I think our cats mostly idolize a reliable food bowl.
Cats are pragmatic creatures.
I think this is the way with most "house animals."
The song comes to mind ...
"You can't always get what you want, You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you get what you NEEEEEED. You can't always get what you need."
Animals are seldom happy with "what you need," I have found.
Cats and dogs generally do not bother with things like character-building and self-actualization. Neither would I if all I had to do to get my needs met was exist, and occasionally meow. Alas, cute though I be, I'm not housecat cute.
I thought dogs at least needed an owner with a strong character. The whole pack mentality thing, the dog shouldn't be the alpha of the household.
Absolutely correct as far as I have known dogs for over fifty years.
I really think that the single most important reason we lost so many awesome dogs to a wild pack in those days was because the dogs were smart enough to see that all three of us guys, all of us alpha candidates, co-co-cohabiting, all sharing that amazing property, were always vying for alpha status against each other, whether it was tongue in cheek or not. Dogs probably do not understand tongue in cheek fights.
I think as soon as one of our dogs met a strong pack leader, they joined THAT pack, not regarding the situation we had as a proper "pack."
I feel that you have hit on the reality of the situation.
Cats are different, though.