Well, my theory is that they do find us attractive, but that they also expect us to catter to them. That is, that we prioritize having their approval over everything else. Why? My guess is that they still think that the most important thing in a woman's life is to marry and have children and, for that, we are supposed to "get a man". So they kind of expect women "chasing" them by "catching their eye". But it is just a supposition.

Same way that I think that most men who catcall women doesn't do it because they like that women, but to get the approval of the other men who are with then when they do it. To have a laught at the women's expense and basically brag. It is never been about women at all. It is a performance for other men.