If you have a pet, you probably think they’re the cutest creature that’s ever walked the Earth. I tell my cat every single day that he’s the most precious cat in the world, and even if I’m the only one who thinks that (and even if he can’t understand a word I’m saying), it’s important to me that he hears it.
But in the middle of the night, when I wake up to a paw on my face or someone crawling on my back, I’m terrified to open my eyes. Because if I do, I’ll see what appears to be a tiny alien that has broken into my home. So I can definitely relate to this “that wasn’t my best friend that night, it was the devil” trend. There’s no question that these pets are cute and deserve the world, but they’re also capable of giving humans a horrible fright when they feel like it.
At the end of the day, pets are animals. And animals don’t worry about how they look. They might look hilarious when scratching an itch or devouring a snack you gave them. They might wake up from a nap looking extremely angry even if they’re not, and they might look super adorable even when they’re scared. We tend to view them through our “human lens,” and we sometimes find them to be terrifying even when they’re doing something that feels perfectly normal to them.
But just because an animal appears a little frightening doesn’t mean they’re actually unfriendly. I’ve heard many cat owners say that the friendliest looking cats are often the ones who like humans the least, and the weirdest cats are sometimes the friendliest. Of course, that’s not always the case. But we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover!
According to Business Insider, there are sometimes even entire species of animals who appear to be scary but are actually quite nice. And first up on the list is the famous naked mole rat. While you might remember Rufus the naked mole rat from the hit show Kim Possible, these creatures are not quite as adorable in real life. In fact, they look pretty terrifying. But apparently, they’re eusocial creatures, meaning they exist in a complex, multi-generational group, and they're great at getting along with others!
Vultures are another animal that are often unfairly judged for their frightening appearance. But Business Insider reports that they’re quite emotional creatures. They form monogamous relationships that can last for years, and they create strong social bonds with one another. Plus, they don’t kick their young out of the nest at a young age, feeding their babies for up to eight months after birth.
Another creature that tends to get a bad rap from humans based on their looks is the tarantula. I actually used to live in a place where tarantulas were native, and I was taught that they were harmless and absolutely nothing to be afraid of. They’re actually pretty cute to me! And apparently, some people even keep them as pets. They are calm and can be quite friendly when well taken care of.
Now, a bat is an animal that I would never like to encounter up close, due to how scary they are. (And I don’t want to have to get a tetanus shot!) But Business Insider notes that they’re not threats to humans, and they’re actually very social in their own communities. Research has found that some female bats will even donate blood to friends to ensure that they stay healthy and well fed.
