Kids aren’t the only ones who love stuffed animals. Stuffed animals can be a companion for a lonely or bored pet. As a toy, a stuffed toy animal can be something for your cat, bunny, ferret or other small pet to toss around, chew on, carry around, or just hang out with.

Safety is your first and foremost consideration. Choose a plush toy without rigid plastic parts, buttons, plastic eyes, or any other small parts that your pet could bite off and swallow or choke on. Avoid toys with zippers or small sound chips inside. you can check out plush toy animals for children two years of age or younger, as they should have no small parts and be constructed of non-toxic materials. Make sure the stuffed toy is machine-washable. Supervise your pet around the stuffed animal, and remove it immediately if your pet starts to ingest parts of it.

Choose a stuffed toy online friend that is about the same size or smaller than your pet, as a larger stuffed companion may be intimidating, or at the least make it difficult for your pet to play with it and carry it around. Many pets will treat the toy as if it were a live companion, grooming it, keeping it company and comforting it and thereby comforting themselves. As a friend for a pet who has lost his or her long-time companion, these stuffed companions become more than just toys, the bereaved pet can snuggle with them and groom them.

If your grieving or traumatized pet doesn’t accept the stuffed toy right away, you can move the toy around and make it groom the real pet and snuggle up to the real pet. In the case of a pet who has lost his companion, immediately offering a stuffed companion gives him a non-threatening, non-demanding companion who can alleviate some of the loneliness and provide him a bit of comfort. If your pet doesn’t take to the stuffed animal right away, try again later in the day. Even a small bit of solace found in this stuffed toy may cut down on the loss of appetite, withdrawal, and other symptoms of depression in the bereft pet.