When did you first realise you were a furry?

[Jamer825]

When and How did you first realise you were a Furry and did your life change as a result. Although I am not a furry myself I am super interested in the topic!

[Loc]

18. Went to uni, met a friend who said "I'm a furry, here is what it is" and I went "yeah... that sounds about right tbh".

Changing my life, it hasn't really. I'm on this forum, that's about it. I went to a few meets, but didn't enjoy them for multiple reasons. No interest in owning a suit, while I write and do art, they are not focussed solely around furry things. My other half Weisseman is a furry that I met through that original furry friend, but it's just a shared interest to us. He isn't hugely active in the fandom either, and we would probably still have ended up dating if one or both of us were not furs.

[Jamer825]

Yeah I can see that. So is it more of a shared hobby then a defining part of your relationship?

[Subzerus]

A year ago, I was 16. It didn't change my life per say but it made me discovered that I wasn't heterosexual by letting me meet awesome people! That did change my life quite a bit to be honest.

[Robert_Silvermyst]

I realized back in 1996 with the advent of Furcadia. That was where I first created what is now my main Fursona, Robert Silvermyst. I was 16 at the time, and even before then, i loved the art style of cartoons and games with anthro characters.

[Chipper Blu-wolf]

I think this was a question on that poll you asked.  I realized that I fit in with the fandom around 2002 when I was 18 and joined the Furry forum on ezboard (long gone).  I did not create a fursona at that time, despite really being into canines--foxes, wolves, and the like.  I stepped away from the fandom when the board got hacked and shut down, and it coincided with me finishing my degree, and that was a priority to me to finish school.  Now its 2016, and I'm back into the fandom after a long hiatus and have my own fursona--a blue wolf named Chipper.  So you can see, being furry never really affected me since I keep the fandom and real life separate; they do not mix.  People know I love being around animals, and love wolves so its always good to share those bits about me.  That's just a piece of the furry lifestyle in my opinion.

[Hissaelwen]

Kind of like a week or so ago haha
I was watching TheJackoon on Youtube, i believe it was his video about Undertale art , and he said something like "by the way if you're attracted to Toriel, Asgore or Asriel you're a furry ! You're a freaking closet furry alright ?!"
And well i won't lie Asgore is pretty handsome to me So i decided to do some more research about Furry and i realized that it had appealed to me for a while but i never really knew i could put a name on it, mainly because i never knew there was more to the furry community than fursuits

It hasn't changed my life really much but I'm a tad happier than before because of somewhat of a new found hobby

[Rocket T. Coyote]

Somewhere between ages 3 and 5, I got the desire for a full-body cartoon character suit as a result of watching HB cartoons. We're talking the early 1960s folks! Never let go of your dreams.

[Kobuk]

Probably when I was watching the old Sid & Marty Kroft kids shows during the 70's and thinking how cool it would be to grow up and wear one of those full body puppet character costumes. The Krofts had some really outlandish (But cool.) characters and tv shows. 

The other was probably liking the old Ranger Rick magazines from the 70's and maybe early 80's.

[Jamer825]

Thanks for the replies they are much appreciated!!

[Takanuva]

When I was 5-6, reading books like Dragonology (and all of it's expansions and sequels!), the Inheritance Cycle, and the How To Train Your Dragon books and movies, as they all came out as I just got more fascinated by dragons. Then over this Christmas, I found out about the furry fandom from this guy named Bryan Castillo over iFunny and Vine. He really got me interested in fursuits, webcomics, and the artwork, I remember all the Cosmic Wuffy and Telephone jokes and videos.

Then I found about webcomics, and I've been bingeing more than a few the past 8 months since, especially transformation ones like Ravenwolf, Zoophobia, Urgent Transformation Crisis or Furthia High. I tried Zebra Girl, but I didn't like the art style change. Then Zootopia came. It was almost like the Ellen Degeneres's coming out of the furry fandom, lol. Then I really got crazy involved on here and Reddit, and here I am now, trying to make a fursuit and completely obsessed with the fandom, and can comfortably say I'm a full member.

[Old Rabbit]

When I was a small child I used to imagine being
a anthro animal. A friend of those I saw in comic books.

As I grew older other interests became more important, but
I have always enjoyed stories and animations of animals over
human characters. I remember when I was around 12. Other
kids made fun of me when I mentioned liking animal character
cartoons. They called it kid stuff, like most kids they wanted to
act grown up before their time. I never was in a hurry to grow up.
I still feel like a kid at heart.

So I was happy to find the fandom when I got online. It fit my lifelong
fantasy to a tee.. I generally stay with the cute side of the fandom
with my art, I have always felt the fandom has enough adult art without
me adding to it.

[Kayle]

I was using anthro and feral characters in stories I wrote as far back as sixth grade, long before I knew what furry was.  I was mainly influenced by booms such as Watership Down and the Redwall series, cartoons such as Scooby Doo and Looney Tunes, and games such as Starfox.  (As my good friend Kindran likes to say, "Everyone's furry for Krystal.") I discovered the fandom while poking around online my junior year of high school, 2008 or 2009.  I joined several forums and sites, many of which are no longer around.  I introduced the fandom to several of my friends, and a lot of them admitted interest in the topic.  A handful of them were or are still members here, though mostly not active. 

As for it influencing my life, not too much tbh.

[Namae]

About a few months ago I happened upon the subject. Not sure exactly how, but I am into MLP too, and I found out about the furry fandom from there. I actually have heard about it before then, but it was on a game and when  I asked what it was they gave me the negative stereotypes, so I was quite weirded out at first.

After I found out a few months ago, I saw that there was more to it than that, and I became interested in it. I loved animals and liked the anthro style (especially foxes), so I knew I wanted to be one. I just joined this site last night, and this is the first furry site I have participated in.

[Iara Warriorfeather]

I started drawing furry artwork when I was about 10 years old...maybe even younger...but I had no idea about the fandom until a few years ago.

I found out about the fandom through the art website DeviantART. I became mesmerized by others' artwork and stories, and recognized a lot of my own identity in their tales. I also found out about fursuits through YouTube. I like to watch fursuiters interact with other people and dance. I also watched some furry documentaries on YouTube, which confirmed I was indeed a furry. I decided to attend a furry con a few years ago and I haven't looked back since. 

[Sadiki]

I was into making CATS the musical costumes as a kid and that eventually led to me stumbling upon a Furbid auction for a white wolf fursuit head, since I was interested in making animal costumes. I became totally obsessed with fursuits from there, and read everything I could about the fandom online. this was around 2005. I always loved animal related movies, cartoons, toys, etc. as a kid, loved Neopets, and only drew animal art, so it made sense.

I do feel it changed my life a lot. I've been through phases in the past where my interest in the fandom waned, but I think that was mostly due to worrying about what people IRL would think. now it's back full force and I don't see it stopping. it's just an important source of joy for me. I was 10 when I found the fandom and still feel in touch with that level of obsession that only a kid can feel, as well as the longing to attend conventions I felt when I was young and at the mercy of my parents. now, any opportunity to freely participate in the fandom feels really special and magical, like accomplishing a childhood dream. I'm slowly starting to get back into my childhood fursuiting passion and feel more excited about it than any of my other interests. can't help but dream of one day being able to do it as a business - who knows.

[wereaibo1]

Probably when I first heard the term. Growing up I loved all things dog. Snoopy, Pound Puppies, Fluppy Dogs, Wrinkles, anything dog related I was there. I spent a lot of time drawing dogs when I should have been doing schoolwork. I discovered Furry fandom when I got online in the late 90s and spent equal time in both the Furry and Therian communities though I've come to prefer the furry community.

[Aryot]

I became a furry late in 2008 when I got my first computer. I was searching for a Lion King background for my computer and came across, what I thought at the time was a bit weird, some anthro fan art. I was intrigued by this art style and started digging more into it. I eventually came across the word furry and then found FurNation. The first ever furry site I joined, back in January 2009.

At first it was more of a curiosity thing for me. Something I figured I would get tired of, but as I started making friends and getting deeper into the fandom i started feeling like I belonged.

As for how it affected my life, well that's a bit of a sad story. I was raised in a household with a controlling stepdad. He always had that mindset if he didn't like it we didn't have it. After about a year being in the fandom he found out and kicked me out of the house. This sent me into a bit of a spiral because I was not ready to be on my own yet, I learned real quick how to survive.

But then I meet a couple local furries, Vil and Zanth, they took me in and helped me get on my feet. Ever since then I have been very active in the community and have found a new family.

So all and all I am glad I found the fandom, the community has helped me become this great and caring person I am today.

[Varg the wanderer]

Please start a new topic!

Closed due to grave digging.