My character Scratch is based on a stuffed cat I've had since I was little, and she's clearly suffered a lot of wear and tear over the years from our various adventures and pet-related accidents. I think it adds to her charm in a way, and when you look at her you can tell that she's very well loved. I took her EVERYWHERE when I was little. Road trips, grandma's house, school, birthday parties, you name it. She was there for it all.
While my Scratch is certainly a very charming old lady, I always feel a little bad because every other Scratch looks like this:
It's honestly a miracle she's hung on long enough to see me into adulthood given how many times she's ended up under, over, around or buried in various things, but I guess that's just how life is when you're a stuffed animal. I just hope she's not too mad at me about it XD