[1] Kanga and Roo are the only pair of animals of the same species in the books, and their close relationship is emphasized by the combination of their names ("Kanga-Roo").

[4] Like other characters in the Milne's children books, Kanga is portrayed in an "impressionist" manner: a dominant trait is defined early and refined in a one-dimensional way.

The choice of animal assists in this unidimensional development of a character, with real-life female kangaroo protecting an offspring for months after birth literally within her body.

[7] Despite her staid appearance, however, Kanga fully participates in the nonsensical humor and physicality of the stories,[8] Pooh is envious of her jumping.

In her complete devotion to family affairs (a trait quite foreign to Rabbit), she often goes far, using the only punishments in the books: she bathes Roo in cold water and warns him not to become "small and weak like Piglet".