In my first blog ever, on ANY website, I'm going to explore a topic that has been on my mind for a few years: the confusing nature of cartoon animals of different species. The obvious classic example is Mickey Mouse. Mickey has a pet dog, Pluto. Apart from the fact that a mouse should not be larger than a dog there is an even deeper issue: Goofy is Mickey's best friend and also a dog. Wouldn't Goofy find it strange or hurtful that Mickey would keep someone of his species captive and subordinate? And also what makes Goofy better than Pluto? Why was he given human abilities when Pluto is just a normal dog? This issue springs up again on the PBS classic Arthur. Arthur is an aardvark. He has a pet dog. But Arthur's friends consist of a myriad of different animals including Fern, a dog. As well, Francine has a cat and Jenna IS a cat. Wouldn't it make sense that Fern and Jenna are at each other's throats? Why is animal instinct completely ignored in the realm of Elwood City? In Arthur there also exists an underlying sexual tension between certain characters making it quite obvious that years down the road these characters are going to date and possibly even marry. But they are all different animals. Elwood City only has one family of aardvarks, one of rabbits, one of whatever Muffy is, etc. Yet the parents are all of the same species. Are we to understand that species will intermarry and create freak Aardvark-Monkey children? Or do we assume that there are other towns full of random animals and that everyone will have to leave their home to find a mate?