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Is this a genetic thing?

Kyrick

Kyrick

Well-Known Member
Just...just out of curiosity...

Is there some evolutionary aspect of relations with animals that make (c'mon admit it, 90% of us) go "awwww" whenever we see a furry animal?
I mean I know a lion or a dog could rip my throat out if they needed or wanted to, but there's always that "oh he's only playing aww, aww, hello" as you lie bleeding out on the grass sort of aspect....
Or am I just a massive softy? :confused:
 
Fritzy525

Fritzy525

Member
I absolutely love animals. That's part of the reason I became a furry. Plus, I do that exact same thing. The other day I was walking with a couple friends, and we saw a possum. Everyone said "ewwww" and I said "awwww". XD
 
Raydrawsx

Raydrawsx

2D, 3D Furry Artist
I think it is an evolutionary trait that babies no matter the species (Well, most species. Look at a baby naked mole rat for an exception.) to look cute so their parents or other creatures of the same species around them don't leave them to die. Since babies, in the wild, are a nuisance to the parents and increase their risk of dying. While the parent or grown up versions of the species had to evolve to perceive babies as cute so their bloodline can carry on.
I think since most species had to develop like this, other species can find other species' babies as "cute". (Look at a baby naked mole rat for an exception, again.)
 
D

Deleted member 160111

Guest
Only humans consider cubs of other species cute. This is a trait that is also inherent in the cubs of great apes. Ethologists and some other scientists call the love of cute cubs infantile. If a baby chimpanzee is curious and touched by various other small animals, then when he grows up, he will perceive them only as prey. A person behaves like a baby chimpanzee throughout his life. We like to learn new things, we like cubs of other species.
 
Pomorek

Pomorek

Antelope-Addicted Hyena
I think it is like this and it doesn't even have to be very complicated. Just the other day I've read about the domestication of dog and how huge breaktrough it was for the hunter-gatherers. It's easy to imagine that people inclined to relating to their new furry companions better and forming stronger bonds were also getting more benefits from that.
 
Kain

Kain

Member
If there is a common thread, it's in our instinct to raise children. What I am thinking of right now is if it's a small animal, then a baby is small, too, so the mind treats it like one. I can't think of it for a larger animal. What I'm thinking of with you is that you see the positive over the negative. It doesn't mean harm, it's having fun. I see that as happy, with some of the matter it's being humanized. That triggers a social response, and by extension, to child rearing.

That is what I see, anyway.

And I totally think this is where anthropomorphism came from. It's human to be a furry.
This is totally why we domesticated some animals, too, or just like animals in general.
 
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Inferndragon

Inferndragon

Dragon Doodler with a Tail Snake
In your brain it is a checklist.
  • Is it smol?
  • Does it have big eyes.
  • Does it look super weak that you want to protect it?
  • If i place it into a cannon can i paint a barn with it (I'm joking about that one. Dark Humour from the internet)
If those statement holds true.
  • You start thinking "It's cute".
  • I need to pat it.
And yes it is a genetics thing
 
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Vulpus_vulpes

Vulpus_vulpes

Want to write stories with images
What if all furries have some sort of parasite that makes us go "awww" on animals, so we can be easier prey. This way parasite could infect another host and somehow perpetuate It's life cycle.

Nah, I think It is from millenia of living with domesticated wolves. Imagine how cool first "dogs" were. Literal wolves.
 
D

Deleted member 160111

Guest
If anyone is interested, I don't think the cubs are cute. Some of them disgust me. I'm a primal predator.
Bring your big-eyed wolf here so I can eat him.
2CTr5vZ6ZBM.jpg
 
Pomorek

Pomorek

Antelope-Addicted Hyena
At the risk of derailing the thread: am I the only one (possibly except Eyleifr) who's completely baffled by this "baby humans cute" attitude? There's absolutely nothing cute about them for me. Therefore it's strange for me to say that our approach to animals is some kind of attitude transfer from our approach to babies. In my case it would just mean "eh, stay away".

Instead, when thinking of animals, I experience some form of self-contained fascination with another being, who is at the same time so different and so similar to me. I wish for establishing contact and rapport so that at least some experience can be shared - if at all possible.

The feelings of caring can well be there but for me this is a different thing, something that comes second.
 
RamblingRenegade

RamblingRenegade

Just a Horse Trying to Avoid Life's Manure
Filter

Filter

ɹǝʇlᴉℲ
I think animal cuteness stems from relating to the natural world. Fellow beings unlike us in many ways, yet often friend or foe. Throughout history it has been important to know our place in the animal kingdom. Our survival often depends on it whether through farming, hunting, avoiding becoming the hunted, protecting the grain stores, etc.

For me, a baby human is more profound than cute. Not that they aren't cute, but they grow up, learn things, make friends, make stuff, and hopefully become productive members of society. Not cute in the same way that a cat is cute, but cute for where it is in relation to what it can become. A little helpless curious being with immense potential.
 
Mambi

Mambi

Fun loving kitty cat
Kyrick said:
Just...just out of curiosity...

Is there some evolutionary aspect of relations with animals that make (c'mon admit it, 90% of us) go "awwww" whenever we see a furry animal?
I mean I know a lion or a dog could rip my throat out if they needed or wanted to, but there's always that "oh he's only playing aww, aww, hello" as you lie bleeding out on the grass sort of aspect....
Or am I just a massive softy? :confused:
Click to expand...

Certain aspects of animals will naturally trigger our nuturing instincts. Cat's meowing for example, but in a more literal sense, wide eyes and soft features will invoke "cute friendly cuddle-and-protect-me" instincts as opposed to "FUCK, RUN!!!" instincts. All you have to do is think of animation and it will be clear, because they purposely enhance those aspects to provoke the AWWWW reaction. In humans, that means wide eyes, small noses, soft textures, muted colours, and being smaller. Since fur is soft, the textures are the same and invoke the same sense of comfort and ease.

So definitely an evolutionary holdover. It's why most people won''t cuddle with an baby alligator quickly but would trip over themselves to save a puppy.
 
C

Connor J. Coyote

Well-Known Member
Kyrick said:
Just...just out of curiosity...

Is there some evolutionary aspect of relations with animals that make (c'mon admit it, 90% of us) go "awwww" whenever we see a furry animal?
Click to expand...
To me, no...... I probably wouldn't go so far as to say it's "evolutionary" (or a specific genetic based trait that makes us think of animals this way). It's probably more of a psychological response (that lies within us humans) that impacts our social reactions to them.

It's just something that's in nature that lies within us to want to love and be loved by others (including our furry friends) that probably impacts our opinions of these things.
 
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DorjeStego

DorjeStego

5-HT2A receptor agonist
Humans have been domesticating animals for tens of thousands of years - starting with the domestic dog, from the wolf, somewhere between 30-40 thousand years ago. This was firmly within the palaeolithic period when humans were still universally hunter-gatherers and populations were relatively small.

Domestic dogs, and later other domesticated animals, became integrated into the way of life of these tribes, as food sources, hunting aids, vermin control (as with cats), and so on. I've not seen anything conclusive to say it's an evolutionary thing that we find animals cute, want to look after them, and so on, but once we domesticated animals, their welfare became crucial to the survival of the tribe or band. It's entirely possible it's become an adaptive response in humans to want to ensure the welfare of animals, especially ones we see as domesticated, or domesticable. It was essential to our ancestors' survival to do so.
 
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