I think that you're right about human babies being born too early for cute...they're a lot cuter (at least physically) at 1 or 2. Of course, most newborn animals aren't that cute, either. But I'm sure that the parental brain is pouring out some pretty powerful chemicals at that point anyway.

Displaced parenting among animals fascinates me. The incident of a leopard taking care of a baby baboon (whose mother she'd killed) until it died of exposure comes to mind, and this lioness that keeps stealing and trying to raise antelope calves...I think she'd gotten something like 5 of them when I read the article.

oh, and for you, should you care to accept: psychology, larch trees, games, tea, literal interpretations of requests.