I always thought of Animal as a mix between Oscar the Grouch and Floyd. He shares qualities of the two, ie: Oscar's shapped head, bushie brows, flexable neck, Floyd's hair style, slim figure, and slightly hunched back. Animal has been much more violent than Many muppet Monsters, even going so far as to physically assault people with a mallet, looking for there keys, played his drums so fast, he made them catch fire, suplexed an octopus, and I beleive, chased off a bunch of gathering monsters, at least once... And let Crazy Harry blow him up.
Animal's nature is probably being exposed to the likes of the Muppet Monsters, and Oz's comedy of acting like Cookie, who Animal shares almost the same vocal cords with.
As Gonzo was originaly a Monster, then a freak, what ever, weirdo, then Alien, Animal can be linked to a spazzing Hippy.
"
Name six humans that look like Clifford.
You can't!"
Scooter, Animal, Zoot, Beard, Marvin Suggs, Dr. Teeth, Skeeter! HA!