Worldbuilding: Pirians & Cats (Canon, I guess)

I had to break the news to the kid that Pirians (my Utopian society the series I'm writing) do not have cats.

"What?" she demanded.  "How can it be a Utopian society if they don't have kitties?"

Me: "Well, they can't have cats.  They live on space ships, see, and--"

The Kid: "But kitties!"

Me: "In space ships, see, we use plants to purify the air, and lots of those plants are toxic to cats.  So--"

The Kid: "Couldn't they just keep the cats away from the plants?"

Me: "They could, I suppose.  Mostly the plants are in the Exchange.  [Digression while I explain what that is.] But also, Pirians live at zee or near zee, most of the time.  Can you imagine a litterbox at zero-gravity?"

The Kid imagines a litterbox at zero gravity.

The Kid: "But no cats!"

Me: (Sadly): "I know.  Pirian kids think of them like dragons.  Wonderful mythic creatures."

The Kid: (Brightening): You've got that dagan.  From "Velocity's Ghost"?  Who can turn itself into anything? The therapist?"

Me: "Um. Right...I mean, they're like therapists..."

The Kid: "Well, those could turn themselves into kitties!  For Pirians who needed cat therapy!"

Me: "...emergency cat therapy."

The Kid: "Right!"

Me:  "...Okay.  Yeah.  I suppose."