what it means to be a furry O3o

[xXAngel of ProtectionXx]

Im brought this topic back up because I think its really interesting.

Me? Idk...Foxes are what brought me to become a furry, well...actually krystal did, but thats not important. Years before I became a furry, I always had an interest in foxes. But my interest wasnt about them looking cool or anything...no...When I looked at a fox, Id see more. Like a person within the animal. maybe its because I share similar personality traits with foxes. I like to trick people, Im sneaky, etc.
but IDK, maybe they're right, maybe its just the desire to change ourselves, or like Omaru said, "Or perhaps, like some religions believe, we reincarnate, and in our previous life(s) we were a animal... " or maybe its neither, maybe we're furries because we can see past the physical form of anthros and see more. see what others cant.  

[SilentFox21993]

It`s kind of something you know deep in your heart. Like me, for instance. Ask anyone I know, and they will tell you I love foxes more than anything. I have a deep connection with them, relate well with them, and would love nothing more than to be one. Alas, in my heart I know I am not one. Some people think, "It`s your choice, be a fox if you want to be a fox," but for me, and I know for some of you, it isn`t a choice. I was born a border collie, and no amount of desire is going to change that. Heck, I`m proud to belong to such a beautiful breed of dog!  

[Captain Lezak]

Everyone likes anthropomorphic animals. They've been shoved down our throats from an early age! People who grow up and still have a strong interest in anthro aren't furries yet. They're people who specialize in anthropomorphic animals, but they'll tell you they hate furry. (go figure) It's when you come into the community that you're a furry. Being a furry is like being a citizen/family member.  

[Alrenn]

Captain Lezak

Everyone likes anthropomorphic animals. They've been shoved down our throats from an early age! People who grow up and still have a strong interest in anthro aren't furries yet. They're people who specialize in anthropomorphic animals, but they'll tell you they hate furry. (go figure) It's when you come into the community that you're a furry. Being a furry is like being a citizen/family member.

I like this answer. Many people feel that being furry is a spiritual thing, but for lots of other people it's also or instead about art, community, or just an interest in anthropomorphic animals or just plain animals. I drew anthro art for years (StarFox games started it, I admit. xd ) and even had a furry scifi comic going for a while, but denied for a long time that I was a fur. It's only now that I'm getting involved in the community that I would make that distinction about myself.  

[Aakosir]

SilentFox21993

It`s kind of something you know deep in your heart. Like me, for instance. Ask anyone I know, and they will tell you I love foxes more than anything. I have a deep connection with them, relate well with them, and would love nothing more than to be one. Alas, in my heart I know I am not one. Some people think, "It`s your choice, be a fox if you want to be a fox," but for me, and I know for some of you, it isn`t a choice. I was born a border collie, and no amount of desire is going to change that. Heck, I`m proud to belong to such a beautiful breed of dog!

Sounds like you're a furian also. But furians do not change their "totem" animal. I have been a snow leopard and always will be. There is no doubt to me.  

[thunderfree]

I grew up playing games with my siblings, pretending to be different animals and researching them to better imitate them. I got out of that for a while (teen angst. Yay. razz ) then found a new love for them later on, log after they had gotten past it, following my example (ironically). Furry for me is a love for animals and being with animals, and having a fascination with how like they are to us as humans. God created humans as animals (I admit spiritual ones too), so we are very similar.
I also use animals in my routine to get myself set on a task: heavy lifting and I'm a bear; running and I'm a wolf; climbing and I'm a cat; jumping and I'm a bird; scavenging and normally, I'm a raccoon, my fursona. I've found that thinking of animals doing what I'm doing helps me improve with the task at hand.
The art also strikes a chord with me simply because one can communicate so much with animals or anthro that sometimes can't be done with humans--simple subtleties, you know? They also remind me of old stories and cartoons I adored when I was a kid.  

[Takashi_The_Dragon]

I'm a furry because I have a love for animals (granted the fact that i still kill and eat wild ones) i would put my life down to protect my dogs because i love them and they have already saved me a couple of times.  

[thunderfree]

(Oh! And I often make animal noises like wolf howls, raccoon hissing, or cat meows when that would work best to communicate what I mean then.)