-i is the accusative case. The accusative case is used in many situations. This is one of them. Plural generic direct objects take the accusative case.
Direct object: This means there is a verb that applies to the object itself. These verbs are also called transitive verbs. In other words, we are not doing something with an object. We are doing something to an object.
Accusative case: -ý, i, u, ü takes -y buffer if needed
Plural generic nouns: This means simply any plural noun that refers to an entire class.
´Kediler´ in "Ayþe kedileri çok sever" doesn´t refer to certain objects. We are talking generally about cats.
More examples about this type of usage of the accusative case:
Churchill Türkleri hafife almýþtý.
Churchill underestimated the Turks.
Güçlü bir fýrtýna þehirleri yok edebilir.
A strong hurricane can demolish cities.
Devlet fakirleri korur.
The state protects the poor.
Sanatçýlarý anlamak her zaman kolay deðildir.
It isn´t always easy to understand artists
lol
, that is more than i wished for 
lol