[rtsil]

Cats also provide companionship and emotional support, and those are invaluable for humans.

Also, I wonder if it is really evolutionary if most of their current traits (physical and otherwise) were selected by humans.

Now excuse me, I must withdraw to tend to my feline masters.

[geoffmanning]

Any kind of companionship, even a mouse, can provide that kind of emotional support, but that says nothing of the animal's intent or ability to harm others. They are solitary creatures whereas dogs are social creatures. It's little wonder they would be carriers for parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii, whereas dogs aren't

[rtsil]

Cats are very much social creatures. They can share activities (or, more often, lack thereof) with others. But they're not pack creatures like dogs.