Therian subculture

Therianthropes, also known as therians, are individuals who identify as one or more nonhuman animals, partially or entirely, on a personal level, which they call their theriotypes.^[1][2][3][4] Therians are often considered a subset of otherkin^[5][6], and the enduring experience of identifying as a nonhuman animal is commonly referred to as therianthropy.^[7]

The modern Western therian community started in 1993 on an internet forum for werewolf fiction.^[8][9] In academic writing, the topic has usually been split between two views: the one of psychiatry, which has linked such cross-species beliefs to mental illness or delusions, and the one of anthropology, which treats them as spiritual phenomena or shamanistic belief systems;^[9][10] more recently, it has also begun to be explored in terms of narrative identity and as a phenomenon to be understood holistically on its own terms rather than fitted neatly into existing categories.^{[2][11]: 43}

The word "therianthropy" originates from the Greek word theríon, which translates to "wild animal" or "beast", and anthrōpos, meaning 'human being'. It was used to refer to animal transformation folklore of Europe as early as 1901.^[12] In 1915, the Japanese publication A History of the Japanese People from the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era first used the word "therianthropy" to refer to the spiritual aspect of the transformation of humans into wild animals.^[13] In its original definition, it is defined as "combining human and animal form".^[14]

From the early 1990s, participants in online communities such as the Usenet group alt.horror.werewolves began using the word "therianthropy" as self‑description,^[8] and this community‑specific identity sense became more widespread in the early 2000s.^[15]

Therian identities are diverse and expressed in a wide variety of ways. Therians often identify as one or more animal species that exist in real life, called their theriotype; theriotypes can be extinct or extant species.^[16] While canids such as wolves, coyotes, and foxes, and felids such as panthers or housecats seem to be the most common, they have been known to include a wide range of animals nonetheless, like birds, invertebrates, other mammals, and reptiles.^[17] Those who identify with more than one animal are referred to as "polytherians".^[11] The most common species therians identify as are wolves, dogs, foxes, and felines,^[17][18] though can include any animal, such as horses, deer, other mammals, insects, aquatic life, avians, reptiles, and dinosaurs.^[17] Some identify not as a specific species, but rather a taxonomic genus or family; this experience is called "cladotherianthropy", after the word clade, and those who experience it are called "cladotherians".^[17]

Among its members, therianthropy is seen as a long-standing, internal identity that develops through a gradual process of self-discovery.^[19] This identity is typically considered involuntary and integral to the self.^{[20][21]: 23–24} Unlike clinical lycanthropy, which is linked to belief in actual physical transformation into an animal,^[22] therians consider their identity strictly non-physical.^{[1][2]: 24 [5][23]}

Therians often describe going through an "awakening" where they first discover and accept their identity.^[24][25]

Many therians experience shifts, which refer to a temporary change, commonly in behavior or mindset, that brings them closer to their identified animal.^{[21]: 15 [26]: 118–133} The most commonly discussed forms are "mental shifts", in which a therian's mindset or emotional state is experienced as moving toward that of their theriotype,^[2]: 10 and "phantom shifts", in which they feel phantom limbs such as ears, tails, wings, muzzles, or other body parts that are not physically present.^[11][27][28] However, reported shift experiences also include a wide range of other forms beyond these two.^{[11][26]: 118–133}

Shifts can occur in a range of situations, from everyday play and relaxation to moments of intense emotion such as fear or anger, and individuals differ in how frequently and intensely they experience them.^{[2]: 39–42} It is reported that mental shifts may be associated with both positive and negative emotions, including feelings of threat or anger as well as comfort or euphoria when acting in animal-like ways.^{[2]: 39–42 [11]}

Quadrobics is a form of physical excercise and an unofficial sport involving running and jumping on all four limbs.^[29][30] It is a widespread activity among younger therians, mostly those with quadrupedal theriotypes, who often incorporate animal movement imitation and other elements related to their identity into the activity.^[31][32][33]

Wearing animal-themed accessories, the most common of which being masks, tails, and gloves, is a popular form of self-expression (though collars and socks are also known to be used) among therians.^[16][20]

Therians draw a clear line between themselves and the furry fandom; while furries are interested in role-playing and dressing up as anthropomorphic cartoon animals, therians identify internally as natural animals.^[33][34] Therians also claim to have differences between themselves and otherkin: while otherkin often base their identities on fictional creatures, like dragons, elves, unicorns, and angels, therians associate themselves with earthly animals.^[35] However, therianthropy is considered by many to be a subset of the broader otherkin umbrella, with some therians having participated in, or continuing to be involved in, otherkin communities.^[5] The term "alterhuman" was coined in 2014 as an umbrella label encompassing any type of identity that constitutes an alternative to the common social ideas of humanity,^[36]: 75 under which both otherkinity and therianthropy are commonly included.^[21][28][37]

Human-animal transformation beliefs have ancient roots seen in 31,000-year-old archaeological artifacts and shamanistic traditions.^[38]

Usenet newsgroups targeted towards fans of horror and fantasy genres such as alt.horror.werewolves (AHWW) were the first places to have members identify as therians.^[26]

In a small study from 2024 of 200 alterhumans' Tumblr blogs, 49% identified as LGBTQ+, 28% struggled with mental health, and a quarter identified as neurodivergent. Religious minorities made up a very small percentage of the population, at about 2.5%, despite spiritual reasons behind the identity being slightly more common than psychological reasons (61% compared to 58.5%). These statistics are from a population who identify as a non-human animal from conviction rather than choice.^[28][39]

A survey comparing 112 therians and 265 non-therians found that therians on average scored higher on measures of autistic traits (especially social skills and communication) and on schizotypy dimensions of unusual experiences and introverted anhedonia, while not differing on cognitive disorganization.^[40] Therians were more likely to report having received a mental health diagnosis and to score above a standard cut-off for elevated autistic traits.^[40] At the same time, there were no differences between groups on self-acceptance, personal growth, or purpose in life, and therians scored higher on autonomy but lower on positive relations with others and environmental mastery.^[40] Statistical modelling indicated that being therian buffered the usual negative relationships between autistic traits or introverted anhedonia and autonomy, implying that a well-integrated therian identity can act as a protective factor for those experiencing higher levels of autistic traits and schizotypy.^[40]

In the 2024 study that was a part of a dissertation, 76.4% of participants who did not identify as human reported experiencing species dysphoria, which is consistent with rates from three previously conducted surveys (ranging from 75.1% to 82.3%).^{[21]: 47, 87}

The therian community exists mainly online, with many of its members living in the United States or Western Europe.^[8][41]

• Depersonalization – Anomaly of self-awareness
• Mysticism – Traditions of human transformation aided by religious experiences
• Narrative identity – Psychological theory
• Quadrobics – Form of physical exercise
• Xenogender – Gender identities outside of the gender binaryPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets

• Baldwin, Clive; Ripley, Lauren (2020). "Exploring Other-Than-Human Identity: A Narrative Approach to Otherkin, Therianthropes, and Vampires". Qualitative Sociology Review. 16 (3): 8–26. doi:10.18778/1733-8077.16.3.02. hdl:11089/38377. ISSN 1733-8077.
• Grivell, Timothy; Clegg, Helen; Roxburgh, Elizabeth C. (2014). "An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Identity in the Therian Community". Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research. 14 (2): 113–135. doi:10.1080/15283488.2014.891999. ISSN 1528-3488.
• Proctor, Devin (2019). On Being Non-Human: Otherkin Identification and Virtual Space (PhD thesis). The George Washington University. ISBN 978-1-392-06041-4. Retrieved 15 February 2026.

• Blom JD, Sharpless BA (July 2025). "A systematic review on clinical therianthropy and a proposal to conceptualize zoomorphism as a diagnostic spectrum". Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 174 106193. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2025.106193. ISSN 0149-7634. PMID 40350004.
• Robertson VL (January 2014). "The Law of the Jungle: Self and Community in the Online Therianthropy Movement". Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies. 14 (2). doi:10.1558/pome.v14i2.256. ISSN 1743-1735.
• Clegg H, Collings R, Roxburgh EC (August 2019). "Therianthropy: Wellbeing, Schizotypy, and Autism in Individuals Who Self-Identify as Non-Human" (PDF). Society & Animals. 27 (4): 403–426. doi:10.1163/15685306-12341540. ISSN 1063-1119.