The Middle Distance

Well, partly co-evolved, and partly selectively bred to hit all the triggers that evolved so that we don't get fed up with babies. But, yeah -- cats are definitely one of those species that are self-domesticated, here because they find living with us convenient and not merely because we found their ancestors useful. (Much like humans, in one hypothesis -- the idea that humans basically self-domesticated ourselves via selection for individuals happy living in a group society and ejection of individuals too ornery to fit in...)