Furry fandom is the appreciation, promotion, and production of stories and art about anthropomorphic animals, as well as the exploration, interpretation and examination of humanity and human values through anthropomorphic expression. This includes works such as animated cartoons, comic books and strips, text stories and articles, artwork, costumes, and stuffed animals.

Anthropomorphics are human qualities or characteristics ascribed to animals or objects. Specific to furry fandom, anthropomorphics are animal characters with human qualities or characteristics. Some examples of anthropomorphic characters are:

• Cartoon characters ("funny animals") featured in animation such as Bugs Bunny, Pink Panther, The Lion King, or Bullwinkle.
• Corporate mascots or advertising characters such as McGruff the Crime Dog, Toucan Sam, or the Exxon Tiger.
• Cute talking animals featured in fairy tales and fantasy stories, such as Watership Down, Animal Farm, or Aesop's Fables.