History Main / FurryConfusion

* [[https://extraneousdominomask.tumblr.com/post/162205227287/a-zooplecoop-where-nick-and-judy-interrogating-a this crossover ficlet]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}} Nick and Judy]] have recently arrested one of Muggshot's guards for interrogation, but fail to realize it's a bulldog guard. [[Franchise/SlyCooper Carmelita]] tries to explain the difference between a dog like him and dog like [[PettingZooPeople Muggshot]] but are unable to grasp that concept.

* [[https://extraneousdominomask.tumblr.com/post/162205227287/a-zooplecoop-where-nick-and-judy-interrogating-a this crossover ficlet]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}} Nick and Judy]] have recently arrested one of Muggshot's guards for interrogation, but fail to realize it's a bulldog guard. [[VideoGame/SlyCooper Carmelita]] tries to explain the difference between a dog like him and dog like [[PettingZooPeople Muggshot]] but are unable to grasp that concept.

Very often crosses over with CarnivoreConfusion[[note]](in which case it can be used to avoid SapientEatSapient)[[/note]], FurryDenial, and occasionally with WhatMeasureIsANonCute and NoCartoonFish. AdultsAreMoreAnthropomorphic and HumanoidFemaleAnimal can sometimes overlap with this trope. See also AnthropomorphicShift and FeatherFingers. See AnimalGenderBender and AssInALionSkin for a whole new level of confusion. Very often happens because MostWritersAreHuman and FurriesAreEasierToDraw.

Some Furry Fiction {{Hand Wave}}s this by explaining that their [[PettingZooPeople very humanoid]] characters have a science-fiction basis. They may be mutants or [[IntelligentGerbil visiting aliens]] or something. Perhaps they are normal animals who [[HollywoodEvolution evolved into a humanlike form]] after gaining intelligence (so any non-anthros would be their equivalents to chimps or something). This explanation is generally fine as long as there are [[LionsAndTigersAndHumansOhMy actual humans forming the rest of the cast]]. If there aren't ''any'' humans around -- or if there's no explanation given at all -- expect the wave of [[FridgeLogic unsettling implications]] to hit you soon. The sight of a talking dog-man owning a ''pet'' dog (or of a chicken-man '''[[LetsMeetTheMeat eating fried chicken]]''') is pretty strange.

* ''Franchise/MonsterHigh'':

[[https://extraneousdominomask.tumblr.com/post/162205227287/a-zooplecoop-where-nick-and-judy-interrogating-a this crossover ficlet]] [[WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}} Nick and Judy]] have recently arrested one of Muggshot's guards for interrogation, but fail to realize it's a bulldog guard. [[VideoGame/SlyCooper Carmelita]] tries to explain the difference between a dog like him and dog like [[PettingZooPeople Muggshot]] but are unable to grasp that concept.

Very often crosses over with CarnivoreConfusion[[note]](in which case it can be used to avoid SapientEatSapient)[[/note]], FurryDenial, and occasionally with WhatMeasureIsANonCute and NoCartoonFish. See also AnthropomorphicShift and FeatherFingers. See AnimalGenderBender and AssInALionSkin for a whole new level of confusion. Very often happens because MostWritersAreHuman and FurriesAreEasierToDraw.

[[caption-width-right:280:[[Webcomic/AwkwardZombie "Is... is this a job for human rights activists or for PETA?]]"]]

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1u7Ntz7Go8 This Music Video]].

* Averted in ''WorldTree,'' due to the conspicuous absence of any "real" animals matching the Prime races.

* Enjoy a new level of Furry Confusion with this [[http://www.amerheritage.com/salespages/bigsky/bigskycarver-nativity.htm collection of all-animal Nativity sets]] (horrible Geocities-era web design in that link; you may have to scroll down). The very sight of Moose-Jesus is a good indication of why [[{{Redwall}} Brian Jaques]] ignores this issue entirely.

In many cartoon or comic settings one will often find that the characters are [[FunnyAnimal anthropomorphic animals]]. The audience tends to accept this without question -- until non-humanlike animals (animals that don't look or sound humanlike) appear in the same continuity. Fortunately the audience doesn't ''usually'' have a big problem with this.

In many cartoon or comic settings one will often find that the characters are [[FunnyAnimal anthropomorphic animals]]. The audience tends to accept this without question -- until non-humanlike animals appear in the same continuity. Fortunately the audience doesn't ''usually'' have a big problem with this.

Very often crosses over with CarnivoreConfusion, FurryDenial, and occasionally with WhatMeasureIsANonCute and NoCartoonFish. See also AnthropomorphicShift and FeatherFingers. See AnimalGenderBender and AssInALionSkin for a whole new level of confusion. Very often happens because MostWritersAreHuman and FurriesAreEasierToDraw.

* [[http://pastel-chaos.tumblr.com/post/93119045184/what-is-life This]] [[Creator/ThisIsIt Don't Hug Me I'm Scared]] fancomic.

* Also in the same vein, ''{{FanFic/Anthropology}}'' has Lyra, an unicorn[[spoiler:-turned-human]] meeting actual horses at a ranch [[spoiler:when she first enters Earth]]. She understandably feels confused as to why the horses don't answer to her, seeing as she's lived all her life among talking horses.

* Plant example in ''Franchise/MonsterHigh'': Venus Mc Flttrap's pet is a plant that isn't humanoid, but is clearly not a normal plant either.

* Generation 1 ''MyLittlePony'' characters were generally somewhat [[CivilizedAnimal civilized animals]], and generally acted like horses that just happened to talk and live in castles and occasionally wear clothes. Various non-pony species were also portrayed as sentient in G1. Almost everything they ate - whether it popcorn or grass - was normally something a vegetarian could... yet there's a pony named Munchy, who has pictures of hot dogs and hamburgers all over her body, and her card refers to ponies ''eating'' hot dogs.[[note]][[RealityIsUnrealistic Surprisingly,]] horses will [[http://www.thehorse.com/articles/14710/my-horse-will-eat-drink happily eat hot dogs and burgers in real life.]][[/note]] If that same backcard story is any indication, Munchy simply transforms things into junk food via magic, thereby sidestepping the whole issue.
** G1 also had a lion named Kingsley, and Tabby's backcard story describes her playing with lion cubs. What Ponyland's lions eat is conveniently left unmentioned. (Maybe Munchy is responsible for supplying them with meat?)

* And then we get, in ''FanFic/TheAudience'', a human has come to [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Equestria]] and various human items are too. Celestia has established a UsefulNotes/McDonalds. He is initially hesitant, knowing that in Equestria cows are people and chickens and pigs are pet animals (there is actually a cow working at the register!), but then Celestia reveals that the burgers are made of a meat substitute that passed through the portal. When he orders a milkshake, one of the ponies says that it's empty and then asks the cow to go to the milking machine. He is understandably {{Squick}}ed out by this, as he isn't used for a sapient creature to be providing the milk. Also, there are "My Little Human" toys in the happy meals.

* Generation 1 ''MyLittlePony'' characters were generally somewhat [[CivilizedAnimal civilized animals]], and generally acted like horses that just happened to talk and live in castles and occasionally wear clothes. Everything they ate - whether it popcorn or grass - was normally something a vegetarian could... yet there's a pony named Munchy, who has pictures of hot dogs all over her body, and her card refers to ponies ''eating'' hot dogs. [[RealityIsUnrealistic But surprisingly]], this is TruthInTelevision! [[http://www.thehorse.com/articles/14710/my-horse-will-eat-drink Horses often eat hot dogs]], hamburgers, fish and God knows what else. Given that various non-pony species were ''also'' portrayed as sentient in G1, [[CarnivoreConfusion it's best not to think about what those hot dogs are made from]].

* Generation 1 ''MyLittlePony'' characters were generally somewhat [[CivilizedAnimal civilized animals]], and generally acted like horses that just happened to talk and live in castles and occasionally wear clothes. Everything they ate - whether it popcorn or grass - was normally something a vegetarian could... yet there's a pony named Munchy, who has pictures of hot dogs all over her body, and her card refers to ponies ''eating'' hot dogs. [[RealityIsUnrealistic But surprisingly]], this is TruthInTelevision! [[http://www.thehorse.com/articles/14710/my-horse-will-eat-drink Horses often eat hot dogs]], hamburgers, fish and God knows what else.

* FurryConfusion/{{Anime And Manga}}
* FurryConfusion/{{Comic Books}}
* FurryConfusion/{{Disney And Pixar}}

* FurryConfusion/{{Live Action TV}}
* FurryConfusion/{{Newspaper Comics}}
* FurryConfusion/{{Video Games}}
* FurryConfusion/{{Web Comics}}
* FurryConfusion/{{Web Original}}
* FurryConfusion/{{Western Animation}}
* FurryConfusion/{{Real Life}}

Fantasy setting may explain their PettingZooPeople in other ways. They may be [[BalefulPolymorph cursed]] or infested ({{Werewolf}}) humans, in this case the trope can be averted for drama. A wizard or god may polymorph himself or other people in a form what is more useful for the current task or simply magically create them from nothing. Or they simply exist in the setting (nobody can disprove that dragons and unicorns can talk because they don't exist in RealLife).

->''"The classic {{Disney}} cartoon universe has traditionally hosted two types of animals. The first type includes human-like animals such as Goofy and Mickey Mouse who wear clothes, pay taxes, and speak in some kind of coherent human language. The other type more closely resembles actual animals -- Pluto, for example, runs around naked, eats whatever he happens to find laying on the floor, and sniffs the crotches of random strangers, just like your average real-world dog (Goofy, on the other hand, only pulls that shit in fanfic)."''

* Plant example in ''MonsterHigh'': Venus Mc Flttrap's pet is a plant that isn't humanoid, but is clearly not a normal plant either.

* In generation 1 for the most part ''MyLittlePony'' characters were HalfCivilizedAnimal's, sometimes CivilizedAnimal's, and generally acted like horses. Everything they ate - whether it popcorn or grass - was something a vegetarian could.. Yet there's a pony named [[http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8nj4xqDkT1qd0n4ao1_500.jpg Munchy]] who has hot dogs all over her and her card refers to ponies ''eating'' hot dogs.
** TruthInTelevision! [[http://www.thehorse.com/articles/14710/my-horse-will-eat-drink Horses often eat hot dogs]], hamburgers, fish and God knows what all else.

[[quoteright:280:[[Disney/{{Fantasia}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b0f15b22638693731d7229ce249b7940.jpg]]]]

* And then we get, in ''FanFic/TheAudience'', a human has come to [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Equestria]] and various human items are too. Celestia has established a McDonalds. He is initially hesitant, knowing that in Equestria cows are people and chickens and pigs are pet animals (there is actually a cow working at the register!), but then Celestia reveals that the burgers are made of a meat substitute that passed through the portal. When he orders a milkshake, one of the ponies says that it's empty and then asks the cow to go to the milking machine. He is understandably {{Squick}}ed out by this, as he isn't used for a sapient creature to be providing the milk. Also, there are "My Little Human" toys in the happy meals.

* In ''WebAnimation/TurnaboutStorm'', [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Rarity]] gets quite puzzled when [[Franchise/AceAttorney Phoenix]] tells her that the ponies in his world are not as nearly as talkative, intelligent and not-stinky as the ones in Equestria. Welp, there go Rarity and her new trans-dimensional clients.