Cats are natural predators, only partly domesticated by any reasonable measure, that enjoy killing song birds & small mammals. Most, if not all, Cat play is based on attack & kill.
For example, tickle a cat’s tummy and it will probably try to disembowel your hand with hind claws. They also enjoy wounding and tormenting their prey before killing & eating it.
So, I personally find it humorous that my most liberal & progressive friends nearly all think these vicious little killers are cute and keep them in their homes.
(Yes, I think that they can be cute too, while keeping in mind that felines are self-centered little predators.)