Cow Play involves adopting a cow persona, expressed through gear such as bells, tails, ears and sometimes markings, and often organised around themes of docility, herd life or agricultural roleplay. Expressions range from gentle companion registers to structured working-animal scenes.

Cow personas developed within the broader expansion of Petplay and animal-role traditions beyond canine and feline archetypes.

As with other less-common personas, Cow Play carries no single template. Communities express it in many ways.