Paw questions

All of them. Depending on the pet it sits under the belly or behind the neck, usually under a flap of fur. Switched off, the pet is an ordinary plush animal.

Sensors under the fur pick up a stroke, a squeeze or an accessory held to the mouth. A small board decides which response fits, then drives a speaker and — on the bigger pets — a motor in the neck, the tail or the legs.

Most pets arrive with a demo set fitted. Those are there to prove the pet works in the box, not to last. Fit fresh alkalines before the first real play session.

Four and up across the family. The feed-and-pet sequences need a child who can do one thing, wait for the answer, and then do another.

Each has its own name on the box. In a house with two children and the same tiger, writing the name somewhere discreet saves a weekly argument.

The floor, first. Deep carpet stalls the small wheels on an A-Lots pup. Then the batteries, then whether the leash is clipped in the walking position rather than the carry one.

Yes. The sensor is keyed to the shape and depth of its own moulded bottle, carrot or leaf. An accessory from a different pet often sits in the mouth without waking anything.

Surface only — a barely damp cloth, mild soap, air dry away from heat, then brush the pile. Never submerge one and never use a machine.

A big interactive pet played with daily will want fresh cells in a month or two. A Handfuls bird on a coin cell goes much longer. Take the batteries out before any long storage.

The order page of the partner store you bought from. They hold the proof of purchase and the replacement stock, so a claim settles far faster through them than through us.