Ah, tiger? Or large soft kitty hiding free bag of popcorn. I bet if I run, it would chase me and we could play.

I’ve actually sat for a while, trying to think what the actual qualifications are for something to be labeled “cute.” For a while, I had “non-threatening,” but that’s hilariously wrong. “Soft and cuddly,” but people keep reptiles and love insects and stuff. And then I tried just “visually pleasing.” Googling deep sea fish forces me to admit I can find cuteness in literally anything for almost any reason.

I wouldn’t be able to explain this to an alien. All I could do is pat them

Also sometimes: “Sorry I would pet you but you are not safe around our species.”

Me when I see any bear. I hope to one day have the opportunity to (safely) pet a bear. I just need to do it, y’know?