifically over the years. Austrian ethologist Konrad Lorenz first introduced the idea of “baby schema” in 1943. According to this theory, humans instinctively perceive infantile features such as large eyes, chubby cheeks, and tiny mouths as endearing, or “”cute.” This motivates adults to care for babies – even when they’re noisy, smelly, and cranky – and enhances the species’ chances of survival. So where do cats fit in? As it turns out, babies and cats have more in common than naps. Why Are Cats So Cute? What the Science Says Like babies, cats seem to activate our brain’s cuteness response. This might be due to cats’ physical characteristics, including child-like features like big eyes and small noses. Studies have shown that humans, particularly women, extend the “baby schema effect” to animals as well as babies. Additionally, cats share some interesting (and adorable) personality traits with babies. “We’ve evolved to have a strong weakness for human babies,” says Dr. Amanda Takiguchi, a veterinarian based in Hawaii. “Furthermore, cats have a lot of infantile personality traits, like playfulness, curiosity, coyness, occasional clumsiness, and above all, affection.” Indeed, sweet actions can speak louder than cute faces. A 2016 study analyzing feline-human communication in animal shelters found that potential adopters were not influenced by cat facial expressions. However, cats who rubbed against humans were adopted more quickly, suggesting that social behaviors were more attractive than physical characteristics. Another phenomenon associated with cuteness, so-called “cute aggression,” pertains to both young humans and young animals. A perplexing response from a brain overwhelmed by positive emotions, cute aggression is defined as the urge to bite or squeeze extremely adorable things, without the intent of causing harm. In a recent study, researchers at the University of California found that human babies and baby animals activated similar parts of the brain when triggering participants’ “cute aggression.”