♪♫ “I’d like to be / under the sea / in an octopus’s garden / in the shade,” sang Beatle Ringo Starr, and he had good reasons for it. After all, what other animal can convey such a sense of comforting embrace with its eight arms as an octopus? Especially when it snuggles up as softly as the little plush octopus from Senger—it’s a total winner when it comes to cuddle factor. Its plush cover made of pure certified organic cotton is exceptionally fluffy, pleasant to the touch, and so durable that it doesn’t mind being grabbed by one of its dangling arms and dragged around the world as a “treasure.”

“We would be warm / below the storm …,” Ringo Starr continued in his lyrics, and this plush toy fulfills that longing with flying colors as well. A beloved cuddly toy and hot water bottle in one, inside the little octopus is a removable cotton pillow filled with fine grape seeds. When warmed, the grape seeds provide soothing relief for stomach aches or chills; they can also be used for cooling. Before heating it on a radiator, tiled stove, or in the oven (to no more than lukewarm), the grape seed pillow should be removed from the octopus and wrapped in a cotton or linen cloth. And apparently, Ringo Starr had a hunch: “Oh what joy / for every girl and boy / knowing they’re happy / and they’re safe …”♫

It all began in 1985 with a family of mice. While the variety of Senger animal dolls has expanded to include rabbits, bears, geese, giraffes, zebras, hedgehogs, and many others, Volker and Sabine Senger have remained true to their original conviction to this day: They produce toys that are well-made and built to last. All Senger animal plush toys are handmade. The owners of the plush toy manufactory, based in the Lower Franconian town of Obersinn, also place great emphasis on using renewable natural materials free of chemical additives and harmful substances: For example, the plush fabric used for the animals’ fur—woven in Upper Franconia—is made exclusively from certified cotton grown under controlled organic conditions. The Senger factory has received numerous awards for its commitment to conserving resources.

Do not use these heat pads for premature babies or children under the age of two months. Do not put any of these heat pads into a microwave.

If necessary, a gentle hand wash is right for these soft toys.