We often think lots of animals are cute. Do some animals think humans are cute?

  • SolidShake@lemmy.world
    16·
    9 days ago

    Let me ask my dog quick.

    .

    …

    He spun in a circle then scooted his but across the carpet. So… Yes?

  • spacecadet@lemm.ee
    6·
    9 days ago

    For wild animals, probably not. For domestic animals, like a dog for example, we know they have been bred to be loyal to humans. What is interesting is that some dogs prefer certain physical features and get defensive about others. My dog for instance prefers women, and in particular, brunette women, as that is what my fiancé is. But my dog freaks out when she sees a man with a beard. I don’t think my dog views brunette women as cute and men with beards as not cute, but something makes her find one type safe and attractive and another type dangerous and repulsive. What’s interesting is when I grow my beard out (about an inch or two before it’s too itchy and I shave it) she loves it and can’t stop licking my face.

    • taxiiiii@lemmy.world
      2·
      9 days ago

      The pattern that makes us think things are cute (=young) is pretty universal among animals. It includes big eyes, big heads in relation to the rest of the body, small noses and a small mouth. We find things like cats super cute, because even adult cats are pretty close to that pattern, compared to f.e. adult humans.

      So I guess that an animal whose adult form is less close to this pattern than ours would probably think of us as especially cute?

      I personally think we’re pretty hideous though. Weird, hairless apes.

  • ILikeTraaaains@lemmy.world
    4·
    9 days ago

    Does this count? https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/08/the-dolphin-who-loved-me

    Instead, he encouraged Lovatt to press on with teaching Peter English. But there was something getting in the way of the lessons. “Dolphins get sexual urges,” says the vet Andy Williamson, who looked after the animals’ health at Dolphin House. “I’m sure Peter had plenty of thoughts along those lines.”

    “Peter liked to be with me,” explains Lovatt. “He would rub himself on my knee, or my foot, or my hand. And at first I would put him downstairs with the girls,” she says. But transporting Peter downstairs proved so disruptive to the lessons that, faced with his frequent arousals, it just seemed easier for Lovatt to relieve his urges herself manually.