In terms of bonding- stuffed animals? Like, we crave affection so much that we make little fake animals to cuddle with. We use them for comfort when we’re young and can even get distressed when we don’t have them with us. As well as the fact that we save them and pass them on to younger generations. Even when their eyes have fallen out and all the fur is loved off, we love them, in fact, they may become even more precious at that point.
Yes, that is a mass-produced piece of cloth, stuffing and buttons. Yes, it is identical to thousands of other items. No, you can not get the human a new mass-produced piece of cloth, stuffing and buttons to fill the same function. Only this mass-produced item can fill the function.
The function is somewhat unclear.
The mass-produced piece of clothing, stuffing and buttons must always be in a place of honor in the living quarters. The mass-produced item is not allowed to be covered with other items or fall over. That is bad for the mass-produced piece of clothing, stuffing and buttons even though it is not physically harmed. Items indicating actual honors, such as certificates or medals, can be covered or fall down. That is acceptable.
If the mass-produced piece of clothing, stuffing and buttons has unacceptably fallen on the ground where it may be inadvertently nudged with one’s mobility appendages, that is very bad and disrespectful to the item. Apologies are required, but should be directed at both item and human. The item will not reply.
The human may engage the mass-produced piece of clothing, stuffing and buttons in conversation. Most mass-produced items lack the capability to make any sound, and those that were produced with the capability are limited to prerecorded generic comments not indicative of sentience. Furthermore, the mass-produced item is incapable of any other response type, including movement, radio wave transmission, or temperature manipulation. The human will not appear to notice.
Further study is being done to determine if there is another dimension of life humans are attuned to but have not recorded in the scientific literature.
Further study has revealed an arcane text that seems to reveal that the mass-produced piece of clothing, stuffing, and buttons does possess a certain level of life that can be enhanced by contact with a human. The document is suspected to be a taboo subject as every human approached on the matter burst into tears as soon as the subject was broached.
Question of Smoke 