Your Dog's looking More Like Cat Day by Day and Here's Why?
Tanisha Kumari | Dec 09, 2025, 15:11 IST
Dog's looking more like cat
( Image credit : Pexels )
Selective breeding has led to dogs and cats increasingly resembling one another particularly in flat‑faced breeds like Pugs and Persian cats. Driven by human emotional preferences and the phenomenon of baby schema, pets are bred to look 'cuter' with round faces and large eyes. While this convergence is scientifically fascinating, it raises serious welfare concerns as many flat‑faced breeds suffer from health issues due to extreme breeding standards.
Highlights
- A PNAS study shows dog and cat breeds now share skull shapes closer to each other than to their wild ancestors.
- Humans are biologically drawn to baby like features, fueling selective breeding for cuteness
- Pets have evolved from functional partners (hunters, protectors) to emotional companions, prioritizing appearance over utility.
- Flat‑faced breeds face breathing issues, dental overcrowding, overheating and other medical risks due to 'cuteness breeding'.
Pug strangely look similar to the Persian cats now and this is not something to be surprised by as a fascinating shift is underway among modern pets. Many dog and cat breeds are beginning to resemble one another more closely especially in the shape of their faces. Science has now confirmed this unusual convergence.
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has uncovered a surprising pattern. Researchers found that some domestic dog and cat breeds have evolved skull shapes so similar that they are now closer to each other than to their own wild ancestors. While dogs and cats diverged evolutionarily millions of years ago, human preferences that are particularly driven by selective breeding have brought their physical traits closer together again.
From Wolves and Wildcats to Lookalikes
![Pug]()
Dogs descended from wolves while cats from wildcats and these two species that historically had vastly different skull structures suited to hunting, survival and communication. Yet domestication changed those evolutionary pressures. Instead of survival efficiency, traits such as companionship, temperament and appearance became the primary drivers of breeding.
However, this convergence did not fully take shape until modern breeding trends emerged especially the desire for flat faces, round heads and large eyes.
Phenomenon
Humans are biologically wired to respond protectively to features that resemble human infants because of baby schema. So when animals began displaying traits like shortened snouts and forward-facing eyes, people found them irresistibly cute and breeders amplified those traits.
Science Behind the Similarity
![Skull Structure]()
Research team led by biologist Abby Grace Drake analyzed skulls from hundreds of dog and cat breeds comparing them with those of their wild relatives. Using advanced 3D geometric morphometrics they mapped detailed facial structures to identify patterns in shape evolution. The results were striking:
The biggest driver of the trend is emotional preference. Animals with round faces and large eyes appear more baby like and approachable making them more desirable as pets in a modern world where affection and social bonding matter more than practical working abilities like hunting or guarding. This shift marks a profound change in the purpose of domestic animals:
Dark Side of '
The trend may be adorable but it comes with consequences. Flat faced breeds suffer from:
The dog may be starting to look like a cat but this is not just a funny coincidence or an internet meme. It is a direct reflection of humanity’s growing emotional expectations of pets and the power we hold over their biology.
The challenge now is clear that if this continues then it must be done responsibly ensuring the animals we adore are not only cute but healthy, comfortable and cared for in every sense.
Celebrate the bond with your pets, explore Health & Nutrition, discover Breeds, master Training Tips, Behavior Decoder, and set out on exciting Travel Tails with Times Pets!
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has uncovered a surprising pattern. Researchers found that some domestic dog and cat breeds have evolved skull shapes so similar that they are now closer to each other than to their own wild ancestors. While dogs and cats diverged evolutionarily millions of years ago, human preferences that are particularly driven by selective breeding have brought their physical traits closer together again.
From Wolves and Wildcats to Lookalikes
Pug
( Image credit : Pexels )
Dogs descended from wolves while cats from wildcats and these two species that historically had vastly different skull structures suited to hunting, survival and communication. Yet domestication changed those evolutionary pressures. Instead of survival efficiency, traits such as companionship, temperament and appearance became the primary drivers of breeding.
However, this convergence did not fully take shape until modern breeding trends emerged especially the desire for flat faces, round heads and large eyes.
Phenomenon baby schema
Science Behind the Similarity
Skull Structure
( Image credit : Pexels )
Research team led by biologist Abby Grace Drake analyzed skulls from hundreds of dog and cat breeds comparing them with those of their wild relatives. Using advanced 3D geometric morphometrics they mapped detailed facial structures to identify patterns in shape evolution. The results were striking:
- Pet dogs and cats now show extreme diversity in skull shapes more than seen among all wild species in their respective families.
- Some flat faced pets like Pugs, French Bulldogs, Persian cats and Exotic Shorthairs were clustered closely together in the shape analysis.
- These extreme similarities did not result from natural selection but from intense, human-driven artificial selection. In other words, people bred pets to look a certain way and nature responded accordingly.
Why Humans Helped Shape This Convergence
- Yesterday: Dogs and cats were functional partners like protectors, hunters and pest-controllers.
- Today: They are emotional companions treated as family members.
Dark Side of 'Cuteness Breeding '
- Breathing difficulties
- Overheating
- Dental overcrowding
- Eye ulcer
- Sleep apnea
- Increased risk during anesthesia
The dog may be starting to look like a cat but this is not just a funny coincidence or an internet meme. It is a direct reflection of humanity’s growing emotional expectations of pets and the power we hold over their biology.
The challenge now is clear that if this continues then it must be done responsibly ensuring the animals we adore are not only cute but healthy, comfortable and cared for in every sense.
Celebrate the bond with your pets, explore Health & Nutrition, discover Breeds, master Training Tips, Behavior Decoder, and set out on exciting Travel Tails with Times Pets!