It’s hard to think of the label “obligate kleptoparasite” as anything but an insult. I know it’s just the name for ant crickets and such (who are cute) but Ted Cruz keeps popping into my head.
I already decided Pica was an inquiline due to infesting our house but are cats also obligate kleptoparasites? Discuss.
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@futurebird raccoons are kleptoparasites. Cats can be too, but I think the better fit is brood parasites. With a boost from some physical advantages like being the size and weight of a human baby when cuddled, they manipulate our parental instincts to get voluntarily fed and sheltered, and have even adapted the frequency of their cry—which they use with humans but not each other— to sound more like the hunger cry of our infants.
