Sure, cats and dogs and other pets have always been the junior partners in those relationships.
Which made me wonder how well humans would do in a relationship as a pet with an alien master.
Of course that's my human arrogance, assuming the cats and dogs don't know.
Cats in particular are clearly not in agreement in regards to who is in charge in our relationships with them. They'll tolerate our paternalism on account of our superior size and power, but once you're no longer in the immediate vicinity compelling them they pretty much do whatever they want. They're teachable, but not really trainable.
1 - By selection. I don't really know what to call the "engineering" where the "engineer" doesn't know he is doing it.
Cats and dogs have evolved to be happy as pets.
Let's leave the use of 'engineered' to the creationists :)
They were created by intelligent beings.