That may be a satisfying explanation at first pass, but it breaks down quickly under scrutiny, I think. We can recognize the emotional state of pigs and cows,

That may be a satisfying explanation at first pass, but it breaks down quickly under scrutiny, I think. We can recognize the emotional state of pigs and cows, probably more than even we can with cats. Certainly more than we can with rodents and other pets. I also think most people wouldn't accept a video of someone abusing a cow, pig, or even a chicken. Let's just replace dog with piglet in my comment if that helps track the point. I'd wager most people wouldn't find footage inside a slaughterhouse or factory farm very palatable. But this happens by the hundreds of millions daily.