Stuffed toys, furry gonks, etc. seem to be a critical component for many systems, and some are subtly hidden while others brazenly adorn speakers… What’s the deal here? Why are they there? 
We have two stuffed toys ( a Cheetah cub and a Bag Puss) on top of the speakers in my wife’s room. It is a room that is inhabited by our female Tuxedo cat Luna.
The toys are there to deter her from climbing up on the speakers, as she has sharp claws.
This is a 100% successful deterrent, I just wish I could find something as successful for the top of my wife’s LP12. Currently that has a dining place mat on it so that she’s not walking/sitting directly on the acrylic lid…
Gonk. Not heard that word for years. We had a Master at School who’s nickname was Gonk. Presumably as he looked like one.
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What else could they be called 
My mother knitted Gonks in in “the sixties”.
No idea where it came from, but we certainly had three in various colours - one for each kid.
‘Gonk’ - that’s a blast from the past!