That doesn’t follow at all. Rocks don’t care about us, and the reason that’s true is that rocks aren’t capable of feeling any way at all.

Moreover, even if the universe could properly be said to have feelings, that doesn’t entail anything about the existence of a “higher power”. Humans feel things, but that by itself is not proof or disproof of the existence of a “higher power”

I don't see how saying that it doesn't exhibit a feeling implies that it exhibits feelings.

Take the sentence - he doesn't like dogs. This implies that he has preferences and those preferences do not contain dogs. It is one thing to say the universe lacks consciousness, or that it is incapable of care because it is inanimate. It is another to give it a preference, saying it does not care about us.

Honestly, I think you're reading too far into the phrasing. Very few would infer that the author thinks there are things the universe does care about.

Isn't it explicitly refusing to ascribe a particular feeling (caring) to the universe?