The Daily Star's FREE newsletter is spectacular! Sign up today for the best stories straight to your inbox Sign up today! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

(Image: GETTY)

However, in one community, it means something completely different.

Members of the furry fandom, or furries, are so obsessed with humanoid animal characters they go to conventions to celebrate them, get suits made up to look like one and can even be sexually interested in them.

The furry fandom is a community of people who love "humanoid animals" – or anthropomorphic animals and are also interested in animals with human qualities.

This could range from a more conventional liking for ladies wearing cat ears or bunny tails – to bombarding the Frosties mascot with declarations of love.

Although the following began in the 80s it blew up when Disney released their version of Robin Hood – with a very human fox as Robin.

After the recent release of film Zootopia this year has seen a new wave of people converting to the fandom.

Furries can come in a wide variety of different forms.

(Image: GETTY)

At one end of the spectrum, there are those who prefer to simply draw or create art dedicated to human-like animals.

But at the other extreme, there are furries who pay thousands of pounds for custom-made suits, have their own "fursona" and even like to have sex in character.

A "fursona" is a persona created by a furry – one they believe reflects who they truly are inside and they have a lot of fun in character as the animal.

This can go as far as having a custom-made suit built, which costs around £2,000 in total, creating Twitter accounts for their "fursona" and going about their day to day business dressed as the animal.

There are companies which thrive purely from making costumes for members of the furry fandom.

In some cases, being a furry fan can go even further than that.

Some members of the fandom even get sexual kicks out of having sex in character and there are plenty of porn sites dedicated to giving some furries their kicks.

"The furry fandom spreads far and wide," said one furry, who didn't want to be named.

"A lot of furries feel like their animal fursona is truly part of them and when they put the suit on, they become truly who they are.

(Image: TWITTER)

"A fursona is an animal identity created by the person. You can be whatever species you like, whatever gender you like, have whatever traits you want. It is completely down to you."

He added that his personal "fursona" is a fox crossed with a cat because he wanted to create one that reflected his true personality.

"I personally got into the fandom when I was quite young, and felt like a bit of a misfit in my every day life. I couldn't really explain why I got into it, but it just happened.

"I think the web has helped a lot with bringing the furry fandom together. We all tend to have Twitter accounts set up for our fursonas, and it's a forum where we can truly be who we want.

"There's a big following on Tumblr, too, which is a bit of a home for people with kinks."

And although this furry claims he isn't part of the fandom for sex, he does know of plenty of people who are.

(Image: DS)

"We often act differently when we are all together – we act more freely like animals sometimes.

"This can include scratching each other, nuzzling each other, hugging and petting each other – but that isn't necessarily sexual.

"I do know a lot of people who feel sex is an important aspect of their furry lives. For some, it is freeing to have sex in character. I think this is true for a lot of people, getting dressed up for their partners.

"But I know that furries will not usually have sex in their fur suits. They are hot, heavy and also very expensive. They wouldn't want to risk staining or ruining them and also, that isn't really part of it."

The sexual side of the furry fandom came into the media spotlight earlier this year, when it was revealed that Tony the Tiger, character of Frosties cereal, was being harassed on Twitter by horny furries.

It emerged the character was being bombarded with lewd tweets and images from furry fans idolising him.

When the account begged fans to stop, they found a new idol in Chester Cheetah, the Cheetos ambassador.

Furries are keen to reiterate that they aren't attracted to animals, however – only animals with human qualities, or humans with animal qualities.

"It's not beastiality. It's not about having sex with cats or dogs," the anonymous furry told Daily Star Online.

There are "fur-cons" all over the world where fans can meet up and have fun with each other – and some of the proceeds from the events even go to charity.

Plenty of books and studies have been done on the furry community, and there was even a furries newspaper until 2010, when the internet began to take over.

Another member of the fandom who has written books on the topic, said: "The media tend to portray furries as sexual deviants, who either have sex with animals or who have sex in animal costumes.

"To contest that, however, fursuits are personally made. They can easily cost $3,000 (£2,000) and having them custom made for sex purposes is laughable to most of the fandom.

"The furry fandom is about community. My first time attending a furry meet-up was strictly for research purposes.

"I wanted to see if all these people wore leather harnesses, tails and sex gear in public.

"However, I was honestly unimpressed when I realised it was just a bunch of close friends playing Gameboy games in a coffee shop."

He adds that the fandom welcomed him with "open paws".

"I am a member of the furry fandom because I love the people and believe it or not it's kind of fun imagining myself not as an animal, but as an anthropomorphic animal."

He says being part of the fandom isn't sexual at all for him – but points out members who do enjoy the sexual side aren't really that different from anyone who dresses in a risque way.

"Furries don't have sex while making animal noises. They don't do anything non-furries wouldn't do.

"Look at the Playboy bunny, the constantly sexualised cat costumes for women at Halloween and the use of animal-based sex terminology.

"None of these are sexualised 'animals'. These are sexualised 'anthro-animals'.

"Animals that stand on two legs, have mostly human anatomy, but with animal features.

"The feeling of being turned on by sexualised furry art is no different really. It's a fantasy for anthro-animal sexual contact, but a fantasy that no furry actually believes can/will/should happen."