1963 F. E. Sparshott iii. 74 ‘Handsome’..is applied to things whose appearance stirs the imagination—but by suggestions of vigour rather than of pettability.
2002 Re: Wild Life in soc.bi (Usenet newsgroup) 10 Apr. Idiot carnivores who care more about the pettability factor than any real issues of care & feeding & humane slaughter of all edible beasts.