Gratuitous:
- Given or granted without return or recompense, unearned.
- Given or receieved without cost or obligation; free.
- Unnecessary or unwarranted; unjustified; gratuitous criticism, gratuitous sex, gratuitous violence.
So cats are either unearned or unnecessary. Possibly unjustified. Yet, like sex and violence in movies, we insist. Give us the cats. We know we don't need them. We know we havevn't done anything to deserve them. Oh look, a kitten!
