It’s no surprise that cats have taken over the world, but the big question is how they did it without massing conquering armies of their own. The answer is simple. Cats are cute.

Initially, farmers domesticated cats to help catch rodents. Then sailors brought cats on ships to catch rats. From the beginning, cats and humans have always had a relationship where humans protected cats and cats caught rodents. That’s why cats have so much leverage over humans that dogs never do.

If your cat is bossing you around, it’s because your cat doesn’t need you as much as you probably need it. Cats are the first business negotiators and that’s why there are so many cats in the world (and the Internet) today.

To read more about how cats conquered the world, click here.