Some days nothing goes right. When that happens, a few minutes with photos of baby animals, sleepy cats and over-excited dogs is a small, cheap comfort, and there is a little science suggesting it is more than just a distraction.
Below are 21 of the cutest animal pictures shared on Reddit, Twitter and the Russian site Pikabu, each credited to the person who posted it. We have grouped them by type, from dogs and cats to baby wildlife and a few unexpected farmyard and ocean moments, and added a few lines on each animal so you come away knowing something new as well as smiling.
The idea is simple. Pick a picture, look at it properly for a moment, and let your shoulders drop. You do not have to fix the day to make it a little lighter.
Why cute pictures can genuinely lift a bad day
Cuteness has a recognisable recipe. The zoologist Konrad Lorenz described a "baby schema": a big head, large eyes, round cheeks and a small nose and mouth. Those features prompt a caring response in adults, and brain-imaging research has linked them to reward circuits.
A 2012 study at Hiroshima University, published in PLOS ONE, tested what this does to concentration. Students who looked at pictures of puppies and kittens did better on a fine-motor game and on a visual search task than those who viewed adult dogs and cats. The researchers suggested that cuteness narrows attention and makes people more careful. It will not solve your problems, but it may help you face them with a steadier hand.
Dogs that steal the show
Mid-sneeze
A chocolate Labrador was caught by the camera at the exact moment of a sneeze, face screwed up and ears flying. Dogs sometimes "play sneeze" when excited, which is a friendly signal rather than a sign of illness. Frequent sneezing with discharge is a different matter and needs a vet.
The puppy with Mickey Mouse ears
This little white dog's dark, rounded ears look almost exactly like those of Disney's famous mouse. The resemblance is natural fur colouring, not a costume, and the photo became a favourite of Reddit's Photoshop Battles community.
Kipling and the towel
According to his owner on the WeRateDogs account, a dog named Kipling noticed she had gone into the shower without a towel and brought one himself. Whether he understood or just liked carrying laundry, the timing was perfect. Dogs are excellent at reading household routines.
A proud mother
A beaming mother dog lies beside a whelping box full of her sleeping puppies. Newborn puppies are born with their eyes and ears closed and depend entirely on their mother for warmth and milk during the first weeks.
The face that cannot be refused
Huge brown eyes, tilted brows and a perfectly placed chin make this golden dog almost impossible to say no to. Research on dog domestication suggests that dogs developed a facial muscle that lets them raise their inner eyebrows, an expression people find especially appealing.
A corgi puppy with a cheeky wink
Held up for the camera, a fluffy corgi puppy grins in one frame and winks in the next. Corgis were originally bred as cattle-herding dogs in Wales, and that energy shows even at this age.
The Dalmatian with a heart
This Dalmatian has a near-perfect heart-shaped patch around one eye, and the soft expression only adds to it. Dalmatian puppies are born almost completely white, and their spots appear over the following weeks.
Ready for summer
A Chinese Crested dog poses by a lake in round retro sunglasses, its long head crest blowing in the breeze. Hairless Chinese Cresteds have exposed skin that can burn in strong sun, which is why many owners use pet-safe sun protection on bright days.
Cats and kittens
Those jellybean paws
A ginger-and-white kitten presses its pink toe beans against the glass of its enclosure, eyes wide. Cats' paw pads are sensitive and help them sense texture and vibration, as well as cushioning their landings.
A Maine Coon in the snow
Eyes closed, face turned up into the falling snow, this Maine Coon looks completely at peace. The breed is one of the largest domestic cats and is the official state cat of Maine. Its thick, water-resistant coat and bushy tail are built for exactly this weather.
The cat with an album to release
Dressed in a denim jacket and round glasses, this black cat looks ready for a record-cover shoot. If your own cat tolerates clothes, keep sessions short and stop at the first sign of stress.
The workshop assistant
A tabby kitten has made itself at home in a mechanic's workshop, perched beside a work boot and a broom. Workshops can be hazardous for small animals, so curious kittens need watching around tools and chemicals.
Little wild ones
A yawning baby hedgehog
A tiny hedgehog lies on its back in someone's palm, mouth open in a huge yawn. Baby hedgehogs, called hoglets, are born with their spines covered by a protective membrane that dries and falls away within hours. Most pet hedgehogs are a hybrid often sold as the African pygmy hedgehog.
A small crocodilian enjoying the sun
Held gently on a grassy lawn, a young crocodilian, possibly a caiman or alligator, lifts its snout in what looks like a contented smile. Reptiles regulate their temperature by basking, so this one may simply be enjoying the warmth. Only trained handlers should pick up wild crocodilians, however small.
A flamingo chick learning the pose
A fluffy grey-white flamingo chick stands next to a pink toy flamingo, which seems to be showing it how things are done. Chicks hatch grey and are fed "crop milk" by both parents. Their pink colour comes later, from carotenoid pigments in the food they eat.
A chameleon the size of a fingertip
This hatchling chameleon is small enough to balance on a fingertip. Baby chameleons are independent from the moment they hatch and receive no parental care, so they have to find their own tiny insects straight away.
Farm, zoo and ocean encounters
A calf in bunny ears
A cream-coloured calf rests in the straw wearing a pair of rabbit ears, looking thoroughly unimpressed in one shot and curious in the other. Calves are social and playful, and many farm sanctuaries use photos like this to show their gentle side.
A wombat's manicure
Two keepers trim the claws of a calm, sizeable wombat. In the wild, wombats keep their powerful claws worn down by digging long burrow systems, so animals in care sometimes need help. Adult wombats can weigh 20 to 35 kilograms, and they are famous for producing cube-shaped droppings.
An owl and a shepherd dog
A small owl and a Belgian shepherd-type dog lean side by side on a rock as if sharing a thought. The pair resemble Ingo and Poldi, a dog and little owl whose friendship was famously photographed by German photographer Tanja Brandt, although the Reddit post does not credit her. It works because the two look so equally thoughtful.
The air police
A hawk with a barred chest, which appears to be a sparrowhawk, stands on a captured pigeon with a look of stern authority. Female Eurasian sparrowhawks can be up to twice as heavy as males and can take birds the size of a pigeon. They hunt by surprise, bursting out low and fast from cover.
A sea turtle with an attitude
A sea turtle swims straight at the camera over a coral reef, one front flipper raised in what looks like a very rude gesture. It is only the angle of the flipper, of course, but the timing made it a favourite of the Photoshop Battles crowd. Sea turtles use their long front flippers to "fly" through the water.
Keep a few favourites for the next bad day
Bad days pass, but they are easier with small breaks built in. Save two or three of these photos to your phone, or keep a folder of pictures that make you smile. Step outside, message a friend, or spend ten minutes with a real animal if you can. And if a hard stretch lasts more than a few weeks, talk to a doctor or someone you trust.
Sources: Photos by the Reddit, Twitter and Pikabu users credited under each image. Nittono et al. (2012), The Power of Kawaii, PLOS ONE; Wikipedia: Baby schema; Wikipedia: Hedgehog; Wikipedia: Flamingo; Wikipedia: Wombat; Wikipedia: Maine Coon; Wikipedia: Eurasian sparrowhawk; Wikipedia: Chinese Crested Dog.
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