Big Smile No Teeth: Why we care about animals more than humans

US firefighter Lt Orville Allen cradles an injured cat that was recovered alive on the 2nd floor of a fire-gutted home in Michigan, Dec 2000. The cat, suffering from burns and smoke inhalation, was transported to a veterinary clinic where it was reported in good condition. Photo: AP/Detroit Free Press/J Kyle Keener

Here’s hoping admitting this doesn’t put me into a class of undesirable weirdos – and that someone else relates here – but I spend an inordinate amount of time watching cute animal videos.

In my defence, it’s not like I go hunting for them. I follow a bunch of animal-loving accounts on Twitter (The Dodo and Pup Videos, to name two) to help break up bouts of anxiety from reading the ever-worsening news. So I really need those animal feeds.