My theory on the cats is the whole spiritual aspect that's at play here. Cats are in the traditional western occultism sense known for sensing spiritual being/objects and keeping their distance from them. There are exceptions with the witches familiar and the Cats of Ulthar but I think they're more one off's as opposed to the rule.
Despite her being based on and having power similar to the scientific communities much beloved Tardigrade she's 100% a spiritual being in the sense that she shouldn't exist as is in reality.
That's my theory anyway, makes more sense than her eating the cats.