Why are puppies and kittens so cute?
If you’re like most people, you may find that kittens are cuter than cats and puppies are cuter than dogs. After all, who can resist the large eyes, adorable expressions, fluffy fur and soft round bellies of kittens and puppies?
But why are they so irresistible?
Scientifically speaking, kittens and puppies have actually hacked your brain!
Through thousands of years of evolution, our natural caregiving response is triggered when we see babies. Scientists have even named this behavior—it’s called the “baby schema response.”
Due to their baby-like appearance, young puppies and kittens evoke the “cute response,” too! The more similar to human babies they look, the cuter puppies and kittens seem to be.
When we see something cute, it stimulates an area in our mid-brains that is associated with motivation. For example, when we look at a baby, our brains recognize the features that make us relate to our own young (the “baby schema”), and this causes a surge of the chemical dopamine. Dopamine is also involved when we fall in love.
Because it's a powerful and rewarding feeling, our brains commit it to memory—and we want more of it! The emotional response triggered by the cuteness factor also stimulates the motivation to provide care—whether it’s a puppy, kitten or baby.
And it’s not just adults who think kittens and puppies are cute—even preschoolers know the score! Children as young as three years old prefer cuter, more infant-like faces, including a preference for kittens and puppies.
Common characteristics between babies, kittens and puppies
Because the brain and body don’t develop in proportion, babies, kittens and puppies have disproportionately large heads and eyes. Other features they have in common include:
Like babies, you can also pick up puppies and kittens, cuddle them and carry them in your arms. Kittens and puppies love to be cuddled and petted, and of course they need lots of care.
Now you know why we find those furry small bodies so irresistible, and why they always seem to trigger our impulses to love and snuggle them.
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