Best Disney Animal Characters of All Time

These famous animals are impossible not to love.

Best Disney Animal Characters of All Time

Disney animal characters started with Mickey Mouse in the 1928 short film "Steamboat Willie." And they haven't looked back. They now are just as important to Disney storylines as the human characters. Maybe more.

Whether they're providing comic relief, propelling the main character along their journey or playing the lead themselves, the critters create magic.

These are the best Disney animal characters of all time.

29. Nana

Type of animal: Dog

Year: 1953

First appearance for this animal character: Peter Pan

Other Disney movies: Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Battle for the Book

Bottom line: Nana, a sleepy-looking St. Bernard from Disney's 1953 movie "Peter Pan," is more of a caretaker to the three Darling children than their parents are. She looks after Wendy, John and Michael like they're her own puppies, even giving them medicine and making sure they go to bed on time.

When she's sent to the doghouse for a night, the sense of betrayal is palpable. After all, all Nana wants is to keep her family safe. She's not the most interesting Disney character, but she's as steadfast as they come.

28. Jiminy Cricket

Type of animal: Cricket

Year: 1940

First appearance for this animal character: Pinocchio

Other Disney movies: Pinocchio, Fun and Fancy Free, Jiminy Cricket's Christmas

Bottom line: Pinocchio wouldn't have survived long without Jiminy Cricket, the deuteragonist of Disney's 1940 feature film "Pinocchio." He was appointed to be Pinocchio's conscience by the Blue Fairy, tasked with guiding the puppet on his road to becoming a real boy.

On the surface, the umbrella-toting insect is levelheaded and responsible, but he has a feisty, sarcastic side that makes him so much more interesting. Jiminy Cricket became such a popular character that he was often used as one of Disney's mascots alongside Mickey Mouse and Tinker Bell.

He was also the first performer of "When You Wish Upon a Star," Disney's official anthem.

27. Ray

Type of animal: Firefly

Year: 2009

First appearance for this animal character: The Princess and the Frog

Other Disney movies: None

Bottom line: Ray might be the smallest animal character in "The Princess and the Frog," but his personality is larger than life.

Every centimeter of the tiny Cajun firefly is brimming with passion. He adores music and parties, and takes delight in being the center of attention. The eccentric bug is also madly in love with the evening star, Evangeline.

Despite his oddities, Ray has a secret wisdom that shows itself when you least expect it. The aging firefly serves as a friend and father figure to Tiana, and fearlessly takes on evil shadow demons singlehandedly.

26. Pegasus

Type of animal: Flying horse

Year: 1997

First appearance for this animal character: Hercules

Other Disney movies: Once Upon a Halloween

Bottom line: Pegasus, Hercules' bestie and personal steed, is one Disney animal character we couldn't live without. He's not the brightest, with a reputation for being a bit of a bird brain, but what he lacks in IQ points, he makes up for with strength and loyalty.

He easily breaks free from massive chains, ducks flying arrows, and protects Hercules at every turn. Without him, Hercules wouldn't have gotten very far.

He does have a jealous streak, becoming envious when Hercules shows interest in Megara, but that just makes him more relatable.

25. Scrat

Type of animal: Saber tooth squirrel

Year: 2002

First appearance for this animal character: Ice Age

Other Disney movies: Ice Age, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Ice Age: Collision Course

Bottom line: If you think Sid is funny, wait until you meet Scrat. A squirrel with an obsession with acorns, Scrat pops up throughout the "Ice Age" series to hunt down that elusive acorn that always seems out of reach.

He's not an official part of the "Ice Age" gang, but he does cross paths with them now and again. Even though he's not a main character, viewers loved him so much that the writers brought him back in every single film.

24. Tramp

Type of animal: Dog

Year: 1955

First appearance for this animal character: Lady and the Tramp

Other Disney movies: Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure

Bottom line: The scruffy and scrappy Tramp is the titular protagonist of the 1955 film "Lady and the Tramp." He starts out as an immature, free-spirited creature known for being quite the ladies' man. His dream, however, is to find a real home.

Once he finally settles down with Lady and has puppies of his own, Tramp's rough edges get sanded down a bit. He still has plenty of street smarts, but he's also evolved into a loving, present father.

23. Mickey

Type of animal: Mouse

Year: 1928

First appearance for this animal character: Steamboat Willie

Other Disney movies: Fantasia, The Mickey Mouse Series, Fun and Fancy Free

Bottom line: Mickey is the quintessential Disney animal. The anthropomorphic mouse first appeared in "Steamboat Willie," an early Disney film released on Nov. 18, 1928. The cheerful mouse's round ears, red shorts and white gloves evolved into a Disney trademark. Just try going to Disneyland without picking up a Mickey or Minnie Mouse headband. It can't be done.

Mickey's high-pitched voice has plenty of slang from the era in which he was born, like "swell" and "gee whiz." Despite being just a mouse, the tiny character has determination and wit far beyond his small stature.

His positivity is contagious and has allowed Mickey to remain Disney's most timeless character.

22. Maximus

Type of animal: Horse

Year: 2010

First appearance for this animal character: Tangled

Other Disney movies: Tangled: Before Ever After

Bottom line: For a character who doesn't say a word, Maximus says a lot. Maximus is initially sent by the royal guard to help hunt down the infamous Flynn Rider, but it doesn't take long for Rapunzel to win him over.

He doesn't let the rebellious Flynn get away with anything, serving as his dramatic, equine conscience. Between Maximus and Pascal, it's hard to say which sidekick is a more loyal and loving friend.

21. Diego

Type of animal: Saber tooth tiger

Year: 2002

First appearance for this animal character: Ice Age

Other Disney movies: Ice Age, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Ice Age: Collision Course

Bottom line: Diego is a jerk at first, but he comes around. The character development arguably makes him even more likable.

At first, he's a vicious predator ready to eat a human baby, but it doesn't take long for his softer side to show. He becomes Manny and Sid's best buddy, and later one of Peaches' adoptive uncles.

He acts like a big, scary tiger, but he's an utter baby when it comes to water. He's petrified of swimming, and yet he still dives into the icy water to save Sid.

20. Sebastian

Type of animal: Crab

Year: 1989

First appearance for this animal character: The Little Mermaid

Other Disney movies: The Little Mermaid 2, The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning

Bottom line: Sebastian is one Disney animal character we really feel for. A significant character in Disney's "The Little Mermaid," the bright red, Jamaican-accented crab is charged with keeping Princess Ariel out of trouble.

The thing is, she's a teenage girl, and he's a tiny crab. He doesn't really stand a chance, so he spends the whole movie chasing after her, trying to get her to see reason, while her intimidating sea king father looks on.

For an unpaid babysitter, he does a great job.

19. Manny

Type of animal: Mammoth

Year: 2002

First appearance for this animal character: Ice Age

Other Disney movies: Ice Age, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Ice Age: Collision Course

Bottomline: Manny, or Manfred if you want to get technical about it, is the leader of the "Ice Age" trio. At first, he's cranky, rude and exceptionally stubborn, but that's just to hide his secretly soft heart.

Manny experienced more than his fair share of heartbreak, and yet, he remains selfless, kind and loving. He goes above and beyond to protect his friends, and the movie series wouldn't exist without him.

18. Timon

Type of animal: Meercat

Year: 1994

First appearance for this animal character: The Lion King

Other Disney movies: The Lion King 1 1/2, The Lion King 2

Bottom line: Pumba the warthog might be funnier, but we wouldn't have made it far in life without his pal Timon. A fast-moving meerkat, Timon shares Pumba's laissez-faire mentality, living off of grubs and lounging his days away.

As much as he pretends to be cool and collected, Timon needs Pumba just as much as Pumba needs him. In fact, Timon is secretly scared of his own shadow.

17. Sid

Type of animal: Sloth

Year: 2002

First appearance for this animal character: Ice Age

Other Disney movies: Ice Age, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Ice Age: Collision Course

Bottomline: Sid the sloth is quite a character. His wide-set, mismatched eyes and not-so-subtle lisp initially suggest Sid isn't the brightest, but he has his moments of wisdom now and then.

The poor, spitty-sounding sloth is often the subject of slapstick comedic relief, but he always bounces back. Sid is like that one friend you didn't like at first, but they just kept coming back until you realized how nice they were to have around.

He's the annoying glue of the "Ice Age" trio.

16. Bolt

Type of animal: Dog

Year: 2008

First appearance for this animal character: Bolt

Other Disney movies: None

Bottom line: The adorable Bolt isn't as funny as some of the other Disney animal characters, but that's probably because he's the main character, not just a sidekick.

Bolt is loyal beyond belief, protecting Penny with all he's got even when he feels left behind. Plus, with that one floppy ear, Bolt might be the cutest Disney dog on record.

15. HeiHei

Type of animal: Chicken

Year: 2016

First appearance for this animal character: Moana

Other Disney movies: None

Bottom line: If you're looking for the true hero of "Moana," look no further. It's HeiHei. Yeah, you read that right. The idiot chicken is the hero.

HeiHei may be the only Disney animal character dumb enough to eat rocks, is like a silly servant of fate and gets himself into trouble 24/7. But Moana's attempts to keep him safe always take her right where she needs to go.

See? He's a hero.

14. Scuttle

Type of animal: Bird

Year: 1989

First appearance for this animal character: The Little Mermaid

Other Disney movies: The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea

Bottom line: If overconfidence were a Disney animal character, Scuttle might be it. He claims to know everything there is to know about the human world, and Ariel totally buys it.

Thanks to him, a mermaid walked around on land thinking it was normal to comb her hair with a fork.

Now that's just funny.

13. Gus Gus

Type of animal: Mouse

Year: 1950

First appearance for this animal character: Cinderella

Other Disney movies: Cinderella II: Dreams Come True, Cinderella III: A Twist in Time

Bottom line: Gus, who frequently calls himself "Gus Gus," isn't the brightest tool in the shed. The plump house mouse loves to snack and visit Cinderella, but the poor thing is constantly terrorized by Lucifer, the cat.

Gus Gus may not be smart, but he and his buddy Jaq are loyal companions of Cinderella. Slow-witted as he is, Cinderella would never have made it to the ball without Gus.

12. Abu

Type of animal: Monkey

Year: 1992

First appearance for this animal character: Aladdin

Other Disney movies: The Return of Jafar, Aladdin and the King of Thieves, Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams

Bottom line: Multidimensional characters are part of the reason Disney has been a movie-making giant for a century. Abu, a sneaky monkey known for stealing anything he can get his hands on, is one of our favorite Disney sidekicks.

Despite his disregard for the law, Abu isn't completely devoid of a moral compass. He gladly helps Aladdin at every turn, saving the day more than once. He's a prime example of chaotic good if ever we saw one.

11. The Cheshire Cat

Type of animal: Cat

Year: 1951

First appearance for this animal character: Alice in Wonderland

Other Disney movies: Alice in Wonderland (live action) and Alice Through the Looking Glass

Bottom line: The Cheshire Cat is one of the creepiest creatures among Disney animal characters, but he's also one of the coolest. He's like something out of a dream, and you're not quite sure whether it's a dream or a nightmare.

Like the cat he is, he appears where he wants, when he wants to. Unlike most cats, he can turn invisible, shapeshift and hypnotize people.

Nice.

10. Thumper

Type of animal: Bunny

Year: 1942

First appearance for this animal character: Bambi

Other Disney movies: Bambi II

Bottom line: Thumper, an adorable bunny who first joined the team of Disney animal characters in 1942, is one of our all-time favorites.

After Bambi's mother is killed, Thumper tries to take Bambi under his wing. His advice doesn't always work out, but he deserves points for effort.

He does manage to teach Bambi a few good lessons, but Thumper and Bambi's friendship is what we're really here for.

9. Baloo

Type of animal: Bear

Year: 1967

First appearance for this animal character: The Jungle Book

Other Disney movies: The Jungle Book 2

Bottom line: Baloo is a bear with a big heart. A classic Disney animal character from the 1960s, Baloo finds a human baby in the woods and decides, hey, why not adopt him?

Mowgli might not wear clothes, but Baloo does a pretty good job of raising him. Kids behave like baby bears most of the time, anyway.

Baloo's a little goofy, but he ultimately just wants Mowgli to be happy. To be honest, that makes him one of the better Disney parents, especially for lacking opposable thumbs.

8. Eeyore

Type of animal: Donkey

Year: 1977

First appearance for this animal character: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Other Disney movies: The Tigger Movie, Piglet's Big Movie, Pooh's Heffalump Movie, Winnie the Pooh, plus several other short films and an animated series

Bottom line: Now just hear us out. Is Eeyore the cutest Disney animal character? No. Is he the funniest Disney animal character? Not really. Still, Eeyore sends an important message that Disney rarely touches on.

Unlike his companions, Eeyore isn't bright or particularly exciting to be around. In fact, sometimes he's a bit depressing.

The kicker? His friends love him even when he isn't fun to be around, and that's what true friendship is all about.

7. Sven

Type of animal: Reindeer

Year: 2013

First appearance for this animal character: Frozen

Other Disney movies: Frozen 2

Bottom line: Often, the role of Disney animal characters is to point their human companions in the right direction. In Disney's "Frozen," Kristoff's pet reindeer, Sven, serves as Kristoff's moral compass.

Kristoff becomes pretty much the perfect boyfriend, but he's not always the best at reading signals. Sven picks up the slack on that front and provides reindeer-powered transportation.

He's responsible for both getting Kristoff and Anna together, and keeping them alive long enough to do so.

6. Dug

Type of animal: Dog

Year: 2009

First appearance for this animal character: Up

Other Disney movies: None

Bottom line: Golden retrievers are among the most loving, obedient and loyal dog breeds. Dug showed us what it would be like if they could talk, and it was just as adorable as we imagined.

Dug loves Carl and Russell with all his heart, even though he just met them. They're not always nice to him at first, but he loves them anyway.

He's not tough, but this Disney animal character's furry self is filled to the brim with bravery.

5. Pascal

Type of animal: Chameleon

Year: 2010

First appearance for this animal character: Tangled

Other Disney movies: None

Bottom line: Pascal doesn't say a single word in the movie "Tangled," but he doesn't need to. This small, green Disney animal character has his personality written all over his explosively expressive face.

You can tell what he's thinking with just one look. Moreover, he's one of the few Disney characters who seems to have some sense of judgment.

A strange man climbing through your window is sketch, and Pascal was the appropriate level of skeptical.

4. Pumbaa

Type of animal: Warthog

Year: 1994

First appearance for this animal character: The Lion King

Other Disney movies: The Lion King 1 1/2, The Lion King 2

Bottom line: Warthogs are funny by nature. In real life, they're probably pretty dangerous, but in "The Lion King," Pumbaa is anything but.

His duet with Timon, "Hakuna Matata," is one of the most memorable Disney songs on record. Pumbaa is big and gassy, but he's the best adopted warthog uncle anyone could ask for.

3. Mushu

Type of animal: Dragon

Year: 1998

First appearance for this animal character: Mulan

Other Disney movies: Mulan 2

Bottom line: Mushu is technically a made-up animal, but this Disney character is too hilarious to skip. With amazing lines like, "Alright, that's it! Dishonor! Dishonor on you! Dishonor on your cow," Mushu was Mulan's primary source of comic relief.

He was self-serving at first, but when it came down to it, he was willing to do whatever it took to help Mulan save China — even when that included biting butts.

2. Dory

Type of animal: Fish

Year: 2003

First appearance for this animal character: Finding Nemo

Other Disney movies: Finding Dory

Bottom line: Dory wasn't the star of Disney's "Finding Nemo," but she totally stole the show. Voiced by talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres, Dory's big, bubbly personality more than makes up for the fact that she can't remember anything.

On Marlin's journey across the ocean, Dory provided some much-needed levity to the numerous tense situations the pair encountered. Without her, Nemo and Marlin would never have found their way back to each other.

In other words, the entire movie would have been pointless without this priceless Disney animal character.

1. Stitch

Type of animal: Alien ... we mean, dog?

Year: 2002

First appearance for this animal character: Lilo and Stitch

Other Disney movies: Stitch! The Movie, Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch, Leroy & Stitch

Bottom line: We're not quite sure if Stitch counts as a Disney animal, but he was originally adopted as a dog, so we're calling him fair game.

Stitch is as endearing as a formerly maniacal extraterrestrial can get. He destroys the house, but he unites the family. And remember? Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.

Beautiful.