So for a long time my primary attraction has been to domestic dogs. I still love dogs a lot, for sure, and hope for a canine partner someday. I'm attracted to many different animal species and dogs have always been at the "top of my list" as most attractive both emotionally and sexually. But lately, kinda slowly over the course of six-ish months or so, deer and lions have risen to the top of the list instead of dogs. I don't mean that I'm not as attracted to dogs, but like, deer and lions are the most attractive animals on Earth to me now and it kills me that I'll probably never even get to interact with them, much less have one as a partner in the same sense I would a dog or my current partner (a cat).
For those of you who are attracted primarily to wild animals like this, how do you deal with it? It's not ruining my life or anything but it is depressing that I'll never get to try a relationship with either of those types of animals, or bond with them non-romantically, or even touch one (well, I've pet a deer, but definitely not a lioness haha). It's really caught me off guard having this both physical and emotional longing for these species that I won't get to have that with. Yeah I'd like to volunteer at wildlife sanctuaries/etc someday and work with them and help them, but I still won't ever get the chance for the type of relationship I need, you know? I thought it would kinda die down after a while but it's just this really intense emotional longing for those species that I know won't be fulfilled. It sucks, dude. Does anyone else deal with this?
And no, I'm not interested in keeping either of these species in captivity as a pet. I don't support pet big cats myself and deer are illegal in my state, and the deer I'm most attracted to are elk anyway which aren't suited to captivity either.
If you really want to know more on why you´re fantasizing about those wild animals, you have to dig a bit in your own perception of these animals. You have to understand that there´s a huge difference between your mental image of an animal and the real animal. Just ask yourself what is it that attracts you the most in these animals. Is it because they´re "wild"? Because they are promising "wild, animalistic" sex? Or is it because you project yourself as that "delicate, innocent deer", that "powerful king of the jungle", et al.? Or is it out of some kind of "boredom" with the more "usual" dog and horse sex thing and now you´re begging for another, stronger "drug" for your imagination? Why deer and lions? Disney´s fault because of "Bambi" and "the Lion King"? Note that this whole furry-therian-anthropomorph thing is a quite "fresh" idea that needed the post-war cartoons to flourish. I´ve never ran across a 18th century "furry", for example. May I repeat Hannibal Lecter´s immortal words once again? "We desire what we see".
I think that your recent "shift" towards other species could also originate from the lack of satisfaction. Living with a cat might not be the most "rewarding" relationship, especially not when you identify as a dog zoo. Sexual "energy" constantly builds up within you and if it isn´t released every once in a while in a satisfactory way , things will definitely become more "complicated". Please note that I´m not hinting at sole and simple "unloading", not at genital actions alone, but at some form of imtimacy that will totally satisfy you as an act of love. If that "love energy" isn´t released, this energy will try to find release elsewhere. You may take a quick look at Wilhelm Reich and his diagrams in which he stated that "healthy", but unreleased sexual energy will inevitably transform into what Reich calls "perversion". Over the years, I found Reich´s theory to be true very often and believe the same mechanism of " being unsatisfied leads to the redirection of sexual energy towards stronger sexual stimuli" may apply to you, too.
Just my thoughts, no offense intended...start exploring yourself, it´s fun, I promise. And as a collateral benefit, you also learn more about yourself, the nature of your desires and how the human mind works in general. Hint: Humans don´t live in the REAL world, they usually prefer their self constucted world of ideas.
Have fun and don´t mind your unfulfillable desires. Although I wanted to own a Ferrari forever, I´ve made my peace of mind with the fact this won´t ever happen in my lifetime. Or, as Marilyn Manson has put it: "When all your wishes are granted, many of your dreams will be destroyed." I drive a Lamborghini, though...well, a Lamborghini tractor...still good enough for me, I guess...;)
I do want to clarify I read and research about these animals (and animals in general) and have for a few years now, nonfiction books about their behavior. Lots of BBC and NatGeo documentaries as well. Last Christmas I actually got three different nonfiction books on deer ha. I always make sure to stay practical and keep my perceptions of animals realistic.
Eh, I'm not sure I so much "identify as a dog zoo" either, honestly I'm attracted to more species than I'm NOT attracted to. My current partner is romantic only; I'm not sexually interested in housecats and she's not interested either. I guess what just took me by surprise is the emotional longing for these animals, not so much the sexual side of it. Lionesses are the most physically attractive animals in my opinion, and I've always thought that, but until now it's never been a pressing issue that I'll never be able to have a relationship with one. If that makes sense. I can understand where the sexual side is coming from (doesn't make it suck less, though) but the emotional/romantic aspect was a surprise.
that's how i got through it! i even bought deer urine at one point
Not 18th-century, but there's some pretty convincing evidence that Winston Churchill was a sort of proto-furry. Details at:
http://www.adjectivespecies.com/2012/12/28/blood-toil-tears-and-fur/
And Hitler too, apparently.
He signed "Adolf" in a manner to make the "Ad" look like a "W" and adopted the surname "Herr Wolf" (Sir Wolf) for himself during his years as a spy for the Reichswehr. He was obsessed with wolves to such an extent that, when he came to power, pushed for harsher laws protecting animal welfare and especially that of wolves, despite not being any wolves on German territory at that time.
He was also notoriously infatuated with his German Shepherds. His first one aptly christened "Wolf."
He was a big fan of Disney and even allegedly even drew fanart of some of the characters. He was a (failed) artist at heart after all. lol
Here is Eva Braun posing with a proto-furry, circa 1935...
Hmm, sounds interesting. Do you mind elaborating on that? Also, what do you mean by "exploring oneself"?
I don't really see any problem with people admiring traits of wild animals. They were doing it far before Disney. Non-morphic "furries" have been around at least since Aesop's Fables, which I believe are a couple thousand years old, and "therians" in the concept of spiritually bonded human/nonhuman pairs have circulated around tribal cultures worldwide since probably that point if not sooner.
Well, that´s not historically accurate. It´s true, there were "therians" before, but you have to take a closer look here. All the shamanistic practices, the voodoo "loa riding", the "spirit animal journey" of the Shamans, etc....all of that had a religious/spiritual background. The common guy only takes part in such rituals once to app. 4 times a year and the rest of the time, he "stays" a human. The concept of being an "animal in a human body" 24/7 (furrydom,therianism) is new, it lacks any ritualistic restrictions and is more of a charade, a play rather than honest and genuine belief. Most of the so called "humanimals" don´t show any sign of advanced communication with quadrupeds, not even with "their" species. One should think that being an "animal in a human´s body" would make it easier for the "therian" to communicate with "their" species....
Please don´t confuse Aesop for "furrydom"....yes, Aesop used animals as characters, but only to depict human vices and virtues that are usually connected to the specific species. The perspective stays human. Same with, e.g., Egyptian gods. Take a look at Horus, for example: Horus, being the god of knowledge and wisdom, is depicted with a falcon´s head. The falcon has tremenduous eyesight and can "see through things"...like a wise person. Falcon = great sight = wisdom/knowledge..Horus with a falcon´s head...
Don´t mistake symbolism for furrydom/therianism. Tribal cultures would totally kill any furry as this modern "fandom" is a bona fide insult for anyone believing in "primitive" natural spiritualism. Those two have nothing in common.
Fables from an old Greek playwright, tribal shamanistic culture, voodoo rituals invoking "loá" , all of that is absolutely incompatible to furrydom and anthro/therian stuff. True, the idea of animal-human hybrids can be traced back far in human culture, but you shouldn´t forget to include the "zeitgeist" of the past into your considerations.
Please learn to differentiate between "the animal" (what that animal really IS) and human perception of an animal (what a human sees in the animal). The noble wolf, the powerful horse, the faithful dog, the individualistic cat....see? All these animals are "just" wolves, horses, dogs and cats. Nothing else. This symbolism is what furrydom is based on...and on the urge to flee from boring lives by creating another persona with a more "exciting" life that is relevant to more than just themselves. The furries "play" animals as little kids play a tiger, for example.
One outstanding "feature" of furrydom and therianism is that you never lose control over your "fursona". You can "switch it off" as you like...or when an outsider enters the scene...boy,oh, boy...how quick all those "humanimals" disappear...and that´s the complete opposite to a genuine spirit animal journey. You NEVER have control , you cannot influence what species chooses you, you cannot bail out cheap ´cause you become exhausted....if you really invoke the "inner animal", this will always and inevitably include danger and loss of control. You will remain in your animal state, regardless of "outsider" company around you, struggling to subdue your impulses just enough to avoid public attention. It´s uncomfortable, deep, mind moving, sometimes frightening...and nothing you rejoyce in by doing it with your "furry" or "therian" friends.
Anyway: Please don´t simplify. The "playful" attitude of furrydom and therianism is "new" and heavily influenced by cartoons with anthro characters and movies with "shapeshifters" and other anthro chars. "We demand what we see."
Since you bring up oversimplifying, terms like furry and therian are sweeping and subjective. Both encompass individuals who take their identity/spirituality/interests 1) not seriously at all, 2) pretty seriously, or 3) way too seriously, to the exclusion of common sense or reality. For some it's a hobby, for others a social group, for others a religion, for still others a source of porn, the list goes on.
So sure, not all furry fans are animals 24/7.
By the way, even among therians, you will find a big crowd that looks down on some other part of the crowd as posers who don't deserve the title. Sort of like how zoophiles are on reddit, I've noticed.
But it seems to me rather than discussing WHY someone is attracted to wild animals, is to accept their self-determined feeling they are, after a brief confirmation, and then to move on to addressing how it should be handled.
You know my story, or I think you do.
I like deer in particular because that's what I first met, I suppose. It's hard to shake a first crush in some ways... heh. Willow was... gentle. She was kind. She was very forgiving as I figured her out. And this was because of one thing and one thing alone:
She was happy, and honestly, the one in charge in the relationship. She didn't depend on me (though treats were certainly not frowned upon), she could get her own food, had ample roaming space, etc. I was honestly, a young teen and had it less figured out than her.
She guided me, and that's why I am attracted to deer, most likely.
I'm content that this will likely never be an attraction that will fullfill itself again.
Why?
I can't keep a deer in captivity... at least, not happily. Not like she was. It's a mirage. An image of something most certainly real and beautiful, but utterly impossible for me to attain in my own home.
Some people can do it. Some people can keep a deer happy and well kept in captivity. I even knew a guy who did this, a zoo even. But that's not me. I have suffered to the point where I could never even care for the land required, let alone the exotic needs of the animal (they require special fencing, special knowledge, a specific diet, a lot really).
My thing was for whitetails, but I can certainly relate to your struggle with being attracted to something you cannot have. I've dealt with it for some time.
My struggle is a bit deeper in that I don't know if I'll ever honestly get to mate with any creature ever, due to my own emotional mountain I need to circumvent. But I can make a few recomendations on what I've thought I would do if I ever got "good enough" to get out on my own:
Get goats. There are few restrictions on animals like that, and they are very similar to deer actually. They are a blast to be around too, in their own right. Sheep are also an interesting choice. The cloven-hooved world is not limited to deer, if that's your thing.
If that's not enough, then you just have to recognize, we don't get everything we want out of life. You have to make some compromises. Maybe a dog is your compromise. I can't say. You just need to figure out what works for you and "love the one your with" as the song goes... heh. ;)
Peace,
-Rannoch
I LOVE goats, it's been one of my goals to get them someday when I have my own property for a long time. How would you say they're similar to deer? I do prefer male animals though and I've heard buck goats... aren't the most pleasant to keep around, lol. I do like hair sheep, don't know as much about sheep care as I do goats though. Maybe I'll read up on ram care and see if it's more reasonable to keep rams than buck goats.
Yeah, I do love whitetails as well (any deer really) but I don't think I could keep one in captivity even if I wanted to and it was legal here. They seem to have a lot of very specific needs that I don't know if I could fulfill to keep them happy.
Not being an owner, I can't really answer a lot of your questions at this point. My similarity comment was merely based on bodytype/relative size and form. Behaviorally from what I have seen, goats are much more "adventurous" than deer in all their behaviors... and this can be both a good and bad thing.
Well, I don't really have a problem since I only love canids, so dogs can fill my heart like other canids can.
I mean, I'd love to have a wolf or fox, but like I said, dogs are enough for me.
While you're not in the exact same situation as me, I still recommend just to focus on dogs if you're more attracted to them than deer and lions.
You can distract yourself by getting a dog.
It'll fill your heart and I'm sure you'd be less bothered by it.
Interacting with them may help.
It may not be a relationship, but it still feels like an accomplishment.
I mean, I've touched foxes and wolves so I know what it's like.
There's always a way to come in contact with almost every animal.
I know how you feel. Maybe in the future science can create lions and tigers that look like lions and tigers but have the disposition of house cats.
i want to say more here, but the hour is quite late. feel free to send me a PM. if i haven't made it obvious in my post history anywhere, bears are my main attraction, though i love dogs enough to be happy with them, though something always seems to be missing. the longing for something other just won't leave me, though i am definitely happy in my current situation.
When I lived in the mountains for like a month my uncle would joke about a bear grabbing me through the window and eating me, but as time went on I began to fantasize about mama bear grabbing me out the window and showing me a good time,to bad 🙅 reality is a bitch and wild animals don't pray on us in that way....i forgot the point of me writing this 😌 be safe and don't do something stupid.
I'm also into big cats (but more of the spotted kind), and it's hard to deal with it. There isn't much you can do other than fantasize. Drawing or writing some of your fantasies might help; it sort of did for me.
I also like to watch some vlogs from people how work with big cats (since I can't really do so myself), it gives you a better idea of how they behave in real life, albeit in captivity. It's often weekly content, so you can follow the lives of the animals.
i'm attracted to deer as well, and ive delt with it by well... getting a deer. its work, alot of hard work and its risky as hell, but he's (clyde, the deer) happy and i guess im happy too :). Legally, deer agriculture is booming, and you should be able to get a deer farming license in your state. But do your research, and dont just jump into it.
(another deer, if your stupid enough to go the illegal route, know that if they catch you with the deer and lose the legal battle, it will almost certainly be killed)
How do you manage with a house cat? Seems difficult to get around the size issue. myself, i'm in love with 2 girls, and it's kinda disappointing that the extent of it can only be romantic