Therian, Otherkin, & Nonhuman furs

Therian/otherkin discussions on a message board feels like a proper return to form ;; you love to see it!

I've been exploring my relationship with therianthropy since around 2010/2011, kind of pushing it aside in favor of trying to survive in this wild world we live in and only recently started properly identifying with a canine theriotype in the last few years. Started officially using the therian label privately at the end of last year, and more publicly earlier this year.

Did a lot of soul searching to figure out what specific canine I identify as in a more specific sense, and was lucky enough to have the moon guide me to Dalmatian and I've never looked back. Truly haven't felt more comfortable in myself in my entire life since being openly canine. While I do have days and moments where it is much more obvious that I am a dog, I don't necessarily think I experience shifts in the same way that others do. Still, despite my relationship with my identity not necessarily being textbook therian, I've felt welcomed by the community in a huge way. Glad to see how the topic of therianthropy/otherkin within furry has moved into a more positive light in recent years!

i have been floating thoughts around lately that i probably fall somewhere under the umbrella as well. i haven't put all that much thought into it yet, though. i've always felt a strong connection to wolves/dogs because i am a simple man LOL, but also have felt phantom ears/tail/paws forever. as well as occasional feathered wings but who knows where those come from.

though, i think it's more of a passive thing than a core part of my identity, personally? like, yeah i prefer being referred to as an animal over a person (the euphoria of being called a critter is unmatched???), and my mental image of myself is far from human, but i don't mind otherwise. i just think i would be happier if i was covered in fur and treated like a dog, y'know? being a werewolf would truly be my ideal life LOL......

i was never really involved in any of the communities, so i don't fully know where i fall under it yet. but i definitely relate to what i hear a lot of people say. apologies for sort of just airing my thoughts of late here, but hey, why not!

BIG relate - I feel a lot of my identity is figured out with being nonhuman, but I still struggle with my gender despite having been on HRT for the last year and a half. The euphoria of being recognized outside of the human expectation is forever one of the best feelings.

I tend to go by the label of "synthetic otherkin", cuz I have a lot of problems not just with the human flesh prison, but with prisons of flesh generally.

The idea of being a robot, pooltoy, plushie, and the like are all much more appealing to me.

That said, I can't exactly deny being labelled a therian either because I get into pretty critter-y moods fairly often >.>

I've been altogether really reserved about considering or calling myself therian, even though the term really resonates with me. I discovered it in 2018 and felt seen, felt connected, but then I started worrying what it made other people think about me. I worried about posting publicly on it because I was worried about associating therianthropy with my online 'brand' or, well, me. But I admit that those few weeks where I found this community and such were some of the happiest in my memory. It made me feel less alone. It felt right.

I still worry about it because I feel like I'm supposed to be this grown adult figure, and somehow I feel like it'd make other adults see me as childish or immature. Or that it's not a label/identity that applies to me, or that I'd use it wrong, or misrepresent myself somehow... but, if I did, who even cares? Figuring yourself out is all about making those mistakes, or stumbling through a million wrong things before you find out what's real. It's been really comforting actually seeing you, Eddie, be so open about therianthropy & not shying away from it. It's given me a confidence boost about accepting it Q_Q

I think since I was little I've felt really connected to cats / felines in general. I tried the wolf route and while it gives me some euphoria to put myself in those paws, it never felt wholly right. Since making my sona a snow leopard I've done a lot of looking into snow leopards & researching their mannerisms and behaviors etc. and it makes me feel certain that they're one of my theriotypes. The big weighty tail makes so, so much sense with the phantom tail I've felt steadying me since middle school. It feels so?? right?? to stand outside, to take a walk, and close my eyes and feel the wind in my tail. And feel how it moves to my emotions, to my reactions. I get the phantom ears feeling too but less frequently, and usually under more intense emotional situations where they might be pinned or swivelled.

I dunno if anyone else gets the feeling of phantom claws but it pains me so much.

thank you for making this thread, i'm ... very admittedly new to these terms and spaces, though the feeling of "otherness" in my heart has always been there since i was young. i've been seeking a place to talk about this, but i shy away from places like discord and twitter since the scope of those conversations are just too wide for my liking.

i've been a sitting duck on this topic personally for a while, just as an observer since im sure it's linked to a lot of repressed thoughts and feelings that i have buried away ... but i've recently had the chance to get to know a certain therian in my life better, and them explaining their otherness really touched my heart in a way that honestly scared me a lot. there's just ... too much to unpack within myself and i don't have time for it!!! >_<



also i entirely blame pokemon mystery dungeon HAHAHAH

POKEMON MYSTERY DUNGEON OUGHHH… that’ll do it… (love that game series to death)

In all seriousness, your relationship with being a typhlosion is incredibly valid and understandable. You aren’t less worthy of being in the therian/adjacent community than those who identify with a ‘real’ animal. If it helps any, I’ve often felt I probably have some kin type with a Pokémon, I’m just not sure which one yet.

I’m really glad you were able to figure yourself out a bit more and also that I was able to give you a place to talk about this :’3 I didn’t know my thread would be so impactful when I made it, but I’m really glad I did now.