I would imagine that it's because most cats aren't "threatening" to people, in that they don't generally approach people, and people aren't generally afraid of

I would imagine that it's because most cats aren't "threatening" to people, in that they don't generally approach people, and people aren't generally afraid of them when they do. E.g., my grandmother was terrified of unleashed dogs (as are many others), regardless of how "friendly" they were.