Yeah, I think it often--usually?--is familial, but not necessarily only or exclusively so. I suppose my definitive image of "animal intimacy" is that moment in Mononoke Hime when San chews Ashitaka's food for him. (Again with the chewing!?) XD; Come to think of it Ashitaka and San might as well be brother and sister, in the Izanagi and Izanami sense.

Definitely it was important for Hagu to hear that said, even if Morita was saying it for the wrong reasons.