#feline theriotype vocals

[amr-alterhuman]

Meow I wanted to share

[edraculation]

Purring tutorial!

(pt: Purring tutorial! /end pt)

i've seen a few fellow feline therians asking for purring help, so here it is!

press the tip of your tongue to the inside of your front two bottom teeth and then slide it down until you can't anymore*. close your mouth almost all the way but leave at least a tiny opening or it won't work. make sure the back of your tongue is slightly touching the back of your upper pallet and breathe into your mouth. if it doesn't work or you want a different frequency of purr, try adjusting your tongue, changing how much of a gap you left between your lips**, or changing how hard your teeth are pressed together.

*how loud, quiet, chirpy, breathy, or growly your purr is mostly depends on how far down your tongue is. if you want a quieter, breathier purr try only bringing your tongue down half way. if you want a louder purr, bring it all the way down and even slide it as far back as you can.

**to get the gap size i've found works best, make small duck lips (?) and squeeze your teeth together. (this also clears congestion lmao)

hope this helps, catkin friends :3

(edit: made screen reader friendly)

[drifty-draws]

reconnecting to therianthropy ideas

hello y'all! first post! so recently i had a friend ask me how they can get reconnected to therianthropy, so i made a list and i thought i'd post it here!

-take walks in the woods or wild space -listen to a stream running while sleeping -sometimes when i sleep, i curl up into a ball on top of my covers -watch documentaries about your theriotype -go swimming in a lake and play on the shore if you have an aquatic theriotype -listen to your theriotype’s vocals -eat meat, if you’re a carnivore, or eat a salad if you’re a herbivore -take a cold shower and pretend it’s a waterfall -i’m dragonkin and being on the prow of a boat feels an awful lot like flying, but other options are standing facing the wind with arms outstretched, watching flying POVs with a fan pointed at you, and daydreaming, i guess -make a mask out of cardboard or buy a base (it’s okay if you can’t!) -lay in the sun outside -play with a pet, if you have one -if you have a lupine theriotype, play Wolfquest 3 Anniversary Edition on Steam. i’ve heard it has amazing graphics and hunting! -chew on something rubbery. i have an inflated rubber egg that i love to chew on -make a tail out if yarn. it takes a LOT of time and effort, but it feels good once completed -put glow-in-the-dark stars on your ceiling to simulate the night sky -watch Wolfwalkers, Brother Bear, Nimona (all relate to shapeshifting into a creature) -read Warriors if you have a feline theriotype -read Nat. Geo. magazines and articles -i like wearing sunglasses on my head because it feels like i have ears, but you could also wear a hat or a headband -draw your theriotype -if you have a nocturnal theriotype, try pulling an all nighter (if your parents will let you) -try hunting one of your stuffed animals (close the door in case you shift -climb a tree! -look up videos on how to get a shift by meditating (i personally don’t meditate but i’ve heard it works) -if you’re home alone, put a bowl of water or soup on the floor and eat/drink it like your theriotype would -if you can, try to get a tag to hunt something for real! when i hunt, it really connects me to nature (if you can’t, don’t sweat it) -go on a hike and try to act like your theriotype -make a den in your room or backyard -paint rocks or shells -decorate your room to match your theriotype -do quads, if your body allows. don’t worry about having the perfect form or jumping high, just have fun! you feel more natural the more you do it (i find going up stairs or uphill to be easiest) -find alterhumans in your area and make a pack -look at therian boards and concept art on pinterest -make a paw imprint in clay then hang it up -make a hidden therian/otherkin symbol in your room

thanks for reading my ramble! if you have more ideas, please feel free to comment!

stay wild 🐾 -drifty

[fallen-and-holy]

Redoing my pinned post!

Heyo!! Call me Mars or Aster, i use he/hymn/it pronouns, and this is my main blog for all things! I'm alterhuman and queer in almost every way possible, and this is my place to be obnoxious about it. I’m also autistic and vocal about it. That’s the summary, more info below the cut!!

About Me

Alterhuman things

Kintype(s): Western dragon; fallen angel/demon; nökk/nixie/nokken

Theriotype(s): Maned wolf (linktype)

Theriomythic type(s): Night (or Forest??) Fury (linktype)

Fictionflicker type(s): Eztli Tokoyami (MHA/BNHA, non-canon); Rust (TMA, non-canon Corruption avatar); the Leviathan (TMA, non-canon Hunt/Vast avatar); Mike Crew (TMA); MK (Lego Monkie Kid); John Doe (Malevolent)

Hearthome(s): Star Trek

Hearttype(s): changelings; canines; space/stars

Archetrope(s): Guardian

Satellotype(s): Harpy eagle (orbiting the Leviathan); red winged blackbird (orbiting Eztli); felines (orbiting both of my dragon kintypes)

Miscecanis/miscanimalis: Beta, scent is ozone and old books with an undercurrent of sandalwood, revolves around all of my alterhumanity but specifically avian, canine, and eldritch behaviors

Queer Things

The short answer for my gender is multigender boy+ butch bear freakthingcreature, the long answer is ‘i dont know if i have a gender, i dont know what a gender is supposed to feel like, but i like being referred to with masculine terms and also there are things that are intrinsically important to my identity so i might as well call them genders’

Xenohoarder, here’s my hoard: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_P8tza81UckHbBm2LaRa_mzihvhPHPq_kNIDICQpAY8/edit?usp=sharing

The label i usually use for my orientation is omni, but the long and short of it is i like men in a fag way and women in a dyke way and men in a dyke way and women in a fag way and absolutely everyone in a queer way

Aroacespec, demirose

Name and pronoun hoarder, my pronoun page is here: https://en.pronouns.page/@fallen-and-holy

Objectum, mostly aesthetic attraction to things like computers but very much in love with the moon, the sea, space, and pretty much the concept of the Vast

Misc

quick guide to the first person pronouns I use: i/me/mine/myself refers to me and sometimes my subsystem; eye/me/meye/meyeself refers to just me; wei/muis/muir/muirself refers to me and my subsystem and sometimes my dæmon; we/us/ours/ourself refers to me and Cypher.

Plural, not sure how much im going to talk about that on here. Im a median subsystem with a dæmon as well as having one headmate, Cypher.

I dont really have a DNI, because those dont work and people are going to do what they want, but you will be blocked if you're mean. Additionally, i block/unfollow for a variety of reasons, including ‘i just dont want to see this on my dash for aesthetic reasons’ and i most likely wont remember why.

Fandoms i’ll likely talk about/reblog on here are the Magpod universes, MHA/BNHA, Dungeon Meshi, Fullmetal Alchemist, Lego Monkie Kid, Sanders Sides, Malevolent, and Star Trek

Sideblogs/digital shrines (most aren't very active)

@the-taste-of-blood-on-teeth

@worship-sky-blue

@song-of-the-hive

@khaos-born-mother

@morning-stars-temple

@of-shattered-halo

[monsterkin-culture-is]

I recently realized I'm a therian but I can't pin down what my theriotype is. I think it's a canine but it's all really muddled. Like at first I thought cat because of my sounds but my tail is definitely more canine. I also get the urge to howl but not bark. I yip, purr, chitter all sorts of sounds but not bark. I'm just so eager to figure it out but don't really know what to reflect on in order to do that.

Hiya!! I'm sooo sorry this is a late response!! I'll split this into 2 parts to at least try and keep this ramble on track: tips on finding potential kintypes & then some species I personally think you might be. Sorry if this is a little disjointed, I've written it across a couple days.

Tips On Finding Kintypes:

Sorry if you've seen a few of these before!

Watch nature documentaries or clips/videos of your species. See if it feels like you're looking in the mirror. You can imagine yourself as that species in its surroundings or living amongst them. Also it's an easy way to learn more about them!!

Try out gear of your species. This isn't my fave because it could be a bit pricey but you can always DIY it! It's a way to test out what limbs/parts feel right on you. You can probably dye fur to a more fitting colour afterwards if it's the wrong species, or re-sell them. Halloween is coming up so that should make it a little easier.

Learn the vocals of kintypes. You don't need to get it perfect but 'singing-along' with your species might help you determine your kintype. It also may help you distinguish between similar vocals.

Use the label. Spend a week or so using the label & envisioning yourself as each kintype. The only way you'll know if you feel comfortable being that kin is... to be it! I think the goes for most labels.

Get creative with your kintypes. Another way to test what you connect to is to make spotify playlists or artwork relating to your kintypes.

Potential Species:

Based on your vocals alone and the fact you were kinsidering felines beforehand, I would've suggested Cheetah. They're one of the few big cats that can purr and often communicate in a sort of yipping noise, though it's called 'chirping' officially. Aster's fun fact of the day is that any feline can only purr or roar, never both 🤓.

Otherwise I would also say a Fox is a high possibility. They've got the correct vocals (though they maybe more yowl than howl), and they have the dog-like tail. Even if you don't feel a connection to the traditional red fox's appearance, there are also Silver Foxes & Arctic Foxes.

Now those are out of the way, onto more canine species! Wolves are obviously the first pick when you mention the howling. I don't know how new you are to the community to please forgive me if I'm explaining stuff you know but there's actually a term called "Cladotherian." It's when you're kin of a whole section of animals. E.g if I were Cladotherian of all bigcats I'd be a lion and a tiger and a cheetah. So maybe wolf Cladotherian is a possibility?

Thinking about the yipping instead of barking, my personal top pick would be African Wild Dog. They make very high-pitched yipping sounds to communicate but they also howl to find pack members, though these howls are shorter than a wolf's. My second pick would be maned wolves as they do the similar yipping but I know less about them unfortunately!

I hope some of this was helpful! Let me know if you figure it out!

[achillez-on-pawz]

Tips on how to find your theriotype: May not be accurate.

Hi. If you've ever seen any post of mine, you'll know that I may have an upwards of 4-5 Theriotypes. Domestic cat clado, red fox, golden tiger (*), and unknown domestic dog.

I will put everything else under the cut, because I don't want a huge text post to absorb everyone's dash.

I awakened as a tiger (*) mainly after a conversation with a friend. They sent pictures of golden tigers and a liger, and after seeing that, I got a feeling in my chest. Resonance.

It feels like a deep hit, almost heavy and thick, right under where my heart is, center of my lower chest.

After some research, although, not much, (I'm studying for a Spanish exam), I can say with like, 60% certainty, that I'm most likely the previous animals mentioned.

But how did I come to that so quickly?

If you're like me (impatient), you probably hate the unknown feeling sitting inside you, like uranium in the snow /ref.

Well, here are some tips.

Write down your feelings (or do the equivalent) Writing down what you feel, feelings associated with your unknown self, can really help. Here's what I said in an audio log of my tiger/liger exploration. "It feels...super big. Feline too. My paws are HUGE.[...] it feels almost lazy? Like, I could knock you over with so much ease, but I just don't feel like it. [...]connection to water. Lounging in the sun." This, combined with my emotional/physical reaction to ligers/golden tigers is what lead me to very shallow research. I would also like to mention that placeholder theriotypes are a-okay. You're still figuring yourself out, and if labels help, feel free!

Measure your emotional reaction. This makes sense, if you're spiritual or a physical therian. (Note that I'm physically Aziraphale, and such, my knowledge on physical therians may be incorrect or limited) You will have emotional or physical reactions to your theriotype. I cry when I see myself. I may also do vocals involuntarily, and may do quads. These are both physical and emotional reactions.

Research! Light research is better than no research. And with more research, you can find and place your feelings more accurately. Going on blogs for that animal, Wikipedia, Reddits for that animal (if there is one), and veterinary websites are very good places to start.

Shifts. Write down what you feel, if you have physical, mental, vocal, or phantom shifts. These could help. For example, when I have a fox shift, I feel playful, fluffy, small, and my paws feel petite.

All in all, take your time. I remind myself to go slow. It's not the end of the world. Placeholders are okay! Just make sure to update yourself once you've put more time into it :D This is just what I do. I've had a therian journal for a longgg while. Around 2-3 months. It helps to write down what you feel. Just know that whatever happens, your identity being therian or not, you're valid <3

[nox-does-stuff]

What is this theriotype?? A cat??

so I took people’s advice and started a journal of possibly alterhuman experiences, I’m a cat right?? here’s my list rn (current date: 20 jan 23)

feeling that there should be a tail on me (phantom tail?)

randomly purring even before starting vocal practice

feeling like my canine teeth are sharper/bigger when I see birds (phantom fangs?)

feeling like I should have claws when I think about my hands or feet (phantom claws?)

I bit some kid who tried to steal my stuff while shaking my hand lol

looking in the mirror and expecting to see something on all fours

Randomly almost doing quads in public instead of walking even though I don't do quadrobatics

feeling uncomfortable in an area that I’m 99% sure it was an animals’s territory but I can’t avoid if I wanna get to and from school

soo cat? i mean I think I’m a cat, or some sort of feline. I’ve been trying to do cat therian stuff to see if it feels right, and omg, it doesn’t feel wrong!

edit : cat therians and alterhumans in general, does this sound like some cat shit?

[bardkin]

📜

gonna be posting journal entries here, because like, why not :3 longer entries (like this one) will be put under a readmore!

o()xxx[{:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::>

so, as of a couple days ago, i've discovered that i may have a marten theriotype! maybe a beech marten, sable, (american) pine marten, or a fisher (pekania pennanti), not sure quite yet. even though this feels Right, it's still a very new revelation & i thus want to let it simmer for a bit. i've always kind of known about martens (even had a sable marten fursona at one point!), but i want to make sure this feeling isn't just an "Ooh, shiny new concept!" thing where i'm mistaking my admiration for an animal to be any deeper than that. one major factor that lead me to researching martens more heavily is the natural vocalizations i make. turns out the "feline" noises i've been doing pretty much all my life sound a lot more like a fussy pine marten, which honestly makes me giggle when i think about it. finding marten vocals outside of defensive/angry noises seems to be pretty tough (at least on youtube), so if anyone's got resources for more varied marten vocals, feel free to send 'em my way! also have some thoughts on my phantom tail shifts; my tail (usually) feels pretty light. bottlebrush-y, but not super long or extra fluffed like a fox's or a longhair cat. often feels like the length reaches an inch or two above my knees / a little past the mid-point of my thighs? i most often get stronger tail shifts when i'm excited, content, playful, etc, as i notice it more prominently whenever i feel it wagging/moving (though, i think that might be the norm when it comes to phantom shifts lol). and the more i look back, this has made me realize that i kind of always have phantom tail sensations, pretty much 24/7. it of course ebbs, wavers, and strengths throughout the day, but i don't think it's ever Not been present. i can't think of a single time i haven't felt Something where my tail should be, but tbf, my memory can be hazy due to my adhd & time-blindness- so there might've been times i didn't feel it that i'm just not remembering. the sensation also usually feels very non-corporeal, in that it tends to “clip into/through” objects i'm sitting on. (it tends to behave normally when i'm laying down, though lol) i've yet to feel like i would be sitting on my tail in a way that would hurt it. not sure how common or uncommon that is... if i am feeling a marten tail at any point, i think the size might be relative. instead of a literal “marten sized” tail on a human body, i'm possibly feeling one that would be “normal” sized, if it were on a human-sized marten. if that makes sense? (same might also go for my canid/coyote tail.) also not sure how common or uncommon that may be for folks that get phantom shifts! regardless, i'm really excited about this discovery~

[nonhumanwithin]

Advice for confused kin

(Note: I’m not fictionkin or any other type of unusual kin, just a normal otherkin, so I’ll be talking about my own experiences and not really fictionkin or the like. I wish I could help, I’m sorry!)

This is more centered around my personal experiences, but I do hope it helps others as well. Writing out your thoughts can sometimes help clear your mind c:

So, I’ve struggled with figuring out my kintypes for a long time. I’ve known I’m otherkin for almost 9 years now, and yet I still struggle from time to time with my identity. This is mostly due to my mental illnesses (BPD and CPTSD, if you’re curious), which I know I’m not the only otherkin struggling with. I know of a few others who are adults and have been in the community for some time who struggle with finding out their identity. So, if you’re like me, or maybe more new to the community or younger, either way, I hope this helps at least a little.

First, I’ll go over some basics:

Being otherkin means you identify as a nonhuman being (non physically!). You are this creature, and it is you.

Being otherhearted/kith means you identify with the creature, not as. Maybe you wish you were this creature, maybe not. It holds a part of your heart, and in a way, is probably apart of who you are as a person, but it doesn’t shape your identity in the same way a kintype does. You probably can’t imagine not identifying as your kintype, but you could still be you without your kithtype.

However, being otherhearted/kith is NOT the same as having a favorite animal. It can be like a favorite animal, but you feel like “favorite animal” doesn’t quite describe how you feel about the animal. It is definitely something more than that.

Cameo shifts are shifts into another creature that isn’t your kintype. (Note that shifting as your kithtype counts as cameo, or at least, I don’t know any better word for it, so that’s what I’ll call it for now.)

So, how do you distinguish a kintype from a kithtype? What makes a shift a cameo instead of a kintype shift?

I think for something to be considered a kintype, you must identify as it for a certain amount of time (maybe about 6 months) and distinctly feel that it is you and feel as if, when you see your kintype, you are looking in a mirror, not seeing a friend. (Of course, if you find your kintype and decide you’re sure enough to call it a kintype before 6 months that is completely fine, I’m talking about those who are confused or questioning and want to be absolutely sure!)

For me, when I see something I know is a kithtype- for this example I’ll use wolves, as they are a kithtype of mine and I did think I was a wolf for a while- I do see similarities between us. But I feel more a deep admiration for them than a feeling of “that’s me!”. I feel as if I’m seeing brothers and sisters, like I could walk among wolves like they are family, but they’re not. I like to compare it to the way Native Americans in movies (idk about irl so I’m comparing to movies bc it’s easier) have certain animals they deeply respect and sort of draw power/happiness/knowledge/etc from. It is a deep connection, and for me it feels almost familial. I want to protect wolves, and learn about them, and someday see them in person. I want to be their friend, their ally, their sibling. But I am not one of them.

With my dog theriotype, it’s different. When I see seppalas with black and white coats like how I imagine my theriotype to look, I get a very strong feeling like “that’s me!!!” and feel as if I’m looking in a mirror, or seeing a picture of me when I looked really good, haha. I see myself as this animal, and it feels completely natural to do so. I could imagine myself as my dog theriotype doing dog things, or imagine something silly like being a dog doing human things, like typing at my computer. But it feels 100% natural to see myself this way. Calling myself a dog feels right. Calling myself a wolf would feel more like, trying to fit into your older sibling’s clothes as a kid, if that makes sense? I sometimes want to be a wolf because I admire them so much. But, I am not one.

But of course, the lines between kin and kith aren’t always so distinct. Maybe you feel so strongly for an animal that you wonder if it is a kintype, but you feel it’s not quite strong enough to be a kintype. Maybe you have had very strong shifts as your kithtype and question if it means something more, or if the shifts were only cameos. Maybe you heavily relate to some of the characteristics of your kithtype and feel as if these characteristics are linked to a kintype and this creature fits your feelings fairly closely, probably not totally accurately.

Alternatively, maybe you question a kintype being a kithtype instead because you don’t always feel it so strongly. Maybe you’re not as connected to one kintype as another. Maybe you think you’re just biased and really really like this animal and shouldn’t be so quick to label it as a kintype.

So, where do you draw the line?

It might be different for you, but for me personally, I think I would have to consider myself this animal enough to want to call myself this animal, at least most of the time. Maybe I don’t feel it as strongly as my dog theriotype, but if I were to introduce myself to someone, I would want to mention all of my theriotypes. I must have somewhat frequent/strong shifts of this animal that do not fade, or feel partially shifted for a long period of time. I’ve found that if I have random bursts of shifts that are only caused by outside influences, they are cameo shifts. My kintype shifts might be more random, last longer, and feel more solid, while cameo shifts feel more unstable, like they won’t last very long.

What sucks about me personally is that, when I cameo shift, I feel very strongly in that moment that I am that creature, that I identify as it. I have had very strong feline shifts, where I feel totally cat and want to rub my head on things and purr. But I get these shifts too infrequently to call myself a feline. Though that’s how it is for me personally. Maybe you’re different and have very infrequent shifts, that’s okay!

The main difference is that I do not normally identify as a cat. I have strong cat shifts caused by outside influences and will feel as if I am internally a cat for a short time, but it always goes away. If I am doing something unrelated to cats and not thinking about it for some time, and someone asks what animal I feel like in that moment, I would not say I am a cat.

Another difference is I will sort of instinctively shift as a reaction to certain situations, such as fear. For example, I have social anxiety and I remember a day when I went to the store feeling particularly anxious, and had a strong orca shift as a result, feeling the urge to slap my tail at anyone who got too close (sounds hilarious writing it out tbh). I wouldn’t normally have cameo shifts as a defense thing like this. I wouldn’t shift into a dragon or cat or whatever in this situation unless I was already thinking about them a lot or something.

I would have wolf shifted in the past when I believed I was a wolf, because my dog theriotype is pretty similar to wolves and I was confident I was a wolf back then. So, it’s good to try to remain unbiased if you are questioning a kintype and wondering what animal your shift is linked to. Instead of labeling it with any specific animal, stay neutral. For example, if you feel a long snout and the urge to growl and bare your teeth, do not call it a canine shift. There are other animals with long snouts that growl.

If you have a lot of cameo shifts and want to determine whether certain shifts are cameos or indications of a kintype, I would recommend:

Doing research. You’ve probably already done research to figure out what animal exactly you are shifting into, but I’d recommend also figuring out if you identify with many of the traits from this animal. For example, do you feel drawn to the habitat it lives in? When you hear its vocalizations do they sound familiar and you think if you could make these vocalizations it would feel right? Think about how big or small the animal is, does it feel right imagining yourself from that point of view? Maybe you’ll find you do little things that are similar to this animal. Be aware that they could very well be normal human things, but ultimately I think it’s up to you to determine whether these characteristics feel related to a kintype or not. Also, everyone is different! Maybe you don’t like the habitat your kintype lives in, etc. You don’t have to identify with all of these questions.

Take it slow, don’t think too much about it. Personally, the more I think about a potential kintype, the more I want to rush things and feel more biased and want to label myself, but this can be a bad idea.

Going off the last note but it’s 100% okay to be wrong about your kintype. If you absolutely feel right calling yourself a certain creature and want to label yourself this now, go ahead! Do what makes you happy. Maybe in a few months or a few years you’ll realize you were wrong. But that’s okay, everyone is still learning and growing, everyone makes mistakes. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad for switching labels when it doesn’t affect them at all. It’s your own life, your own mind. Only you know how you feel, and no one can tell you how to think or feel or whatever.

However, if you are prone to rushing things and switching labels and such and want to quit, I would recommend waiting around 6 months before labeling a new kintype. If by then you still feel strongly you identify as this animal, label away! I say 6 months because from what I have seen it’s the period of time before someone can be diagnosed with a mental disorder. You have to experience symptoms of a disorder for at least 6 months in order to be diagnosed. I think it’s a good amount of time, because a lot can happen in 6 months, but you will not change who you are as a person or your core identity in 6 months. Basically, your kintype isn’t going anywhere by then. The only reason I can think of someone identifying as the wrong kintype for 6 months is if their actual kintype is very similar, and maybe they aren’t aware it exists (which is what happened in my case!), or haven’t looked into it enough. But of course, it’s totally up to you. Whatever you’re most comfortable with.

It’s also totally okay to not know your kintype. Maybe you don’t know any of your kintype(s), and just know that you don’t feel totally human. That’s okay! Everyone goes at their own pace. You have all the time in the world to figure yourself out.

Keeping a journal is a good idea. Try to be as unbiased as possible and write down your shifts and other otherkin experiences. Write down why you think you shifted, if it’s totally random or was possibly caused by something. Write down any urges you have that you think are kin related.

Maybe try inducing shifts of different animals you are considering as kintypes and note the differences between them and how comfortable/stable the different shifts feel.

You could have a friend or just have a timer or something to remind you to randomly ask yourself how you are feeling in that moment, if you feel like any particular animal. It can be very subtle.

Do things your possible kintype would do, watch videos, look at pictures, or if you’re into drawing, draw yourself! Draw how your phantom shifts would look, or draw what you think you would look like as this possible kintype. If you can’t draw or feel it wouldn’t accurately capture what you’re thinking. try to imagine it as vividly as possible. Does it feel like you? Do you feel as if you’re looking in a mirror, or does it feel more like a character/fursona, or like seeing an old friend?

I won’t get too into detail about finding your kintype and how to do research and such because there is already a lot of information about that out there. I wish you all luck on your journeys to discover yourselves!

[caracal-horns]

Figured I might as well make one of these because I'm feeling motivated and I'm aware most of my followers as well as a lot of people on the tumblr community might not know much about me personally!

1) What is your Screen Name/Therian Name?

I go almost exclusively by Gray Pool, in fact that's the only thing I've ever gone by. I think for about a week my username on Therian Guide was CaracalHeart, and people still referred to me as 'Caracal' for a month or so, but that was a long time ago. Gray is fine now.

2) Are you a Standard Therian (one therioside) or Polytherian (multiple theriosides)?

I'm a polytherian. I only believed myself to have one identity for over a year, but something always seemed missing. I was lucky to have stumbled across the right animal in the end!

3) What species is your Therioside/Kintype? List multiple if you have more than one.

My original kin type is a caracal - subspecies unknown. My second kintype is a pronghorn, most likely from Montana or Wyoming area.

4) Are you able to make the vocalizations of your Therioside/Kintype?

I'm able to make almost the full range of noises of my caracal type! However pronghorn don't make that many noises, and the ones they do my human vocal cords are not able to replicate.

5) Are you a Spiritual Therian or Psychological Therian or Both?

When it comes to my caracal type it's very psychologically rooted. I grew up very lonely, and immersed myself in all things feline, constantly role-playing, etc. When I could, I spent as much time as possible with cats. Literally hours per day playing and interacting with them.

My pronghorn identity is probably spiritually rooted, because I've had minimal interaction with them or any other animal like them throughout my life and nothing to suggest that they would be.

6) What is the origin/cause of your Therianthropy? (ex: soul is an animal)

I like to think that my pronghorn kintype is a result of being reincarnated, and my caracal kintype is due to immersion and my brain adapting due to lack of human interaction.

7) How long have you been awakened?

I've known my identity was nonhuman for shit, five or six years but I joined the therian community a little over two years now! (I used to have an account on a starseed forum)

8) What shifts (if any) have you experienced?

Mental

I don't experience mental shifts too often anymore, but they do happen. Mostly when I'm scared or angry, but occasionally they'll just... Appear.

Phantom

I used to never ever get phantom shifts. I don't know why, and for a lot of people they just don't happen, but for a couple months now I've been having horn, hoof, fur, ears, and a strange hump like thing on my back I can only compare to a bison or grizzly bear type of hump.

Dream

I have the occasional dream that requires me to turn into my theriotypes, but I usually won't have one that's like... I am my theriotype in its natural habitat.

Sensory

Don't really get those. Maybe once or twice a while ago, but I couldn't really recount it to you.

Astral/Spirit/Aura

If I have, I honestly haven't been able to tell!

Cameo

Oh, I'm sure I get those a lot. Not so much anymore, but I used to! Whole buncha different animals, wolves, deer, bears.... A lot.

9) How did you discover/conclude that you were a Therianthrope? It’s okay to say you are still learning/questioning.

Well, I've acted cat-like for my entire life. Always been a huge fan of warrior cats, and I would take role playing to the extreme, it felt like it was me, not like I was playing. I've never felt like I fit in with humans either - something was always off. I ended up discovering a starseed forum five or six years ago and made an account there - not having heard of therianthropy, I was convinced I was one of them. That felt wrong though, so I didn't last. But two years ago I joined Therian Guide and all the pieces clicked! I did some really quick research because I didn't want to join without having my theriotype box filled lol, and being a caracal felt so totally right. I've done more research to confirm it since then, but I guess I just got lucky! And as for my pronghorn identity, something still felt missing and I was able to find out that I was one from a documentary! That's a bigger story for another time however.

10) What does Therianthropy/being a Therian mean to you?

I mean... It's a pretty big part of my life. I wouldn't change it for anything. I guess you could say it gives me a connection to something greater, even if it comes with so many downsides. It's a pretty special thing to experience - and yes, I said it. It's special. Does it make us better than anyone else? Fuck no. But it's a unique thing, and we should all be proud of it.

11) If you choose to, share one embarrassing moment due to being a Therian.

Oh boy. This is a tough one. I guess I could say a couple years ago, I was living in my old apartment in New York. For those who ain't familiar, the apartments there are right up next to eachother, save maybe a little side area for garbage or an alley. I was in that area, crawling around on all fours and pretending I was a cat. Next to a bunch of garbage cans. I'm just chilling, doing my own thing, then hear someone gasp and drop something. I look up and it's this poor mailman. I looked pretty weird.

12) What hobbies do you enjoy?

I love art, playing pc or video games, and constantly daydreaming about stories I want to write but never will!! I also love going outdoors and would hike if I could. Oh, and I walk and bike a lot.

Creds to @theriannation, thanks for the great survey!!

[edraculation]

Simple hissing tutorial!

(pt: Simple hissing tutorial! /end pt)

dedicated to @nox-does-stuff :3 thanks so much for the ask, i hope this is what you were looking for !

bare your teeth*, (gently) bite down on the sides of your tongue, and then breathe into your mouth. it should work no matter how you interpreted these instructions, but if it's not working try adjusting your tongue a bit or breathing harder :)

*i recommend doing it scrunched-nose style, you technically don't have to but it works a bit better and also looks like the biological cat angry face!!

go make noises therifolk!!

(edit: made screen reader friendly)

[tazzy-mania-tiger-blog]

How I Found My Theriotype

Finding your theriotype, for some, is easy. It’s always been very present, and obvious. For others, while still very much present, theriotypes seem to be less obvious. There often are hints as to what they are, such is in behaviors, feelings and shifts, but it may take some people a while.

Ever since realizing I was a therian, I went through a long process of self-discovery. Much of this self-discovery was trying on various labels that ultimately did not fit. I believe this is why I initially gained a reputation as “changeable” and perhaps less “legitimate” for awhile. The problem was, what I felt, both in shifts and outside of shifts, as well as my behaviors inside and out of shifts, were a wide range of things, that could match many different animals. I knew that I was dog-like, so I looked at canines, and despite even the word “canine” feeling wrong, I still always returned to canines, because that’s what matched everything best. Nevertheless, a few scattered times, I recall saying that I also felt marsupial, but was unaware of any marsupials that seemed to fit. 

I believe the turning point came at a furry convention I attended. I met up with some old friends there, and described my experiences. One suggested canine, but then thought about it again, and suggested thylacine. I had indeed heard of thylacines in passing, but I knew little of them, aside from what I had seen years ago on an “Animal X” show as a child. I did recall being unusually fascinated by them, however. Something did click immediately, but I wasn’t fully ready to accept thylacine as my answer...not just yet!

Research was my next step, and I scoured the internet for facts. I soon realized just how well thylacine matched my experiences! In mental shifts, I tend to be threatened by eyes, even on pictures, so if I see them, I open mouth really wide as a threat, sometimes accompanied by a soft “hiss”. This is typical of marsupial carnivores, including the now extinct thylacine, and is known as the “threat yawn”. I frequently feel I’m more of an ambush predator, stalking prey slowly, which is more typical of felines and thylacines than it is of actual canines. In mental shifts, I have a hoarse short growl or bark, in rapid succession of 4 or 5 times. While there are no existing audio recordings of thylacines, there are descriptions of their vocalizations. One of which, is a “hoarse, cough like bark” that is in rapid succession of about 5 times, and is done while hunting. Another match. I seem to get what I call a “map out” of my phantom limbs, and what should be there when I mental shift. I used to think I was a coyote or a jackal or a wolf, simply because I felt dog-like in appearance. I felt I was tannish in color, with a long, dog-like muzzle and thin limbs. However, the fur felt like it was too short to be a coyote, in retrospect, and I felt like I had too long and thin a tail. Yet, this phantom limb description matches thylacine perfectly. Outside of shifts, I’m known to growl, snarl, hiss, whimper and yes, threat-yawn with a wide open mouth, instinctually. The last of which, is definitely thylacine. 

It’s funny how sometimes your theriotype is extremely “elusive” to you at first, and yet makes so much sense later. This is especially true when the behaviors were present long before ever considering that theriotype! So for those still searching for their theriotype, my advice is to not only take into account commonly seen animals, but also look into lesser known, similar animals. You may find you are also a victim of “convergent evolution confusion” as I call it. 

[alynna-menagerie]

@theriannation

1) Alynna, and its my primary name. (not given, or true name)

2) Polytherian.

3) Primarily fox, secondarily rabbit.  I have aspects or “other parts of myself” which are unicorn and dragonness, however I do not consider those to be therian types, but kintypes, though unicorn is pretty close to being a horse when it comes to what you feel.   Being fae is part of ALL of the previously mentioned types.

4) For fox, yes, most of them.   Rabbits usually live in silence.  The other two, well unicorns don’t usually talk like horses and dragons just talk like dragons.

5) Both.  I believe ones spiritual history have a direct effect on the type of mind you will develop during life, because the spirit influences the mind constantly.  My belief primarily stems from the experience from how my own mind has developed.

6) My spirit is primarily one of a fae-fox.  I noted at a very early age that my mind worked very different from others, and from the ages 7-16 I didn’t even have any internet so I kinda believed I was alone with that.

7) I can trace my first awakening event to when I was 7 but won’t describe it in detail on a public Tumblr.  So about 33 years now.  Once I got internet access at around 17 it still took me a year to find the therian and otherkin communities, and that was about 24 years ago now.

8) All of those, but as I understand cameo, thats like temporarily shifting into something else.. I do feel that some aspects of myself allow for some measure of shapeshifting, but I suppose most of them, I don’t try to trigger on my own.  I don’t know all the new terms well.

9) I didn’t even know what therianthropy was until I got on the internet and even then it wasn’t defined as therianthropy, it was more an extension of being a “were-creature”.   The word “therianthropy” didn’t come till later.   There used to be some documents out there that described therian experiences like superliminal limbs and atypical urges (wont get into detail here) and many of my experiences mirrored what was documented.

Discovering specifically what I am was more about learning about animals and comparing their traits to my own, and having alot of feline and canine traits, combined with the color patterns I saw in meditations and introspections drew me to the conclusion that I am more foxlike than anything.  Before introspection I didn’t really have the context of what a fox is, and went between animals that had some of the traits I felt and experienced.

I knew early on that I had multiple tails, which was confusing to me at first until someone told me about kitsune (I did not know and back in 1997 or so it was not a common creature to know about), and most of the other things I had discovered about myself fell into place.   The primary theriotype I identify as now, is the same one I have identified as for the last 20 years.

10) What it primarily means to me is that I am a fox (primarily), I feel fox things, I have fox instincts and sensations, and..  I’m not sure what else its supposed to mean to me.   To me it’s always been what it is.

11) One time I was caught rolling around in my back yard, rubbing my head against the ground and that kind of stuff.    That’s kind of mild but it will work.

12) I do things but I don’t know that I have a hobby.

Therian Questionnaire

This is the questionnaire mentioned in the Therian Nation video “Therianthropy is Not a Competition”. https://youtu.be/nAuIOC7bN6U

It is also mentioned in our previous post which was a transcript of the video.  https://theriannation.tumblr.com/post/174279639847/therianthropy-is-not-a-competition

These questions are a great way to learn more about yourself, and you should probably answer them again every few months to a year to see how your experiences have changed or stayed the same. This is also a good way to introduce yourself to the community. So of course feel free to copy and use them wherever you’d like to.

1) What is your Screen Name/Therian Name?

2) Are you a Standard Therian (one therioside) or Polytherian (multiple theriosides)?

3) What species is your Therioside/Kintype? List multiple if you have more than one.

4) Are you able to make the vocalizations of your Therioside/Kintype?

5) Are you a Spiritual Therian or Psychological Therian or Both?

6) What is the origin/cause of your Therianthropy? (ex: soul is an animal)

7) How long have you been awakened?

8) What shifts (if any) have you experienced? Mental Phantom Dream Sensory Astral/Spirit/Aura Cameo None (Feel nonhuman in other ways) None (Contherian-always shifted)

9) How did you discover/conclude that you were a Therianthrope? It’s okay to say you are still learning/questioning.

10) What does Therianthropy/being a Therian mean to you?

11) If you choose to, share one embarrassing moment due to being a Therian.

12) What hobbies do you enjoy?

This is also available:

Google Docs – https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d6r1mhxQUOfnzqAORSRfB9V5_gO1nlW2dC8z8jwPsLI/edit?usp=sharing

Amino: http://aminoapps.com/p/qp3461

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/notes/therian-nation/therian-questionnaire/616700465377313/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/p/BjQJeRoBinb/

Tweets – https://twitter.com/TherianNation/status/1000447557254889472 and https://twitter.com/TherianNation/status/1000465837789237248

Also available for reading on Wattpad – https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/149661659-therianthropy-is-not-a-competition

[amr-alterhuman]

I do get overstimulated so maybe I am misinterpreting my tail wagging as happy wags. I do see myself wagging my tail more slowly when happy versus overstimulated. And overstimulated can be a positive or a negative thing, typically leaning towards negative outcome.

But I don't often feel phantom limbs so much as I have mental/vocal/behavioral shifts.

[nonhumanwithin]

so.. i think i’m a kittenkin.. do you have any ideas to help me get into my headspace? maybe songs or something..?

Hey! Sorry for the late response. I don't know too much about cats or being a cat but, I'll try my best. I have a friend irl who is a cat therian if that helps :p

First of all, just to get this out of the way- we don't use the term "headspace". At least, I've never heard it used that way in the otherkin community before. I believe it's more of a petplay thing, not a therian/otherkin term. Just to avoid confusion, haha.

Secondly, if you're having trouble feeling like your kintype or feeling connected to your kintype, it could take more than just some simple catty things to really help with that. But I'm giving advice assuming you just want to feel more yourself a bit and relax or whatever when you have time to.

What helps me personally:

-watching videos of my theriotype

-listening to vocalizations, like for you it could be cat purrs (I think cat purrs actually sooth humans as well, so that's a big plus)

-moving around like my theriotype or curling up

-playing with things my theriotype would play with/whatever I find interest in

-soft fuzzy blankets

-collars

-drawing my theriotype

-wearing tails/ears/etc

-meditating or just imagining being your theriotype and doing whatever the heck you want

Other things that could help:

-playing with yarn/string/ribbon (just don't get tangled up ok)

-sunbathing

-my feline (therian) friend says fresh laundry makes her shift

-kneading a pillow like a cat does

-climbing things as long as its not dangerous and you dont get stuck in a tree (haha I'm funny)

That's all I can think of right now, followers (or anyone who sees this post I guess) feel free to add on stuff if you want. Anon, good luck with things.