Our Communities
Theri.App is home to everyone who loves animals, and some of its members belong to communities with their own history and culture. Learn about them here.
Therians
Therians feel a deep, personal identification with a non-human animal, known as their theriotype. Therianthropy has its own history, terms and practices, from shifts to quadrobics.
What is therianthropy? →Furries
Furries are fans of anthropomorphic animals: animal characters that walk, talk and have human traits. Many create a fursona, an animal character of their own, with its own art and personality.
Therians vs furries →Otherpaws
Otherpaws feel a strong bond with an animal or enjoy animal-like expression (tails, masks, gear) without identifying as one. Many therians and furries are otherpaws too.
See the glossary →Understanding Therianthropy
Therianthropy — from the Greek θηρίον (therion, "beast") and ἄνθρωπος (anthropos, "human") — is a deep, intrinsic identification with a non-human animal. People who experience therianthropy, known as therians, feel a profound psychological and spiritual connection to their animal identity, called a theriotype.
The concept of human-animal connection spans millennia of human culture, from ancient Egyptian animal-headed deities and Native American spirit animals to Norse berserkers and Japanese kitsune folklore. The modern therian community emerged in the mid-1990s on early internet forums, making it one of the oldest identity-based communities on the internet.
Academic researchers, including anthropologists and psychologists, have studied therianthropy as a form of non-human identity. Studies characterize it as a stable, deeply felt identification — distinct from clinical conditions — with therians reporting consistent animal identities over many years.
Frequently asked questions
What is therianthropy?
Therianthropy is a deep, personal identification with a non-human animal. Derived from the Greek words θηρίον (therion, "beast") and ἄνθρωπος (anthropos, "human"), it describes individuals who feel an intrinsic psychological and spiritual connection to an animal species, known as their theriotype. It is recognized by researchers as a stable form of alternative identity, distinct from clinical conditions.
What is a theriotype?
A theriotype is the specific animal that a therian identifies with on a deep, personal level. It is not a chosen identity but rather a discovered one — therians often describe recognizing their theriotype through introspection, dreams, and instinctual behaviors. Theri.App catalogs 100 distinct theriotypes, from common animals like wolves and foxes to mythical creatures like dragons and phoenixes.
How do I find my theriotype?
Many therians discover their theriotype through self-reflection, meditation, and paying attention to which animals resonate with them on an instinctual level. Theri.App offers a free personality quiz based on four core personality dimensions — Passion, Loyalty, Adaptability, and Curiosity — that maps your traits to one of 100 animal theriotypes through a branching decision tree.
Is Theri.App for furries too?
Yes. Theri.App is for everyone who loves animals, and therians, furries and otherpaws have their own packs here. If you already have a fursona, you can pick your species directly (including fandom favorites like protogens, sergals, kitsunes and Dutch Angel Dragons) instead of taking the quiz, and set your sona art as your avatar. The app is strictly safe-for-work and moderated, with separate spaces for ages 13-17 and 18+.
What is the difference between a fursona and a theriotype?
A fursona is an animal character a furry creates for themselves: species, name, art and personality are chosen and can change. A theriotype is the animal a therian identifies as on a deep, involuntary level: it is discovered through introspection rather than designed. Theri.App supports both: take the quiz or pick your species directly.