Why not? Stories where that's both true can be viscerally terrifying.

Preying on young animals is normal: they taste better and are more tender. That’s why almost every pig and cow and chicken you’ve ever eaten is under two years old.

Hell, predators eat young animals all the time. They’re slower and dumber.

But converting one to be your companion is creepy as hell.

Except I didn’t like teenagers when I was a teenager. I can’t imagine liking them now.