What Can Feral Children Teach Us About Therians?

Have you ever considered how, despite all the rules and social expectations, our wild, animalistic side could still thrive? There's a part of us that society tries to cover up with things like manners, school, and responsibilities. Could we be more like animals than we think? I recently read an article about feral children—kids raised by animals—and I believe their stories completely blur the lines between human and animal.

What Are Feral Children? 🐾

Feral children are kids who, for whatever reason, grew up without human contact and instead lived with animals. These children often take on the behavior of the animals they live with, like walking on all fours, growling instead of talking, and even hunting for food the way their "adoptive" animals do. It’s like their human traits were hidden beneath layers of social conditioning, and when society wasn’t there to guide them, their animal side came out naturally.

One of the most famous stories is Peter the Wild Boy, found in 1725 in Germany. Peter lived in the forests for so long that when he was discovered, he couldn’t speak and acted more like a wild animal than a human. He was taken to England and became somewhat of a celebrity, but he never learned to fully behave like a “normal” person. He was a living example of what humans might be like without society's influence​.

Wild Histories: Feral Children Across Time

Peter’s story isn’t the only one. In Poland during the 1600s, there were stories of children being raised by bears, and in India in the 1920s, two girls named Kamala and Amala were found living with wolves. These girls walked on all fours and howled at the moon, just like wolves. Attempts to “civilize” them often failed because they were already so deeply connected to their animal sides.

These cases show us that when children grow up with animals, they adapt to their environment. But it also makes me wonder, if we all have these wild instincts, are they just hiding under the surface, waiting for a chance to show themselves?

Are We All Just Animals in Disguise? 🐺

So, let’s get real for a sec. Have you ever felt like you’re being pulled in two directions? Like part of you wants to follow all the social rules—be polite, dress a certain way, act “normal”—but then there’s this other part that just wants to run free? That’s the wild part of you, the animalistic instincts we’re all born with but suppress because society tells us to.

Look at how animals live. They don’t worry about social status or fitting in; they just are. They listen to their instincts, and I think we still have those same instincts deep down. When I hear about kids like Peter, Kamala, and Amala, it feels like they’re living the life we’ve been taught to forget.

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Finding My Own Wild Side

For me, this idea hits hard because my therian identity is more than just a fascination with felines; it’s like a part of me that isn’t entirely human. Sometimes I just feel more in tune with nature, more wild, like I’m part of something bigger than society’s rules. And the stories of feral children make me wonder: are we all born with this wildness, only to have it covered up by human expectations?

The stories of feral children show us that, when left to their own devices, humans can adapt to the wild in ways we don’t often think about. Sure, most of us aren’t going to be raised by wolves, but maybe the instincts we suppress in our everyday lives—the ones that make us feel alive, free, and wild—are the same ones that keep us connected to the natural world.

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