Maybe it's more Fi based than Ne? I definitely love cats, they're easy to be with and they're cuddly and playful but not too playful like dogs.
I read somewhere that Fi HA causes SLIs to seek company in pets, and I've seen that first hand with my SLI dad. He is overprotective of pets (cats and dogs) and would argue with my mum all the time over not feeding them well or taking care of them. He has had a very deep connection with all the
pets we've ever had, and often talks about them nostalgically. The only times he's playful are around pets. My IEE sister also loves cats, but she's not too connected to them.