nonfur

Nonfur is an informal term used primarily in online discussions to refer to people who are not part of the furry fandom or who do not identify as furry. It is not an official designation and has no formal criteria.

Origin and usage: The word combines the prefix non- with fur to indicate absence of furry affiliation. It appears in discussions about fandom boundaries, social spaces, and media aimed at audiences outside the furry subculture. In some contexts, nonfur is used self-referentially by individuals who want to clarify they are not involved in furry activities.

Relationship to furry culture: Within furry communities, nonfurs are contrasted with furries—participants who create, share, or enjoy anthropomorphic art and media. Some nonfurs engage with furry content incidentally, while others remain uninterested or disengaged from the subculture.

Reception and controversies: The term can be helpful for explaining audience segmentation, but can also function as gatekeeping or stigmatizing if used to imply outsiders are unwelcome. Many communities encourage respectful language and clear self-identification to avoid mislabeling people.

See also: Furry fandom; Identity labels in online communities.