Of Farm Animals and Furries (Why Cows?)

[dogryme6]

I have a question and I want it to be answered. I know that maybe not all furs here are equipped to answer it properly but I must ask it anyways...
Why farm animals? Why pigs? Why sheep? Why chickens or roosters, why goats or donkeys or horses?
But especially, and this is the main big one that I get on people's cases the most...
WHY COWS???
People seem to like anthropomorphizing cows a lot, sometimes even making cows male when by definition, a cow is a female? And if they wanted a male bovine they should go with a bull. And plus when people actually do have female cow OCs they just put human-like breasts on their chests anyways?! I thought that's what Udders were for! So many anatomical inaccuracies made, for what? The sake of fun and convenience? It kind of outrages me. Especially when they have their weird udders exposed! Like, no, I don't think those should be. And then there was the new kink going around during the late winter and early-to-mid spring months where people were putting udders on their OCs even if they weren't cows or having cow TFs and I'm screaming internally like "Whyyyyyyy" and it just never ends.
Even one of my favorite artists there made her OC into a cow a long time ago and (pun not intended) I had beef with that and don't watch them anymore. Sad to see such idols fall from grace like that wouldn't ya say?
So yeah, that's my problems with cows. Nobody cares to follow them accurately. And I just don't like them.

 

[MsRavage]

its freedom of expression..many people will manipulate a specific creature while still calling it that said creature. I like the cows haha i think they look cool, but i prefer with no udders since it just looks too animal like...and the fun thing about sona's is they're very anthropomorphic...of course if someone wanted to keep the udders power to them...as for male "cows" its most likely just a communication error...most people don't know that the names for cattle differs and that cow specifically refers to an adult female cattle...while bull is for a male cattle...then there's bull calf and heifer and what not...idk its just people expressing themselves...i've seen wolves with horns and birds with penises...its all fun and games and *imagination*

 

[dogryme6]

its freedom of expression..many people will manipulate a specific creature while still calling it that said creature. I like the cows haha i think they look cool, but i prefer with no udders since it just looks too animal like...and the fun thing about sona's is they're very anthropomorphic...of course if someone wanted to keep the udders power to them...as for male "cows" its most likely just a communication error...most people don't know that the names for cattle differs and that cow specifically refers to an adult female cattle...while bull is for a male cattle...then there's bull calf and heifer and what not...idk its just people expressing themselves...i've seen wolves with horns and birds with penises...its all fun and games and *imagination*

I get that... Sometimes I don't really care. So you don't like the udders either? That makes the two of us! Because it makes them too animal like? Understandable. I don't like it because 1: It's gross and 2: It gives me implications they're perverse. Wear some FREAKING CLOTHES over that stuff for god's sake! There's innocent teenagers on FA! I think. (Well, maybe not...) But whatever!
Yeah people need to actually teach their children about animals instead of just pointing to pictures and saying "And this is a duck, this is a goose, this is a mouse, and this is a cow." DURRR! Now they'll think all bovines are cows! Nice job breaking it, society! Sigh but I digress.
Those are weird things to put on animals. Human attributes don't belong on animals unless they have similar features.
I kinda agree on freedom of expression when it works for me. (Look at these horns! All western dragons make them point backwards, not forwards! How do you pierce things with those going that way?)
... ... ... I wonder if maybe I'll always have friction with furries because I'm starting to lack that freedom of expression, imagination, and just... having that flow in general. Am I an elitist or something?

 

[MsRavage]

nah you are just you! you're unique and expressing your opinion and there is nothing wrong with that....me personally im neutral towards it.....i don't plan on making a farm sona anytime soon but if people want to thats fine by me...if they want to add udders go ahead...just don't expect me to go OMG ITS AMAZING unless it ends up being amazing hahaha im just more "whatever floats your boat" in the situation...but you remember that old nickelodian show /movie called back to the barnyard or just barnyard...everyone was concerned because they gave the male cattle utters hahaha

 

[dogryme6]

nah you are just you! you're unique and expressing your opinion and there is nothing wrong with that....me personally im neutral towards it.....i don't plan on making a farm sona anytime soon but if people want to thats fine by me...if they want to add udders go ahead...just don't expect me to go OMG ITS AMAZING unless it ends up being amazing hahaha im just more "whatever floats your boat" in the situation...but you remember that old nickelodian show /movie called back to the barnyard or just barnyard...everyone was concerned because they gave the male cattle utters hahaha

I primarily blame that show for enabling male "cow" furries that have udders.

 

[BasilClover]

Why don't you like farm animals in general?

 

[dogryme6]

Why don't you like farm animals in general?

This was mostly about cows, but I don't like farm animals because...
Well, their only existence now is to serve humans products and food, and we made them that way. They might even become worse in evolution as time goes on, as why would they advance if they're trapped and being used?
How anyone can relate to what might as well be packaged products for consumption is beyond me. That'd be like saying you want to be the pringles guy, so you made a recolored pringles face OC to be on the internet. And you'd wonder why so many other users would laugh at you?

Okay, maybe that's a little too animal-rights-activist sounding. Well, here's my actual thoughts...
I like farm animals better as food than seeing them living in person, as I think they're kinda gross in general and just not very pleasant to look at or be around, even without the sad implications to their lives. They all smell, chickens are noisy, cows are just big methane gasbags with some of the weirdest biology to be seen in a common animal, pigs are dirty due to unfortunate natural design (Not having sweat glands in turn means needing mud) and their quirky behaviors can occasionally cause rowdiness. Horses can vary, I feel they tend to be an either love it or hate it animal, and while I do like them to an extent, they just don't catch my fancy. And Goats have faces like grandmothers.
The only farm animal I think I could actually like are sheep, they're soft and very docile, and something you'd want to live as long as possible and not want to eat due to their mutton not being as popular as the other animals, as well as providing some very soft and rather heavy wool. If I had to take care of any farm animals, it'd probably be these.
Not saying you should trust sheep with a dragon though, or any farm animals. Seems almost fated I wouldn't like them!

 

[BasilClover]

Dogs and cats were also created by humans for jobs, though most don't do them anymore. We have different opinions on animals it seems haha, I love goats and chickens but to me, sheep smell bad and are dumb, tamed sheep run away when scared and they need a catch area. Everybody's experiences shape their opinions on animals! I'm not a fan of cattle, especially steer but I know some nice heifers and if I grew up with them I would probably get used to them. <3

 

[dogryme6]

Dogs and cats were also created by humans for jobs, though most don't do them anymore. We have different opinions on animals it seems haha, I love goats and chickens but to me, sheep smell bad and are dumb, tamed sheep run away when scared and they need a catch area. Everybody's experiences shape their opinions on animals! I'm not a fan of cattle, especially steer but I know some nice heifers and if I grew up with them I would probably get used to them. <3

Dogs and cats? Those are the popular animals though, and though we pretty much made and used them, I feel like it's not as bad as what farm animals live through.
Those are flaws in sheep, as well as diseases they can catch. But to me they'd sound easy to take care of. I don't think they have to be smart or brave to be good to someone.
If experiences shape opinions... Well, I've never had very good experiences with farm animals in any case, though horses are the one other more docile creature if they can be breed to that specification.
Maybe I've been shown too much anti-industrial farming propaganda and some other really crappy things in high school health class. You'd have to ask me about that if you want to hear it... On top of that my homeroom classes took us on special fieldtrips to a horse farm a few times a year, and we only ever ended up doing the same things every time, which really annoyed me. Why keep going on stupid field trips if we're not going to learn anything new from it? Ugh, just one of many flaws with our frikken educational system...

 

[Old Fashioned]

But to me they'd sound easy to take care of. I don't think they have to be smart or brave to be good to someone.

They aren't too bad, but they honestly can kill themselves.

Spoiler: Sad Story

My brother had two sheep for 4-H one year, the one died of pneumonia and the other got its legs caught under itself and died of exhaustion trying to get up. It was a shame though, that crazy sheep thought he was a dog and would play with them and follow them around, it was so adorable. So, that's my experience with sheep.

 

[dogryme6]

They aren't too bad, but they honestly can kill themselves.

Spoiler: Sad Story

My brother had two sheep for 4-H one year, the one died of pneumonia and the other got its legs caught under itself and died of exhaustion trying to get up. It was a shame though, that crazy sheep thought he was a dog and would play with them and follow them around, it was so adorable. So, that's my experience with sheep.

Whoa. That is a really sad story... I didn't think sheep were as dumb as the lemming animals were rumored to be. (Spoilers: Lemmings aren't actually suicidal.) But jeez, I didn't think something like that could happen.

 

[CrazyDragon]

I have a question and I want it to be answered. I know that maybe not all furs here are equipped to answer it properly but I must ask it anyways...
Why farm animals? Why pigs? Why sheep? Why chickens or roosters, why goats or donkeys or horses?
But especially, and this is the main big one that I get on people's cases the most...
WHY COWS???
People seem to like anthropomorphizing cows a lot, sometimes even making cows male when by definition, a cow is a female? And if they wanted a male bovine they should go with a bull. And plus when people actually do have female cow OCs they just put human-like breasts on their chests anyways?! I thought that's what Udders were for! So many anatomical inaccuracies made, for what? The sake of fun and convenience? It kind of outrages me. Especially when they have their weird udders exposed! Like, no, I don't think those should be. And then there was the new kink going around during the late winter and early-to-mid spring months where people were putting udders on their OCs even if they weren't cows or having cow TFs and I'm screaming internally like "Whyyyyyyy" and it just never ends.
Even one of my favorite artists there made her OC into a cow a long time ago and (pun not intended) I had beef with that and don't watch them anymore. Sad to see such idols fall from grace like that wouldn't ya say?
So yeah, that's my problems with cows. Nobody cares to follow them accurately. And I just don't like them.

Dogs have teats running down their abdomen but people still put a pair of knockers on their chest?
You're not going to get animal accuracy in the furry community. The community consists of hybrid animals, animals that aren't correct, fetishes, or impractical characters... but people are being expressive and that's just want they want to do.

 

[Pipistrele]

Why farm animals? Why pigs? Why sheep? Why chickens or roosters, why goats or donkeys or horses?
But especially, and this is the main big one that I get on people's cases the most...
WHY COWS???

Because they can make for surprisingly cool-looking and aesthetically appealing characters with a lot of potential depth when it comes to descripting their biology, especially in the right hands. And character design in general is not about characters being realistic, but about them being likeable and well-developed, often in spite of lacking realism. We can even turn it the other way around - why making your fursona a clothed anthropomorphic dragon, if clothes are inaccurate to every available folk description of eastern or western dragons, not to mention it's highly inaccurate by scientific standards because dragons don't exist?

Even one of my favorite artists there made her OC into a cow a long time ago and (pun not intended) I had beef with that and don't watch them anymore. Sad to see such idols fall from grace like that wouldn't ya say?

Welp, it's ok not to like the thing, everybody has preferences after all, but accusing your favorite artist in decline and getting into beef over it just because he/she did something against said personal preferences of yours is childish to say the least, sorry.

 

[dogryme6]

Dogs have teats running down their abdomen but people still put a pair of knockers on their chest?
You're not going to get animal accuracy in the furry community. The community consists of hybrid animals, animals that aren't correct, fetishes, or impractical characters... but people are being expressive and that's just want they want to do.

I still beg the questions. Part of me asks just because I want to see how they answer, but the other part's genuinely curious. Do they know or not? And if so, did they do it because they didn't care? Or maybe they like it, or maybe they thought it's be interesting or something.
Meh. I know I'm not going to get 100% accuracy, maybe I shouldn't feel as bothered as I do... This is why I feel I don't fit in.

 

[CrazyDragon]

I still beg the questions. Part of me asks just because I want to see how they answer, but the other part's genuinely curious. Do they know or not? And if so, did they do it because they didn't care? Or maybe they like it, or maybe they thought it's be interesting or something.
Meh. I know I'm not going to get 100% accuracy, maybe I shouldn't feel as bothered as I do... This is why I feel I don't fit in.

Fair enough, I guess the question is better off aimed at someone who actually has a character like that to see what they say.
I think the only time I was really offput by a cow related design was that animated movie where the male cows had utters... heck what was that called... Barnyard

 

[dogryme6]

Because they can make for surprisingly cool-looking and aesthetically appealing characters with a lot of potential depth when it comes to descripting their biology, especially in the right hands. And character design in general is not about characters being realistic, but about them being likeable and well-developed, often in spite of lacking realism. We can even turn it the other way around - why making your fursona a clothed anthropomorphic dragon, if clothes are inaccurate to every available folk description of eastern or western dragons, not to mention it's highly inaccurate by scientific standards because dragons don't exist?


Welp, it's ok not to like the thing, everybody has preferences after all, but accusing your favorite artist in decline and getting into beef over it just because he/she did something against said personal preferences of yours is childish to say the least, sorry.

1st part: Well, I'd be all for creativity and that stuff, if they can work well with it that's good for them... Fantasy worlds can be awesome, reality sucks. But then whether or not I buy into it depends on my subjectivity, whether or not I do or don't like it, and whether or not there's flaws to it's detriment...
My OC: Maybe they're just dragon people? But then that's not exactly a full-fledged dragon. He is person sized, so I'm figuring why not let him have clothes. They are optional, I just want it.
And of course dragons don't exist, but everyone else has them. Practically. It's a common enough creature among online cultures. I don't think mine's even really 100% western dragon anyways, it just seems to fit that description the best.
2nd part: ... Well maybe saying they declined or whatever wasn't the best thing to say, but it kinda ruined their rep in my eyes. They still do good stuff, it's just, I really don't like that cowsona.
I will argue with my preferences. Call me childish. So? Maybe I'm petty. But you should expect pettiness coming from someone who judges on their biases!

 

[dogryme6]

Fair enough, I guess the question is better off aimed at someone who actually has a character like that to see what they say.
I think the only time I was really offput by a cow related design was that animated movie where the male cows had utters... heck what was that called... Barnyard

I already said I blamed that movie for... Oh just read that last reply to someone else on this thread.
But yeah, if I got a response saying why they designed their characters like that then that'd be awesome, which is the purpose of my questions.

 

[Pipistrele]

1st part: Well, I'd be all for creativity and that stuff, if they can work well with it that's good for them... Fantasy worlds can be awesome, reality sucks. But then whether or not I buy into it depends on my subjectivity, whether or not I do or don't like it, and whether or not there's flaws to it's detriment...

That's fair enough, it just that it kinda answers your question by default. You've set up the question like there is some objective flaw in drawing anthro farm animals, something that can ruin reputation of an artist and make him instantly worse (and such mindset is both childish and petty, one doesn't exclude the other really). If you're all for creativity and subjectivity, then the answer is already in front of you - people draw anthro cows and anthro sheeps because they're subjectively interesting to draw, nothing more or less.

 

[dogryme6]

That's fair enough, it just that it kinda answers your question by default. You've set up the question like there is some objective flaw in drawing anthro farm animals, something that can ruin reputation of an artist and make him instantly worse (and such mindset is both childish and petty, one doesn't exclude the other really). If you're all for creativity and subjectivity, then the answer is already in front of you - people draw anthro cows and anthro sheeps because they're subjectively interesting to draw, nothing more or less.

I must've sounded really redundant then... and stupid. Sorry about all that.
Well, they can have their thing then, but they'll never see me stick around.

 

[ChapterAquila92]

My own gripe with fursonas based on farm animals has more to do with what it implies from a therian perspective; it doesn't lend well to a good first impression when the base animal is effectively enslaved and reduced to little more than a tool or a consumable resource. A family pet has more redeemable characteristics on account of us frequently anthropomorphizing them as family members by comparison.

 

[dogryme6]

My own gripe with fursonas based on farm animals has more to do with what it implies from a therian perspective; it doesn't lend well to a good first impression when the base animal is effectively enslaved and reduced to little more than a tool or a consumable resource. A family pet has more redeemable characteristics on account of us frequently anthropomorphizing them as family members by comparison.

Did a quick search on therians
Ah, now I kinda see what you mean. Yeah, that is quite troubling. I could never imagine wanting to be something more entrapped in the modern days, like the farm animals. At least dogs and cats have owners that at least somewhat like them. It's kinda like what I said in an earlier post, they're effectively wanting to become products, not animals. Because farm people don't give a crap about the animals themselves, just what they give.

 

[Taterbunny]

I suppose the reason why people add human breasts to cows is that it looks more pleasing to the eye for most, as more human characteristics are more familiar to us. Same reason people draw reptilian anthros with breasts. If the character has udders, people usually don't cover them. We're not taught as a society to think of them as breasts, they're not censored in film or pictures, and even children's books and cartoons will show cutesy cows with udders showing. People aren't taught to censor, so we don't tend to cover them on characters like human breasts. If anything, udders are typically seen as "cute" rather than sexy, which many furries would rather have the sexy aspect to a character. If the character's udders are covered, people may mistake it for a pregnant character (i.e. associated with pregnancy fetish by most people, which is understandable if you'd rather not have people assume).
As far as other farm animals go, people just create what they feel connected to in some way. Maybe they had a pet goat or a chicken as a kid. I have a cow character because I think cows are really cute. Why'd you choose your characters/sona? Just a preference thing, people like what they like. Not all farm animals are abused, and even some are purely pets and not used for food, leather, etc. Any animal can be abused, dogs are commonly used for fights, and I even knew a guy that fished with kittens. The association we feel with the character is solely based on the animal itself, and not what the monsters of the world do with them.

 

[Simo]

 

[Dongding]

-snip-
The only farm animal I think I could actually like are sheep, they're soft and very docile, and something you'd want to live as long as possible and not want to eat due to their mutton not being as popular as the other animals, as well as providing some very soft and rather heavy wool. If I had to take care of any farm animals, it'd probably be these.

Thanks bro.

 

[dogryme6]

I suppose the reason why people add human breasts to cows is that it looks more pleasing to the eye for most, as more human characteristics are more familiar to us. Same reason people draw reptilian anthros with breasts. If the character has udders, people usually don't cover them. We're not taught as a society to think of them as breasts, they're not censored in film or pictures, and even children's books and cartoons will show cutesy cows with udders showing. People aren't taught to censor, so we don't tend to cover them on characters like human breasts. If anything, udders are typically seen as "cute" rather than sexy, which many furries would rather have the sexy aspect to a character. If the character's udders are covered, people may mistake it for a pregnant character (i.e. associated with pregnancy fetish by most people, which is understandable if you'd rather not have people assume).
As far as other farm animals go, people just create what they feel connected to in some way. Maybe they had a pet goat or a chicken as a kid. I have a cow character because I think cows are really cute. Why'd you choose your characters/sona? Just a preference thing, people like what they like. Not all farm animals are abused, and even some are purely pets and not used for food, leather, etc. Any animal can be abused, dogs are commonly used for fights, and I even knew a guy that fished with kittens. The association we feel with the character is solely based on the animal itself, and not what the monsters of the world do with them.

Well, if adding the human shape to cows makes them more pleasant to look at then that's fine. But personally I find udders to be disgusting to look at. I don't want to know where milk comes from, and that's one of the sources. anatomical knowledge can't escape my mind no matter how hard I try. It really annoys me to hear that censoring them only misleads everyone else. Why not just have those characters wear farmer clothes instead of stupidly tying a bedsheet around them? BAM, EASY SOLUTION! Another easy solution is people / furries just Don't Be Stupid. I honestly hate that they associate things with fetishes or sex so god dang much, otherwise then things would be so much less complicated.
Once (As a young kid) I was taken to a place where they showed off farm animals, some kinda fair or something. I didn't like being there, it smelled. A lady asked if I wanted to see what a cow's udder looked like. In retrospect it was my own goddamn fault I said yes, because when I saw I freaked the fuck out ( eAe ) and my dad dragged me out of the whole damn place. SO YEAH BAD CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE. WHAT DO YA KNOW, IT SCREWS MY PERCEPTION UP!
So yeah that's one of several reasons I really don't like cows...
I guess I see the connection thing too... If there's somehow at least a few people out there that manually raise farm animals as pets... Fine, they can have their cake and eat it too. And if they don't use it for leather or food, that's even better.
Dog fights, that kinda sucks. Animal abusers are terrible people. But imagining the guy using the cat for fishing made me laugh my ass off. I know the characters based off of animals aren't based off of what monsters do with the animals, but I still get this icky feeling when I think of those kinds of fursonas.