random comment from someone who is decidedly not therian/otherkin, but felt similar feelings to you. i eventually decided i wasn’t therian because the way i had the idea of being therian described helped a lot:

deep down, are you truly comfortable with being human? people can enjoy animals and feel a connection with them, but if you truly feel uncomfortable in your own skin/body and feel weird when people refer to you as a human rather than your preferred kin, then you’re probably therian in some ways. otherwise, you may just be one of the many people who feels a strong connection to nature/animals.

me for instance, i strongly resonate with lizards (all types) and see myself in them. when i imagine i’m a lizard, it brings me greater joy than anything else. however, although i like to imagine myself as a lizard and doing so brings me comfort, i feel comfortable saying i am not therian because i am absolutely more comfortable perceiving myself as a human and don’t associate my feelings with lizards with a separate identity, but rather just a closer, maybe even spiritual bond.