Degrees of Animal Sapience

This blogpost is about the levels of anthropopathy and sapience in animals. Just like anthropomorphism is the attribution of human physical form, anthropopathy is the attribution of human mind. Anthropopathy is a storytelling technique that determines how much an animal, alien, plant, robot, object, e.t.c., acts human or how human or equally it is treated.


Here are the definitions of the two words:

anthropopathy - acts like a human in Greek
anthropomorphism - shaped like a human in Greek

Note that the word "anthropopathy," is archaic. Both meanings have been folded into "anthropomorphism" for hundreds of years.


Here are the fourteen levels of animal sapience:

Level 0: Works focused more on humans, where animals appear and act just like real animals.  A few works based on this level may focus just as much on the animals as on the people or even more on the animals, but the vast majority focus more on humans. 

Level 1: Animals are sapient, but don't think or reason like humans: they're self aware, they think (to themselves), they can reason, and we see their emotions and communication, but still behave exactly like real animals do. They are viewed as normal animals by humans.

Level 2: Animals think and reason like humans: they're self aware, they think (still to themselves) and reason like humans, they do a few human things, and we see their emotions and communication, but still behave mostly like real animals do. They are still viewed as normal animals by humans.

Level 3: Animals act at least somewhat like humans but do not interact with humans, in a human way: they do at least some human things, but they are still viewed as normal animals by humans.  This is the level in between Level 2 and Level 4.

Level 3 Variant: Animals live in some kind of mouse world, but do not interact with humans, at least not in a human way. This is a variant of the level in between Level 2 and Level 5.

Level 4: Animals that are still considered animals but interact with humans in a slightly human way: The animals are not considered equals, but they interact with humans in a slightly human manner, i.e., talking to humans.

Level 5: Animals that are still considered animals but interact with humans in a somewhat to mostly human way: The animals are still not considered equals, but they interact with humans in a somewhat to mostly human manner.

Level 6: Only some animals are considered equals to humans: Can be either like Level 7, Level 8, or Level 9, except that only some (or at least not all) animals are considered equals to humans.

Level 7: Works about animals and humans as basically equal, where animals live among humans and are treated as unremarkable by humans.  The animals are still not behaviorally indistinguishable from humans and are still not treated like humans.  In other words, they either don't act like humans at all, or only seem to act like humans.  However, they are treated as equals to humans, even the animals that don't live among humans. 

Level 8: Animals act like and are treated like equals to humans, where animals live among humans and are pretty behaviorally indistinguishable from them (or at least somewhat so), as well as being treated as unremarkable by humans.  The animals are treated like equals, but are only treated somewhat like humans to not like humans at all.

Level 9: Works about animals that act and are treated like humans and are their equals, where animals live among humans and are basically behaviorally indistinguishable from them (or at least mostly so), as well as being treated as unremarkable by humans.  The animals are not only treated like equals, but also treated mostly like humans.

Level 10: Humans are represented by animals where the different animal species (even the human species) actually represent human ethnic groups, religions, cultural groups, nationalities, e.t.c.  The animals could be any level from Levels 2 to 9. 

Level 11: Works about some animals as human surrogates and some normal animals: The whole animal universe is man-made, with shops, houses, technology etc, except that some animals take the place of people and others are considered normal animals. The level the normal animals belong in can range from Level 0 to Level 3 or even Level 4 or Level 5.  In some versions, the normal animals are treated as equals to the human surrogate animals.  Sometimes, only one species of animal is a human surrogate.  There may be humans at this level, whether token or not.

Level 12: Works about nearly all animals as human surrogates: The whole animal universe is man-made, with shops, houses, technology etc, except that all the animals take the place of people. All the animals are human surrogates and considered equals to each other.  Very occasionally, only one species of animal is a human surrogate.  Like at Level 11 there may be humans at this level, whether token or not. 

Level 13: Humans are represented by human surrogate animals: Like Level 11 or Level 12, but the different animal species (even the human species) actually represent human ethnic groups, religions, cultural groups, nationalities, e.t.c..  Like level 10, but the animals that represent the humans are human surrogates (Levels 11 and 12).

Degrees of Anthropomorphism in Animaniacs and Pinky and The Brain Animal Characters

Largely Normal Animal and Nearly Normal Animal: Buttons, Chicken Boo*, Pharfignewton (the horse), Mr. Squeak (the rat), Sykes (the crow), Scout (the dog), Schnappsi (the dog), Kiki (the gorilla), the Mousealopes*, Gobbles (the turkey), The Tiger Prince*, The Tiger Prince's mom*, The Tiger Prince's dad*

Talking and Speech Impaired Animal: The Goodfeathers (Bobby, Pesto, and Squit)*, The Godpigeon, The Girlfeathers (Sasha, Kiki, and Lana), Carloota (the sparrow), Steven Seagull, Runt, Rita*, Precious*, Crackers (the parrot), Maybeloota Marabella Missy McCoy, Krup Kitty*, Birdie, Oohooroo (the dog), the Mousealopes* (arguably), Camenbert (the dog), Kitty Ducockis, Kitty Litter, Cat Bailue, Bumbi, Bumper (the rabbit), Vina Walleen (Bumbi's Mom)*, Bumpo, Stinkbomb*, The Tiger Prince*, The Tiger Prince's mom* (arguably), The Tiger Prince's dad* (arguably)

Partly Civilized Animal and Civilized Animal: The Goodfeathers (Bobby, Pesto, and Squit)*, Slappy Squirrel*, Skippy Squirrel*, Candie Chipmunk, Baynarts "Charlton" Woodchuck, Pinky*, Brain*, Snowball (the hamster)*, Billie*, Larry*, Sheila*, Romy*, Krup Kitty*, Woe Wolverine, Robin Robin, Rita*, Precious*, Doug the Dog, Newt*, Chicken Boo* , the White Rabbit (Mindy in Wonderland version)*, Vina Walleen (Bumbi's Mom)*, Stinkbomb*, The Gray Panther*, Calhoon Q. Capybara*, Who Who (the ring tailed lemur)*, Duke (the squirrel)*, The Moth

Funny Animal: Yakko Warner, Wakko Warner, Lakko Warner, Dot Warner, Sakko Warner (the Warner Sibs' cousin), William Warner (the Warner Sibs' father), Shelby Warner (the Warner Sibs' mother), Chicken Boo*, Newt*, Flavio, Marita, Baloney the Dinosaur, The Goodfeathers (Bobby, Pesto, and Squit)*, Slappy Squirrel*, Skippy Squirrel*, Walter Wolf, Sid the Squid, Beanie the Bison, Howie Tern, Fermin Flaxseed, Wilford B. Wolf (normal form), Nievel Nosenest (the rhino), the White Rabbit (Mindy in Wonderland version)*, Calhoon Q. Capybara*, Rita*, Pinky*, Brain*, Snowball (the hamster)*, Billie*, Larry*, Sheila*, Romy*, Thunderdog, Wally Llama, The Grey Panther*, Who Who (the ring tailed lemur)*, Sweet Polly Dognose*, Duke (the squirrel)*, Vina Walleen (Bumbi's Mom)*, Quacky Duck, Rena Rat, Doofy (the dog), Woodpeckerman, Mrs. Jenny

Demi-Furry (BPZP) and Furry (PZP): Minerva Mink, Wilford B. Wolf (werewolf form), Duke (the squirrel)*, Trudy's Cousin (the mink), Mousey Galore, Googily Goop, Sweet Polly Dognose*, Ms. Butley (the squirrel), Snappy Squirrel, Wally Wolf, Mrs. Munk, Rocket Rat

Demi-Furry or Semi-Humanoid Animal (62.5-77.5%)

Demi-Furries or semi-furries, the intermediate level between feral and critter and furry, are animals with a semi-anthropomorphic body.  They have the animal's head, tail (if the species or character has one), skin, fur, feather, or scale coloring and pattern, and feet.  Often, their bodies are either a furry (feathered in the case of birds and scaly in the case of reptiles) mostly to completely human-from-the-waist-up body that has mostly to completely nonhumanoid legs or mostly to completely humanoid-from-the-waist-down body (except the feet), either with or without humanoid arms.  Their feet are usually more animal-like but can be more human-like (or semi-humanoid) in basic shape and can be either digitgrade, unguligrade (standing on a hoof), or plantigrade.  Their feet and hands usually feature pawpads and/or claws of varying degrees but can feature bare palms and/or fingernails and toenails.  They sometimes to somewhat frequently have humanlike breasts. 

Version 1: Humanoid chest and shoulders, non-humanoid legs

Many semi-furries mostly to nearly always think and act like human beings, but there are many that can either be, live, and/or behave like civilized animals or like funny animals.  

Version 2: Humanoid legs, non- humanoid torso

The term demi-furry can either refer just to a semi-humanoid mammal or to any kind of semi-anthropomorphic animal.  A semi-humanoid bird is called an feathery, and a semi-humanoid reptile is called a demi-scaly.

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Examples

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Civilized Animal

Civilized animals are an intermediate level between normal animals (whether speech capable or mute) and mere intellectual animals (whether speech capable or mute) and funny animals.  They usually think and act partly like a human and partly like the species they happen to be.  They can either think and act more like a human or more like their respective species. They do some to many of the things that usually only humans do.  They occupy their species natural role in the ecosystem and may either live on the fringes of human society or not. 

Civilized animals can wear clothes, live in houses, and are often depicted walking and running on two legs, but have largely to completely non-humanoid bodies.  They can either be both two legged and four legged or almost always be bipedal.  Most civilized animals have either non-humanoid or semi-humanoid bodies, but some furries can live like civilized animals as well. 

Rabbits in waistcoats, a semi-derogatory term used to describe civilized animals, probably originated from The White Rabbit from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

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Examples

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Examples On The Verge of Being Funny Animals

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Talking Animal

Talking animals are animals that can actually talk and be understood by humans whether or not they are speech impaired.  Mere talking animals are usually completely non-anthropomorphic and largely to pretty much think and act like the actual animal species they happen to be.  Also, mere talking animals only do very few to some of the things that usually only humans do.  

Mere talking animals usually don't wear clothes and they occupy their species natural role in the ecosystem.  A lot of talking animals can walk and run on two legs.  They can either be both two legged and four legged, or almost always just be quadrupedal.  Talking animals can also be civilized animals, funny animals, semi-furries, furries, gijinka, animal attibute humans, or even intellectual animals, but they are usually basically normal animals with the ability to talk. 

A variant of talking animal features a normal animal that has been artificially granted the ability to talk through something like science or magic. 

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Mere Talking Animal Examples

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Speech Impaired Examples

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Intellectual Animal

Many intellectual animals don't usually actually talk, but the ones that do usually talk in a normal, serious voice and/or without moving their mouth.  Some intellectual animals tend to be a bit cynical about humans, and human characters may have to earn their respect.  If a human character does earn their respect, they may choose to befriend him or her.   

 
 A lot of intellectual animals can walk and run on two legs.  They can either be both two legged and four legged or almost always just be quadrupedal.  Many of them are also civilized animals, funny animals, or even semi-furries. 

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Examples

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Borderline Little Bit Beastlies, Modern Anthros, or Hyper-Furries (17.5-30%)

Hyper-furry, which is the intermediate level between furry and animal attribute human, is an animal with extreme human features.  They have a completely human body and at least mostly human face, but has the animal's ears, nose, bill, or beak, and tail (if the species or character has one), skin, fur, feather, or scale coloring and markings.  Sometimes, they just have human skin, but still have the animal's markings and coloring.  The nose can either look completely like the animal's nose or look part like the animal's nose and part like a human nose.  Unlike furries, they don't have much of the animal's muzzle.  Their hands and feet may either feature pawpads and/or claws of varying degrees or bare palms and/or fingernails and toenails.  Their feet can be more animal-like or more human-like in basic shape.  Bird gijinka can have digitigrade bird feet like real birds or plantigrade feet like humans, but the legs are completely humanoid.  I like to call hyper-furries, uncanny valley furries because they tend to fall into what is called "uncanny valley."  

They wear clothes just like a human would but the type of clothes varies with each setting and culture.  In "modern" or science fiction settings and cultures, they will wear modern-day attire, while in fantasy or "native" settings and cultures, they might wear only a loincloth and jewelry, or even forego clothing entirely. 
  

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Examples

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Furry or Humanoid Animal (30-62.5%)

A furry, or petting zoo person, is an animal with a fully anthropomorphic body.  Their body is basically an animal's head, tail (if the species or character has one), skin, fur, feather, or scale coloring and pattern, and even feet stuck on a furry (feathered in the case of birds and scaly in the case of reptiles) human body. Their feet can be either digitgrade, unguligrade (standing on a hoof), or plantigrade and can be more animal-like or more human-like in basic shape.  Their feet and hands can feature either feature pawpads and/or claws of varying degrees or bare palms and/or fingernails and toenails.  They usually have humanlike breasts.

Furries nearly always think and act completely like human beings, but some can either live and/or be like civilized animals or like funny animals to some degree.  They wear clothes just like a human would but the type of clothes varies with each setting and culture.  In "modern" or science fiction settings and cultures, they will wear modern-day attire, while in fantasy or "native" settings and cultures, they might wear only a loincloth and jewelry, or even forego clothing entirely. 

The term furry can either refer just to a humanoid mammal or to any kind of anthropomorphic animal.  A humanoid bird is called an avian, and a humanoid reptile is called a scaly.

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Examples

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Examples On The Verge of Being Gijinka

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Animal Attribute Human or Kemonomimi

Animal attribute humans, animal attribute people, or kemonomimi, are normal people, but with animal characteristics.  The most common of example of this level is a normal human, but with the ears and tail of the respective animal species (a.k.a. the 10% variety).  Some may have additional features, such as abilities, claws, paws, horns, fangs, and instincts, but they are otherwise completely human.

Since they are basically ordinary humans, but with animal adornments, they wear clothes just like a normal human would.  The type of clothes varies with each setting and culture.  In "modern" or science fiction settings and cultures, they will wear modern-day attire, while in fantasy or "native" settings and cultures, they might wear only a loincloth and jewelry, or even forego clothing entirely. 

Here are the different types of Kemonomimi:

Inumimi: means "dog-ears" in Japanese; doggirl, dogboy, or dogperson
Kitsunemimi: means "fox-ears" in Japanese; foxgirl, foxboy, or foxperson
Nekomimi: means "cat-ears" in Japanese; catgirl, catboy, or catperson
Nezumimi or Nezumi-mimi: means "rat-ears" or "mouse-ears" in Japanese; mousegirl, mouseboy, mouseperson, or ratgirl, ratboy, or ratperson
Usagimimi: means "rabbit-ears" in Japanese; bunnygirl, bunnyboy, bunnyperson, or rabbitgirl, rabbitboy, or rabbitperson

Of all kemonomimi, catgirls (or nekomimi) are the most common examples.

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Examples

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Degrees of Anthropomorphism in Animals

Here are the different degrees of anthropomorphism.

Level 0: Normal Animal: completely non-anthropomorphic and thinks and acts completely like the actual animal species he/she/it happens to be; very often intelligent, but not portrayed in the same way as Intellectual Animal intelligence
Examples: general consensus of real life

Level 1: Intellectual Animal: usually completely non-anthropomorphic but clearly has thought processes; may talk to each other, but humans won't understand them unless they can understand animal language or if it can be learned; largely to pretty much thinks and acts like the actual animal species he/she/it happens to be; can walk and run on two legs*; can be both two legged and four legged*** or almost always be quadrupedal
Examples: the Watership Down cast, Blue from Blue's Clues, Pluto, the animals in Lady and the Tramp, and the animals in Krypto the Super Dog
Examples that overlap with Levels 3 (civilized animals) and/or 4 (funny animals): Snoopy from Peanuts, Garfield, Perry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb, and Gromit from Wallace and Gromit

Level 2: Talking Animal: can talk and be understood by humans; can walk and run on two legs*, but usually completely non-anthropomorphic and largely to pretty much thinks and acts like the actual animal species he/she/it happens to be; can be both two legged and four legged*** or almost always be quadrupedal; can either be speech impaired or not
Examples: Scooby Doo, Martha from Martha Speaks, Paco from Maya And Miguel, The Cat from Coraline, and Alex the African Grey Parrot (real life example)

Level 3: Civilized Animal or Rabbits in Waistcoats: usually thinks and acts partly like a human and partly like the species he/she/it happens to be, even if he/she/it can't speak; can either think and act more like a human or more like she/he/its respective species; can wear clothes, can live in houses, and are often depicted walking and running on two legs*, but have largely to completely non-humanoid, or feral-type bodies** and occupy their species natural role in the ecosystem; can be both two legged and four legged*** or almost always be bipedal*; may either live on the fringes of human society or not; intermediate level between Talking Animal and Funny Animal
Examples: Peter Rabbit, the Redwall books, Little Bear, Mrs. Frisby and The Rats of NIMH, Alvin and The Chipmunks and The Chippettes in the two live-action movies, and The White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland (The Disney animated version of him is on the verge of being a Level 4.)
Examples on the verge of being Level 4s (funny animals): Franklin, Daffy Duck, and the animals in The Wind in The Willows beside Mr. Toad

Level 4: Funny Animal: often to nearly always thinks and acts like a human being, even if she/he/it can't speak; usually lives in a house and often wears clothes; could be replaced with a human and the plot would be largely to nearly identical, but still have at least something of the physique of the actual animal species (in other words, a largely to completely non-humanoid body**), even when wearing clothes and walking and running on two legs*; can be both two legged and four legged*** or almost always be bipedal*; seldomly has humanlike breasts
Examples: Porky Pig from Looney Tunes, Brian Griffin from Family Guy, SpongeBob SquarePants, Mr. Toad, and Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
Examples on the verge of being Level 5s (semi-furries): Goofy, Dudley Puppy from T.U.F.F. Puppy, and Babs Bunny from Tiny Toon Adventures

Level 5: Semi-Furry or Semi-Humanoid Animal (62.5-77.5%): mostly to nearly always thinks and acts like a human being, even if she/he/it can't speak; basically an animal's head, tail (if the species or character has one), skin, fur, feather, or scale coloring and pattern, and feet stuck on a furry (feathered in the case of birds and scaly in the case of reptiles) mostly to completely human-from-the-waist-up body that has mostly to completely nonhumanoid legs; could be mostly to completely humanoid from the waist down with or without humanoid arms instead; usually feature pawpads and/or claws of varying degrees but can feature bare palms and/or fingernails; feet can be either digitgrade, unguligrade (standing on a hoof), or plantigrade; feet are usually more animal-like but can be more human-like in basic shape; sometimes to somewhat frequently has humanlike breasts; intermediate level between Funny Animal and Furry
Examples: Arnold The Pit Bull from Tiny Toon Adventures, Rebecca Cunningham from Tale Spin, and Gadget from Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers
Examples on the verge of being Level 6s (furries): Cleo from Heathcliff and The Catillac Cats

Level 6: Furry, Humanoid Animal, Jujin, or Kemono (30-62.5%): nearly always thinks and acts completely like a human being, even if she/he/it can't speak; basically an animal's head, tail (if the species or character has one), skin, fur, feather, or scale coloring and pattern, and even feet stuck on a furry (feathered in the case of birds and scaly in the case of reptiles) human body; may either feature pawpads and/or claws of varying degrees or bare palms and/or fingernails; feet can be either digitgrade, unguligrade (standing on a hoof), or plantigrade; feet can be more animal-like or more human-like in basic shape; usually has humanlike breasts
Examples: Minerva Mink from Animaniacs, the Star Fox cast, Rouge The Bat and Sally Acorn, most of the anthropomorphic animals from Arthur, and Kitty Katswell from T.U.F.F. Puppy

Level 7: Animaloid Human, Animal Person, Petting Zoo Person, or Gijinka (17.5-30%): has a completely human body and at least mostly human face, but has the animal's ears, nose, bill, or beak, and tail (if the species or character has one), skin, fur, feather, or scale coloring and markings; sometimes just have human skin, but still have the animal's markings and coloring; may either feature pawpads and/or claws of varying degrees or bare palms and/or fingernails; birds can have digitigrade bird feet like real birds or plantigrade feet like humans, but the legs are basically human legs; feet can be more animal-like or more human-like in basic shape; intermediate level between Furry and Animal Attribute Human
Examples: Buster Baxter's parents and a few of the other anthropomorphic animals from Arthur, and Alvin and The Chipmunks and The Chippettes in the cartoons

Level 8: Animal Attribute Human, Animal Attribute Person, or Kemonomimi (17.5% or less): a person with animal characteristics most often the ears and tail of the respective animal species (a.k.a. the 10% variety); some may have additional features, such as abilities, claws, paws, horns, fangs, and instincts, but otherwise completely human; catgirls (or nekomimi) are the most common examples 
Examples: Son Goku from Dragonball, Inugami Kotarou from Negima, Wolf from 10th Kingdom, and Pinocchio when he has donkey ears and a donkey tail (He's still a puppet then, but...)


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Notes

* Note that all birds and all other theropod dinosaurs are supposed to walk on two legs, so bipedalism isn't indicative of anthropomorphism for them at all whatsoever.
** The term "feral" refers to any animal character who is largely to completely non-humanoid in general and has a largely to completely non-humanoid body, whether they stand on two legs* or not.  Ferals range from Level 0 (normal animals) all the way to Level 4 (funny animals), but usually refer to Levels 0 (normal animals), 1 (intellectual animals) , and 2 (talking animals) that prefer to stand on all fours*.
*** Many Intellectual Animals (Level 1) and Talking Animals (Level 2), and Civilized Animals (Level 3), and Funny Animals (Level 4), even Semi-Furries (Level 5), are designed to at least theoretically be just as much bipedal as quadrupedal*, and vice versa.  Some prefer to be on two legs*, some prefer to be on four legs*, and some are just as comfortable both ways.

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Terms for Anthropomorphic Animals in Manga and Anime

Gijinka: "humanoid, personification, or anthropomorphic" in Japanese
Jujin: "therianthrope" in Japanese
Kemono: "beast" in Japanese
Kemonomimi: "animal ears" in Japanese
Nekomimi: "cat ears" in Japanese

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