I've been rescuing stray dogs and cats my whole life without provocation, caring for animals is just a thing we humans with our constantly active empathetic and social instincts do. I'm also not saying those of you who don't "get" it aren't empathetic or social but you must be lying if you can't at least intellectually understand why people would enjoy it.

Edited to say that I do agree that there are def some hateful freaks out there who only like animals because animals don't talk back, but when my cat puts his little warm body in the crook of my arm I'm not thinking "wow you are so much more worthy of my love than a human being"