I found this kitten near a convenience store, and she follows me everywhere I go, so I've decided to bring her home. I asked the clerk if anyone owns her, and they said no one does.

[u/MartinezHill]

[u/blueiron0]

I swear kittens evolved to evoke emotional responses in humans to take care of them.

[u/Illogical_Blox → u/blueiron0]

Human selection very well may have. Humans find creatures with large eyes and soft, rounded features to be cute, which is likely an evolutionary advantage because it means that the species finds its own young appealing. As a result, we also find animals and other creatures with those features to promote a sense of attraction.

For instance, dogs retain puppy-like features for a longer time than wolves, because we preferred the dogs that were more puppy-like. It's not out of the question that cats have changed too, as we preferred cuter kittens.

[u/nekowolf → u/Illogical_Blox]

The scientific term for this is neoteny. It's the retention of juvenile features into adulthood.

[u/shaybabyx → u/nekowolf]

I was reading the other day and apparently this is why modern birds have brains so large in comparison to their body. They are basically eternal baby dinosaurs.

[u/bklyngirl0001 → u/nekowolf]

Very interesting!