Shetani

Hello, I'm Shetani the king cheetah! I've been actively participating in the furry scene since 2012, and fursuiting since 2014.My character reference is here.
This is what my fursuit looks like.If you take photos or video of me at an event, please tag me on social media (see Links), or send to me directly via the contact buttons at the bottom of this page.

Upcoming AppearancesVR Japan Meeting of Furries
January 10-12, 2025
🌐 OnlineLittle Island Furcon Online
January 18, 2025
🌐 Online

I became actively involved with the furry community in 2012, though I had been following it for quite a few years prior. A new friend and my partner finally convinced me to give in and make a fursona, and thus Shetani was created!

Shetani is a no-nonsense, nerdy, yet passionate cheetah with a flair for the gothic. She enjoys tea, video games, cats, and her hobbies.
Click the Fursona tab to learn more about Shetani!

When it came time to create myself a fursona, there was little question as to which species I'd use to represent myself in our community. The cheetah has been my favorite animal since my youth. I was always fascinated by how unconventional cheetahs are compared to the other big cats. I decided on the king cheetah variant to introduce some individuality to Shetani's design without using unnatural colors or markings.
In an inversion of the typical story you hear from furries, I initially didn't feel connected to cheetahs on more than a superficial level. As I matured and progressed through life, I found myself more strongly relating to many of the cheetah's defining aspects, most notably how they endure a great deal of hardship and injustice yet continue to persevere.

Shetani in one of her favorite pastimes. Art by Galvanity

Even before becoming a furry, I had a passion for cosplaying and attending fan conventions. It took less than a year for me to decide I wanted to try fursuiting, too.
My fursuit was custom-made by MagpieBones in 2014. It is a use-your-own-eyes (UYOE) style fursuit that, as the name suggests, utilizes the wearer's actual eyes instead of fake eyes or mesh view ports. This gives me unparalleled field of vision and ventilation while allowing me to wear my prescription eyeglasses.

Me applying makeup around my eyes in preparation for a fursuit outing.

While many UYOE fursuiters exist, a special feature of my personal fursuit is that it also uses my own hair.
Click the Gallery tab to browse through a few of my more memorable fursuit looks.
To learn more about how my fursuit works and why I chose this style, check out this video.
I share a fursuit picture every week on my Mastodon, Twitter, and Instagram accounts as part of the #FursuitFriday community hashtag trend.

A couple of the many hairstyles I have sported thanks to my specialized fursuit

My YouTube channel features lots of videos, including convention highlights, fursuit unboxings, and interviews. Launched in 2018, my ongoing series Cheetah Chat with Shetani covers underrepresented topics of interest pertaining to the furry community.

After the pandemic hit in 2020, I started hosting lecture panels at online conventions to share my knowledge and experience with furries at large. These are recorded and archived on my YouTube channel for all to access.

Most recently, I've begun streaming video games in fursuit, to bring us a little closer together in these isolated times.

When there isn't a deadly illness sweeping the globe, I try to attend one furry convention every year, and as many other cons as time and budget allows. Photos from my con trips can be found on my Weasyl. If you see me at a con, don’t be afraid to say hi - I need to make more furry friends! Please please please tag or send me any photos of me that you take, so I can remember the memories we shared!I'm slowly and painstakingly moving my convention reports over onto this homepage. You can find them in the Writing tab, along with a few personal essays and other word-smithery.I am a staff member at Furry Weekly, an online magazine for - you guessed it - the furry community. My current roles include Convention Calendar segment writer, archivist, and social media ad producer.

ID card by KimsRetroShirt

I am most active on the Fediverse, Twitter, and Instagram, and use Weasyl for art, personal suit photos, and general community networking.See my Links page for more!

You can read Shetani's backstory here.
Looking to draw her? Check out her ref page.
Click here to see even more art!

Art by Lynxurious || Art by AlwaysRedArt

Shetani is a king cheetah who lives with her partner, a rat named Mika, and their pet kitten. The lot of the cheetah is to endure despite the many hardships life throws at them, and Shetani is no exception to this. Her kind heart and dependability are not to be mistaken for weakness; years of stress have left her with a low tolerance for nonsense, and she becomes downright fierce when the situation warrants.
Though she has many casual acquaintances, there are but a handful of close friends she trusts deeply enough to be her true self around. Once one gets to know Shetani better, her initial demure and polite demeanor gives way to reveal a quick wit and unexpectedly sarcastic sense of humor. At a gathering, she's most likely to be found perusing the host's reading material, gushing over any pets present, or hovering near the refreshments providing a muttered dry commentary on the other guests to her plus-one.

Art by jameslikesegg || Art by AlwaysRedArt

Shetani finds that the "nerdy" label fits her quite comfortably. Her hobbies include reading, cosplaying, playing video games, listening to My Chemical Romance, maintaining her myriad of collections, and caring for animals - she particularly loves cats! Much of her day is spent managing a cat cafe, renowned in the community for its exotic teas and baked goods freshly made by Shetani herself. After adoption hours, the non-cat areas of the cafe are used as a community space to host LGBTQ+ events and resources, including a free library, social mixers, and live music. Nothing helps Shetani wind down after a long day at work like some games or internet time and a nice hot cup of tea, followed by a bath bomb in the tub.

Art by birdlittle || Art by Canideo

In her day-to-day, Shetani's fashion sense is all about comfort and self-expression with a flair for the gothic. She practically lives in band tees or hoodies and leggings - her wardrobe has a legging color or pattern to match each of her many vintage My Chemical Romance tops.
Summertime sees Shetani switch to cutoff shorts, with or without tights, along with her favorite graphic tees. She's extremely proud of her long wavy hair, and will dye it bright colors for extra flair. In winter, she loves cuddling up in an oversized knit sweater and thigh-high paw-socks (bottoms optional if she's staying at home).
Because of her non-retractile cheetah claws, she doesn't wear shoes unless they're modified to accommodate - cosplay being the only exception.
She relishes sporting goth attire for a night on the town, and with her naturally black lips and claws, she just needs to throw on some eyeshadow to accentuate something like a black bell-sleeve top, corset, and velvet pants with open-toed paw boots.
Shetani sleeps in matching pajama sets or a nightgown, and wears a one-piece bathing suit for swimming.

Art by Jon Timmons || Art by ArtOfGrimmuzA

Torn piece of a family portrait. Art by Airena14.

Shetani is the only child of a cheetah father and a domestic cat mother. Her father, a spiritual man, was overjoyed upon seeing his daughter's blotchy fur. According to beliefs, the king cheetah fur pattern was a trait that had been passed down among the females of his family, and indicated that their family's lineage could be traced back to the First Cheetah herself. The splotchy-spotted and striped coat appeared only once a generation and heralded extrasensory powers in its bearer, including prophetic dreams.

A young Shetani lost in her favorite book. Art by Skelisteri.

Little Shetani was a shy cub, but very intelligent with a thirst for knowledge. When she was about six years old, her father received news from back home that one of his sisters had given birth to a king-patterned daughter. This came as quite a shock for Shetani's father, who urged his young cub to try and "fulfill her potential," but it quickly became apparent that this cousin of Shetani's had received the blessing, and Shetani herself carried nothing more than a distinctly patterned coat. Instead, she threw herself headlong into her studies in an attempt to please her father, and while there was no resentment between them, Shetani always felt that he was disappointed in her for not living up to his expectations.

Shetani studying. Art by Seasaidh.

Aside from that, Shetani's youth was happy and uneventful. She flourished academically - always coming in top of her class - and though not "popular" in the traditional sense, she had a close-knit group of friends about her and was never treated unfairly by her peers. When not studying, she took pleasure in reading and learning more about nature and animals. As a teenager, she got into the occasional spat with her mother, but kept her grades up and stayed out of trouble (preferring to listen to music or play video games than go out on the town).

Shetani, Mika, and their kitten. Art by Rowan00.

Having graduated high school, Shetani pursued higher education with her sights set on the field of zoology, and those who knew her had nothing but the highest expectations. However, her plans ground to a halt when her mother fell seriously ill. A devastated Shetani dropped out of school and returned home to help her father care for her ailing mother. She took a receptionist job at a reproductive health clinic to help with the bills, where she met her partner, a rat named Mika. Shetani reconnected with her hometown friends, who introduced her to the world of fandoms and cosplaying. Escaping into the fantasy worlds she loved and attending conventions with her friends and partner helped Shetani cope with the stress of her home life.

Sampling the cafe's menu during downtime. Art by Poodlewool.

After Shetani's mother passed away, her father returned to his home country to be with his family. Shetani moved with Mika into a place of their own, with a pet kitten making three. After some time, she decided to open a cat cafe. The establishment built a name for itself among feline aficionados, and the exotic teas and baked goods freshly made by Shetani herself attracted regular cafe-goers as well. At the behest of her regulars, Shetani expanded the warm and cozy establishment by adding shelves of books in the cafe section for patrons to borrow, bring home, and donate at their leisure, and the cafe also began hosting community-focused events, including punk nights every Friday and an LGBTQ+ social on the weekends. Mika helps out at the cafe too, washing dishes and cleaning up after their two- and four-legged clientele alike. Eschewing any lofty aspirations, Shetani is fulfilled and content with a life that allows her to pursue her hobbies and be with the people she cares about - as long as she gets a little vacation now and then!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How did you find the furry community?
A: I've loved animals since I was a child, so it was a natural progression from there. Growing up, I was enamored with films, cartoons, and literature that featured animal characters. In the early days of the internet, I discovered fanart of The Lion King on personal webpages and DeviantArt, and from there I came across anthropomorphics. I learned quickly that furries were mocked and looked down upon by the majority of the internet, and later, the world at large. While I still consumed art and kept up-to-date with the community, I did so in secret and took great pains to never label or associate myself with furries. It wasn't until a heartfelt conversation with a new friend decades later that I realized being a furry wasn't anything to be ashamed of. I started dating another furry around that time, who convinced me to finally bring Shetani to life.
In ▶️Cheetah Chat #2, I further discuss my discovery of the fandom and what it means to be a furry.Q: Your fursona is so neat! How did you come up with her?
A: She's really just myself as my favorite animal! I've loved cheetahs since I was young, and as an adult, I find myself relating a lot to them. I chose a king cheetah in particular because Shetani doesn't have any unnatural markings or coloring, and I wanted her to stand out a bit more. Her physical appearance, personality, interests, and wardrobe are all reflections of myself, so compliments and positive comments are twice as meaningful to me! Her name was meant as an obscure reference to something unrelated, but I take pride in how I've redefined it as something uniquely my own.
I talk more about the thought behind Shetani's design in ▶️Cheetah Chat #1.Q: Why do you like cheetahs so much? / Why did you pick a cheetah?
A: As I mentioned, cheetahs have been my favorite animal since childhood. Out of all the big cats, I was drawn to cheetahs in particular because of their uniqueness. They are the only big cats with non-retractile claws, can purr but not roar, are in a genus all their own, etc. In an inversion of the typical story you hear from furries, I initially didn't feel connected to cheetahs on more than a surface level. As I matured and progressed through life, I found myself heavily relating to many of their defining aspects, most notably how they endure a great deal of hardship and injustice yet continue to persevere. You should message me sometime so I can talk your ear off about it! :3Q: Do you roleplay?
A: I do RP, but I charge for my time, the same way artists charge money when drawing a picture for somebody else. Drop me a line if you're interested in paying for a RP session!Q: Who made your fursuit?
A: My fursuit was made by the lovely MagpieBones.
As of 2023, auxiliary parts by The Forgotten Imp and Gnoll Patrol are used in some of my photography.Q: Why doesn't your fursuit have eyes?
A: It does - they are my own eyes. :) MagpieBones's fursuits are intended to be blended with the wearer's actual eyes using makeup to create a realistic effect. Her mission statement is to create living, breathing characters you can interact with like a person, as opposed to static mascot-like costumes.Q: Is that a wig or your real hair coming out of the suit head?
A: By request, my fursuit uses my own hair in addition to my own eyes. Its color and length may vary depending on what I decide to do with it, but it's always my actual hair. This can be troublesome sometimes (I envy fursuiters who can just put their heads on and off at a moment's notice!), but having a fursuit that "auto-updates" when I change my look is pretty dang cool.Q: What made you choose this style of fursuit?
A: My primary reasons for choosing MagpieBones as my fursuit maker were realism, aesthetic, and practicality.
I consider my eyes, my hair, and my glasses to be my best features, so I gave those physical attributes to my fursona - and they would need to be represented in a fursuit of her. Hiding my glasses and hair under a fursuit head and attaching false versions of both would be redundant, not to mention unsightly and high-maintenance. I had dealt with concealing my hair under wigs for years when I cosplayed, and it's an uncomfortable, cumbersome process that I didn't want to go through again. Fursuiting is strenuous enough as is, let alone adding elements that would be more physically taxing. I also didn't care for the unnatural "bobblehead" look of partials where the head is made larger to fit glasses underneath.
After a ton of research, I decided on MagpieBones for her specialized experience, ability to work with my unique requirements, and creative vision that aligned with my own. This kind of fursuit is not for everyone, but it suits my needs perfectly (pun intended).
I speak at length about my fursuit and why I chose it in ▶️Cheetah Chat #5.Q: Will you do a suiting up video or face reveal?
A: Nope! MagpieBones's public gallery shows many photos of fursuit heads (including Shetani's!) on mannequins, which should give you a good idea of how they are worn. There are some suiting up videos on YouTube from other MagpieBones suiters, though you won't be seeing one from me anytime soon.Q: How does the fursuit head work?
A: I don't discuss the construction of my suit publicly because I prefer Shetani, and my portrayal of her, to be appreciated as a living character, not just the sum of a few parts and materials.
Also, I didn't build the fursuit myself, so I have to keep my suitmaker's business in mind. I don't know what elements she might or might not want her clients to publicly divulge. You'd probably be better off asking the person who actually made it!Q: Can I draw you gift art?
A: I'd be honored! Here is Shetani's Refsheet.
Hit me up if you're on Instagram and I'll add your art to my gift art highlight!Q: Can I interview you for a documentary, podcast, school project, etc.?
A: Absolutely! I've been interviewed for several different productions, and have done script consultation work for films pertaining to the furry subculture. Contact me via any of the links at the bottom of this page to discuss your project further.Q: Why can't I see some of your Youtube videos?
A: I had to put a few protections in place to control what kinds of people have access to my videos. That affected embeds on the website, and you may have to click through to the Youtube page. Sorry about that! Youtube has really bad audience moderation tools.Q: Why don't you do this with your hairstyle, eye makeup, clothing, glasses...? I would like your fursuit a lot better if you changed that.
A: I appreciate that Shetani evokes such an engaging response in people, and I do read every single comment and message I receive! When communicating with me, I strongly encourage you to take a minute and ensure your words are a genuine suggestion vs. a backhanded compliment or just flat-out being insulting. I wasn't born yesterday, it's very apparent when people do this, and I 100% don't permit it.
Do keep in mind that Shetani is a self-representation, and I present myself the way I choose. I fursuit for my own satisfaction, not for public approval. My existence is not an invitation for critique.Q: I feel uncomfortable and this is your problem somehow, so can't you just put fake eyes in it/cut off your hair?
A: Statements that imply conformity or stripping me of my intentional unique elements are ignorant and should be kept to oneself. I didn't trip and accidentally throw a ton of money at an at-the-time relatively unknown costume artisan. No aspects of Shetani's design were by chance, and I don't need to disclose or justify my necessary accommodations to everyone.Q: "Cat-eye" or colored contact lenses would look so cool with your fursuit, why don't you wear them?
A: Why should I? My eyes are already a strikingly close match to a real cheetah's. Cheetahs and domestic cats have entirely different pupil shapes and eye colors. Cat eye contacts are very cool, but they would look fake and gross on me, and be inaccurate to the character.
Besides, if I used contact lenses, I wouldn't be able to wear glasses - one of the things I love most about the way I look.Q: Will you make a video about (insert topic here)?
A: I love to hear about what interests you folks, and am always taking suggestions for future Cheetah Chat episodes! I used to have a "sponsor-a-topic" option on my Patreon and Ko-Fi pages, but no one ever took me up on that. So for now, I'll consider all requests as long I have some amount of knowledge or experience on the subject. If a different topic is repeatedly requested, I might have a special guest in that field or demographic come on for an episode.Q: Would you recommend a use-your-own-eyes fursuit?
A: Every person is different. When considering a fursuit, think carefully about what goals you want to accomplish with your suiting, the way you wish to be perceived by others, and how prepared you are to deal with the limitations and quirks that come with it.
Each costume has its own benefits and drawbacks. My belief is that everyone who desires to fursuit absolutely can make it happen, though you sometimes have to venture off the beaten path. From my experience, I can say that a UYOE suit may be a challenging choice for someone who:
-- has a cutesy or heavily stylized character
-- wants to appear approachable and endearing to everyone they meet (e.g. working with kids, charity volunteering)
-- is very shy and seeks to hide their true self when fursuiting
-- desires a fursuit for popularity reasons
-- is easily shaken when on the receiving end of criticism or negativity
UYOE suits, and the work of MagpieBones in particular, appeal to a niche subset of people. You must have a certain measure of fearlessness to wear a fursuit like this.Q: Are you a Khajiit, Tabaxi, Zootopian, Beastars character, Bojack Horseman character, or species/race/character from some other popular franchise?
A: No, I'm a furry and Shetani is my fursona. I started doing my thing before many of these media series existed. The concept of realistic anthro fursuits has been around for even longer! Though I appreciate the sentiment and try my best to see it as the compliment it's intended to be, being called "a character from such-and-such" tends not to sit well with me. Shetani is a unique self-representation, not a derivative character based on another person's work, and I feel such comparisons cheapen the years of time, effort, creativity, and personal connection I put into the creation of my fursona.Q: What's your take on poodling¹?
A: As someone frequently met with backlash due to the style of fursuit I've chosen, it would be immensely hypocritical of me to police how others express themselves. There's no right or wrong way to wear a fursuit, cosplay, or any other costume - it's just for fun! Unless this is your job and the person complaining is your paying boss, neither they nor anyone else has the right to tell you how to wear YOUR suit that YOU own.
I choose not to display bare skin when fursuiting. That doesn't mean folks who do so are wrong, as they themselves have valid reasons for their conscientious decision. Personal opinions should never be used to dictate other people's behavior.
¹Poodling: wearing any combination of fursuit parts with revealing clothing in a way that bare human skin is intentionally visible. (Example)Q: Am I allowed to make or get a fursuit like yours?
A: I don't own the concept of animal costumes showing the wearer's real hair and eyes. MagpieBones alone has made hundreds of use-your-own-eyes and use-your-own-hair costumes since 2008, and that's without even mentioning all the other fursuit makers and craftspeople who do too! I have no clue why people so commonly associate the aesthetic with me (many of my peers are more prolific than myself and wear the look better, IMO) nor why they think I have the power to gatekeep others' access. We're talking about a mask with extra holes in it, not a Dutch angel dragon. ;)
All that's to say, YES! I sought out this style of fursuit because traditional fursuits were incompatible with my needs, and I'll always support furries finding freedom in suiting as I have. Please do, and I'd love to see what you come up with!Q: Do you work out in your fursuit for extra sick gainz?
A: No. In 2023, I signed up for a charity fundraiser called the Cheetah Fit Challenge, a 2-week fitness event during which I exercised in fursuit to raise money for charity. My video from the last day of the challenge unexpectedly went viral, resulting in >250,000 people seeing it completely without context. I work out in my fursuit about as regularly as people who raise money for ALS research dump buckets of ice water on their heads.
You can learn more about my Cheetah Fit Challenge participation by watching ▶️this Youtube video.Q: Will you be at this or that convention?
A: My confirmed cons will always be listed on the front page of this website!
I love attending, staffing, and participating in online furry conventions as a dealer and panelist. If there's an online con you think I'd enjoy, please tell me about it!
For the time being, I cannot attend in-person events which lack certain health and safety policies, or which require me to travel very far. This includes cons I used to frequent, like Anthrocon and ANE. Sorry.Q: How can I help support you?
A: If you're financially able to donate, I have an online tip jar on Ko-Fi. Your generosity helps fund the production of my videos and photoshoots, purchase of equipment and costumes, doing livestreams and online cons, hosting this ad-free website, and just enabling me to try bigger and better things!
Are physical goods more your cup of tea? Click here to snag yourself some sweet stickers, pins, and who knows what else!
Of course, the easiest way to help me out is simply by following me on social media, giving me feedback, and sharing my creations with your friends whom you think would enjoy them.
I'm so very grateful for all of your support!

Fursona Pin #176 - ShetaniClick here to buy
Click here for convention pickup
Click here to tradeThank you all for the interest in my pins over the years. After the International Cheetah Day 2020 Fundraiser, where my very last pins were made available for donations to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, I've completely sold out and Shetani is officially a retired pin!
At this time, a reorder is not planned. Missed the chance to grab one of your own? Send me a message and let me know you want more Shetani pins! Who knows, if there's enough demand, I may be able to afford a second run.More enamel pins are available in my webstore:
http://ko-fi.com/shetani/shop

Fursuit Gallery

My fursuit was custom-built in 2014 by MagpieBones.
This style is known as a use-your-own-eyes (UYOE) fursuit. By special request, my fursuit uses my own hair as well.

"What's the appeal? How does it work?"
Check out my FAQ or this YouTube video.

Scroll through to see just a few of the many looks I can achieve as Shetani with this unique and versatile fursuit!

Personal photoshoot - 2019
Shirt c/o Cryptovolans

Furnal Equinox - 2023
Photography by JackTheLion

Personal photoshoot - 2018
Photography by DINKIN

Anthrocon - 2017
Photography by SeikoLiz

Anthro New England - 2018
Photography by Sunstab

Anthrocon - 2019
Photography by SquirrelySnaps

Cosplay photoshoot - 2018
Carbon Fiber D.Va from Overwatch

Anthro New England - 2019
Photography by PineRaven

Anthrocon - 2019
Photography by Dragonscales

Personal photoshoot - 2020

Anthrocon - 2017
Photography by Abrahm and Kyle Hicks

Selected self-portraits; all photography and editing by myself

Shetani's Coalition

A group of cheetahs is called a coalition! I've been collecting plush cheetahs for a long time. Allow me to introduce you to all the stuffed animals in my collection!

Name: Charo
Brand: Jungle Joe's Safari Friends
Acquired: 1998 or laterShe says "I'm Charo, a cheetah with attitude" and makes a wildcat scream when you squeeze her. In my youth, I would play wildlife refuge in the backyard with all the African animals in my stuffed animal collection, and Charo was my very favorite. I always made sure to take special care of her and keep her from getting dirty. She came with her name.

Name: Angel
Brand: Disney Animal Kingdom
Acquired: 1999I got this plush on a vacation to Disney World with my family. The bow around her neck was added by me. She's named after a cheetah character I made up when I was younger.

Name: Heeta
Brand: Cavanagh Coca Cola International Collection
Acquired: 1999 or laterHeeta represents the country of Namibia in a series of 50 bean bags corresponding with nations around the world that serve Coca-Cola. She came with her name.

Name: Piston
Brand: Ty Classic
Acquired: 2003 or laterPiston is a Ty Classic plush I've had for a very long time. He came with his name.

Name: Baby Hansa
Brand: Hansa Portraits of Nature
Acquired: 2012Hansa is known for their lifelike stuffed animals. This plush's mane is so soft and he looks just like a real cheetah cub! He was purchased from a vendor's catalog at FA:U and arrived in the mail a few days later. His name, as you may have guessed, comes from his brand.

Name: Mama Cheetah
Brand: Melissa & Doug
Acquired: 2012This fully life sized plush was a gift from my partner to celebrate our first furry con together, FA:U 2012. I drew so much attention carrying her out of the crowded Dealer's Den and through the lobby of the hotel on the last day of the convention. Mama is nearly three feet tall! I think of her as Baby Hansa's mother. Nowadays, she likes to dress up for holidays and wear silly hats.

Name: Jasiri
Brand: Build-A-Bear WWF
Acquired: 2013Jasiri belongs to a limited series of stuffed animals that could be made at Build-A-Bear Workshop, with proceeds donated to the World Wildlife Fund. I purchased him on eBay! His name is the Swahili word for "brave", and he's named after a cheetah in the furry fandom who is a rather prolific art-commissioner.

Name: Hashire
Brand: PansonWorks BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS！
Acquired: 2013Hashire, or Hashi for short, is one of the more unique cheetahs in my collection. I bought him from a vendor at the AnimeNext convention. His name is from the Japanese word meaning "to run."

Name: Kenson
Brand: GANZ - Webkinz Signature Collection
Acquired: 2013This cute plush is another eBay find. He's named after another cheetah in the furry fandom who has the same exact stuffed animal. I brought him with me to Anthrocon in 2014, but I sadly did not run into his namesake there.

Name: Tristan
Brand: Douglas
Acquired: 2013This plush was purchased during Anthrocon. Designated "Chillin' Cheetah" by the maker, I renamed him after a fursuiter I encountered there.

Name: Katie
Brand: Kinectimals
Acquired: 2013Katie is the crown jewel of my collection! This plush came packaged with limited versions of the Kinectimals game. Until Disney introduced their character Fuli in The Lion Guard (and subsequently made toys of her), this was the ONLY official plush of a king cheetah in existence. A valuable item at the time, I managed to pick her up at New York Comic-Con in 2013 for a steal. She's named after a super cute artist I met at the con.

Name: Kidd
Brand: Gund
Acquired: 2013This cub was bought in an eBay lot. At the time, I was playing Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, and she's named after my favorite character in that game, James Kidd aka Mary Read. I gave her a piece o' pirate booty to wear around her neck.

Name: ???
Brand: K&M International
Acquired: 2013This scruffy feller was a bonus that came in a lot of Lion King toys I bought from eBay. He appears to be a very old (or at least well-loved) K&M International plush. After all this time, I still haven't come up with a name for him. Any suggestions?

Name: Deja
Brand: Applause - Disney
Acquired: 2013Deja's a Lion King plush from the movie's original theatrical release. I bought him off a user on Furbuy, and he's very well loved! I was very glad to finally get my hands on him, because he's the only official TLK cheetah plush. He's named after Andreas Deja, the supervising animator for Scar.

Name: Chessie
Brand: Ty Beanie Babies
Acquired: 2014This is one of just two cheetah Beanie Babies made. She was given to me by a friend, who let her do a lot of basking in the sun before she came to me, so my Chessie is a little discolored from sunlight. She came with her name.

Name: Shasta
Brand: Wild Republic Cuddlekins
Acquired: 2014-2016I got this plush at a Rainforest Cafe in the mall. Shasta came along with me to Anthrocon 2016! She went without a name for a while, until my partner helped me pick one out.

Name: Afiyet
Brand: WWF Wild Tales
Acquired: 2015This little guy was a souvenir from a trip to Turkey I took in 2015. His name comes from a Turkish phrase meaning "bon appetit."

Name: Ankala
Brand: FAO Schwarz
Acquired: 2015Received as a Christmas gift from her mother, this plush technically belongs to my partner, though she's graciously allowed me to share joint custody. Now that the two of us live together, so does Ankala, and I'm happy to call her part of my coalition. Her namesake is my partner's character in Fallout 2.

Name: Clawhauser
Brand: Disney
Acquired: 2016Everyone knows Clawhauser, the chubby cheetah receptionist from Disney's film Zootopia. This plush is part of their Tsum Tsum line, which can be collected, stacked atop each other, and even used to clean your laptop or phone screen.

Name: Andiamo
Brand: ???
Acquired: 2017During my Anthrocon trip, I visited the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium and got to see their two male cheetahs! This fella came home with me from the zoo gift shop. His name, which means "let's go" in Italian, is also the name of one of the cheetahs I saw that day.

Name: Miyoni
Brand: Aurora
Acquired: 2018Garage sale rescue! She came with her name.

Name: Zola
Brand: Aurora World
Acquired: 2019This cheetah is another souvenir from the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, this time from my 2019 Anthrocon trip. I named her after another of the Pittsburgh Zoo cheetahs.

Name: Samoa
Brand: Little Brownie Bakers
Acquired: 2019As far as I can tell, this plush was a reward for selling Girl Scout cookies during the 2014-2015 season. Though her assigned name is Amaze, she represents the Samoa cookie, so that's what I call her.

Name: Casey
Brand: Viahart - Tiger Tale Toys
Acquired: 2019This cheetah was a holiday present from a friend. She came with her name. Casey the Couch Cheetah likes to hang out on the back of the sofa and supervise me while I edit my videos and photography.

Name: Emily
Brand: Discovery Channel Store
Acquired: 2021Emily (left) is very shy and falls down a lot but always does her best. She has wires in her front legs that give them pose-ability! She and Fuling were acquired from another furry who was looking to rehome the two.

Name: Fuling
Brand: Discovery Kids/ Discovery Channel Store
Acquired: 2021Fuling is named after a small creature from a video game. She's very calm and patient and is good at reassuring you when you feel anxious. She and Emily were acquired from a fellow furry who was looking to rehome the two.

Name: Bolsa
Brand: Wild Republic Jumbo Cuddlekins
Acquired: 2021Bolsa was a gift from a friend. This cheetah is VERY big and makes a fantastic nap buddy.

Name: Chibi
Brand: Chibeetahs/Chiba Zoological Park
Acquired: 2022A tiny cheetah cub who traveled all the way from Japan, and is small enough to fit inside a tea mug! The Chibeetahs were a group of 6 cheetah cubs - Carolina, Curl, Claire, Charm, Claris, and Chuma - who grew up in the Chiba Zoo and have since moved on to new homes. The catchy "Chibeetahs" moniker is a portmanteau combining the name of the city (Chiba), the English word for their species (cheetah), and the Japanese word for cute (chibi). Thus, I felt no other name would be more appropriate for this darling.

Name: Hobbit
Brand: Wild Republic Ecokins
Acquired: 2022This cheetah plush is made of 100% recycled materials! Who knew recycling could feel so soft? He's named after the person who gave him to me.

Name: Checker
Brand: ???
Acquired: 2023When I took a trip to Canada for Furnal Equinox, I was gifted Checker by a fellow furry! This big boy sits about 23 inches tall and has wire in his front legs to help him sit up. He keeps tight-lipped about his past, but we think he may have come from a Canadian carnival. Any info about his brand would be very helpful. He came with his name.

Name: Fuli
Brand: Ty Beanie Babies
Acquired: 2023It's Fuli, the king cheetah from the Lion Guard! This Beanie Baby joined the coalition as a holiday gift.

Though it's now rather outdated, I made a video in 2017 showing off all my plush cheetahs I owned at that time! Watch on YouTube below!

The coalition (sans Mama Cheetah) as of 2021

Essays and Convention Reports

This page is MASSIVELY under construction as I reformat and port over all my convention reports from the past decade! Please keep an eye on this space!EssaysKeep Furry WeirdThe Furry Communication DivideBe Yourself - No, Not Like ThatThe Day I Got My Fursuit (coming soon)Con ReportsFurAffinity United 2012Anthrocon 2016Anthrocon 2017Anthro New England 2018Furpocalypse 2018Anthrocon 2019Megaplex Online 2020Anthro New England 2022Furnal Equinox 2023 (coming soon)

Keep Furry Weird

The following is a direct transcript of my Cheetah Chat web-series episode entitled "Keep Furry Weird." Though I highly recommend watching in its intended video format - the video is subtitled for accessibility - it was requested for me to post a transcript online as well.

Hey everyone, it's Shetani, and welcome to episode 11 of Cheetah Chat!Furries don't need more attention from the mainstream media, but it's happening whether we like it or not. It seems like every week there's a new article or documentary from outsiders trying to make sense of the furry fandom. There's even been furries featured in national ad campaigns, and talk of furry cons being sponsored by really big-name corporations. Whenever this happens, the fandom at large tends to get excited at being thrust into the spotlight. But could all that attention actually be bad for us?In short, yeah, or at least I think so. If you think at all that it's cool for the furry fandom to get attention from brands, mainstream media, corporations... please just take the next couple minutes to listen to what I have to say.For an example of how bad it could get, just take a look at what has happened to the comic book fandom. I can speak from personal experience, as someone who used to attend New York Comic-Con, and I can say that it has become almost completely unrecognizable from what it was when I first started going. Comic conventions these days are more of an expo for major video game studios, movie companies, and entertainment corporations to push their newest big and exciting products. Comics themselves take a backseat, with artist alleys shrinking or even disappearing completely to make way for big booths selling Funko Pops of the very characters whose artists can no longer get themselves a table. Brands that come to furry to sell their stuff are going to push legitimate creators out of the fandom. A lot of the furry content available right now is handmade stuff from fellow furries who have a real passion for it. If a big company comes in and starts pumping out cheap furry t-shirts, photography, music, even fursuits, there is no way those small independent artists will be able to compete.Cosplay has been latched onto by the mainstream too. That's actually where I got my start, and if it weren't for my time cosplaying, I wouldn't be fursuiting today. When companies saw that money could be made on cosplayers, they started sponsoring reality TV shows and cosplay championships at conventions to really push the professional, high-stakes aspect of the hobby. It's no longer just something you do for fun to show your love for the characters. On one hand, it's cool that you can just buy Worbla in JoAnn's now, but nowadays cosplayers are expected to hold to such high standards. People are starting to get really ruthless and elitist, criticising cosplayers for the way they look or the quality of their costumes. I would really hate for that to start happening within the fursuiting community - well, more than it already is.I actually stopped going to comic cons in favor of just furry cons because it got way too big and stopped being fun for me. The furry fandom has always been centered on the individuals that make up the fandom itself. I keep saying that the furry fandom is for us, by us, and it's really true. So when I see something like big shoe companies paying fursuiters to appear in their ads, and being named the "official sponsor" of furry conventions, it makes me more than a little wary.An argument I hear a lot is: "You know, Shetani, cons need money to run, and a corporate sponsorship might be the only way for a little convention to get the funding they need to stay alive. Don't you want furry cons to be successful?"
Of course I do. The more furry cons there are, the more accessible the fandom becomes for furries all around the world - especially places where there might not be a very large furry population. But reliance on a corporate sponsor for funding gives them the power to dictate the con's behavior. If they decide aspects of the furry fandom might hurt their brand image, they could withhold their money as a bargaining chip to get the con to... make those uncomfortable things go away. And censorship is one thing that we furries simply cannot abide.Furry being sterilized and mass marketed would kill the independent and diverse space we've all worked together to build.Corporations do not get involved to help out the little guy or make things better for us. Their only goal is to expand their brand and make more money. The way they do this is by placing copyrights and patents on things and ideas, to keep them out of the hands of the common person... unless they want to pay the company.Remember that Subway menu board outside Anthrocon that everyone was laughing at for their bizarrely pandering sandwich names like "tuna salad Majira" and "Italian meatball Booker Fox" or whatever? If we don't block corporations from inserting themselves into our market, this could very well happen.
So much of our fandom is based on the sharing of knowledge and ideas. Art tips, costume building techniques, keychain and pin manufacturing, everything. There have been communities built around this for decades. If a corporation comes in and copyrights a method, all that goes away.
For example, a fursuit maker by the name of yellow_fr3ak developed a fursuit paw pattern that they decided to release for free, for anyone to use. How many fursuit makers do you see using that method in their costumes? Imagine if a company put a patent on that. Now NO ONE is allowed to make fursuit paws that way.
They can do that for anything - methods of crafting things, popular characters, certain styles of costumes, you name it. And not a single one of us would have the money to fight them in court. That's what they're counting on.Furry is one of, if not THE only fandom left whose conventions still revolve around the fans that make up the fandom, rather than the corporations who create the mass media the fans consume. In other fandoms, you see people spending money on merchandise of their favorite characters, but there isn't really an equivalent of that for furry. Fandom-related spending for furry stuff pretty much has to be on stuff made by other members of the fandom. And 99% of the time, that stuff is hand-made, and the money goes directly to the creator. A lot of us in the furry fandom are disabled, POC, low-income, LGBTQ+, or part of other marginalized communities, so by keeping it within the fandom, we're directly supporting our own, raising them up with a self-sustaining system. It's one of the things I love most about the furry fandom.Outsiders have been fascinated with, and misunderstanding of, furries for decades. Sensationalism sells, and when journalists turn their eyes towards us, it creates a problem. Take a look at Anthrocon, one of the biggest furry cons in the world, and certainly the one with the most positive public image. They have done a great job of integrating furries with the city, and bridging that understanding gap between furries and non-furs! But they are also one of the strictest when it comes to who's allowed to talk to the press, and what kinds of things they are allowed to mention.
A sanitized story is more palatable, but it also doesn't tell the whole story of what the furry subculture entails for a lot of us. The same goes for documentaries and interviews who try to encapsulate the furry story into one little bite-sized narrative that fits the angle they're going for. That's the problem with this sort of media coverage. Every one of us is in the fandom for our own reasons, and for that reason, there will never be one concrete definition of the fandom. Bring up the adult aspects, and you get waves of furries clambering over each other to shout "We're not all like that!" Push a family-friendly wholesome tale of volunteering and kid-hugging, and you alienate furries like myself for whom that isn't part of our experience at all. Sidestepping tricky topics like kink, sexuality and gender that are a fundamental part of the experience for many furries, and you present a disingenuous narrative that erases many of the most unique, integral parts of our fandom. Any way you look at it, attention from the mainstream just ends in furries being more misunderstood.It's hard being unable to talk about something so important to you for fear of being ridiculed or lambasted. There's a reason many furries misapporpriate terms like being "closeted" about their hobby or scared to be "outed" as a furry to family or coworkers. I can understand why furries get excited whenever a positive talk piece comes out about the fandom - it brings us one step closer to public acceptance. But why do we need that - to be accepted by the mainstream? It only puts more attention on us from those who would seek to exploit. People don't question other interests like sports or video games, for some reason it's just furries who draw the scrutiny of the public. No one ever stops to psychoanalyze why sports fans spend thousands of dollars on season tickets and dress in the jerseys of their favorite players and fill their homes with team memorabilia. It's perfectly acceptable to be a gamer who is constantly roleplaying through different fictional narratives and creating a custom representation of themselves to interact in fantasy worlds with other people, but getting a drawing of yourself as an imaginary dog person, now that's weird. Furry is on the same playing field as any other hobby. If people draw a distinction in their minds, that's their problem that they need to sort out. They have a problem with how they see us, it's not on us to change how we are.The fandom is a safe space for a lot of people who don't fit in anywhere else, to find other like-minded individuals and build a community where we know we will be understood and accepted. Why would we want to appeal to outsiders who would never understand what it's like? Furry is about being yourself, unique and unconventional and completely off-the-wall. I'm a curvy queer woman with dyed hair who collects nerdy stuff and wears a cheetah costume that even other furries call weird. Do you think I really care about what the Karens of the world think of me? Hell no! The way I choose to speak, act, present myself, and spend my time is entirely up to me, and if other people take issue with that, well, that's a problem with them.So how do we fight this?
Embrace your weirdness. Be strange, be kinky, be loud, be unmarketable. Don't celebrate attention from brands or TV networks. Stop trying to appease, seek the approval of, and draw in non-furries. We are a community, here for ourselves and each other. Support your local small businesses, artists, fursuit makers, FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS. And above all, KEEP FURRY WEIRD.Cheetah Chat is powered by tea! Thank you to Niko and Blu the Foxdog for sponsoring my cup of tea for this episode. Today's episode was a bit of a doozy, so I've got the biggest mug I own right here, which also features some very cute little golden cheetahs, filled with my signature house blend of black teas with cardamom sweetened with a little honey.If you like what I do and wanna show your support, please consider donating to me on Ko-Fi or Patreon. Links to both are in the video description. Not only will you be helping me make more videos like this, you can also influence the stuff I put out as well as get some really awesome goodies for your patronage.
As always, don't forget to subscribe to my channel if you haven't already, so you don't miss my next video. I do these for fun in my spare time, or whenever someone donates. Therefore, if you're looking to keep up-to-date on all things Shetani, I highly suggest you follow me on Twitter, or even Instagram, where I post a picture every week for Fursuit Friday and more in-between.Well, looks like that's about it for this cup! I'm Shetani, you're awesome, and until next time, stay sweet.

The Day I Got My Fursuit

"Tell me about the day you got your fursuit. What did it feel like to suit up for the first time?"https://twitter.com/ScaniGryph/status/1265086735362506753The day I received my fursuit
I took each piece - the plush huggable tail, the paws with their delicate claws, long expanses of armsleeve fur begging to be stroked, and that delicate work of art, the head itself - in my hands and inspected them countless times. I wanted so badly to put them on, but with no one around to assist me, I knew I couldn't yet. There was no precedent for how to put on a use-your-own-hair fursuit, and I wasAt the time, there was no one around to help me get suited up for the very first time.

The Furry Communication Divide

I, and others in the furry scene, have received pushback from stating we prefer interactions with peers within our own age group as opposed to the younger crowd. In chatting online more due to this pandemic, I think I've uncovered a crucial realization of why that is, at least in part. It has to do with the way we communicate.(NB: there are more contributing factors at play here, like maturity level, shared life experience, difference of interests, and what both parties want to get out of the interaction. I'm only going to be discussing the way in which we talk to each other via text format.)Those of us who cut our teeth on the internet of the early 2000s and previous did much networking via email, forums, and message boards. These platforms promoted quality and content over response time. People weren't online constantly - it was understood that whoever you were talking to might not get a chance to read your message until the next day or even longer, so you made sure that what you were writing would be worth their time to read! Messages conveyed a lot of information and often touched on multiple topics for the other person to respond to at their leisure. They tended to read a lot like short-form essays or physical letters. Due to the relative infrequency of contact, you wanted to provide your conversation partner with a solid base for their response to your post. Without the pressure of replying immediately, chatters had the opportunity to consider their words and formulate the best possible reply, leaving the other person with their choice of topic threads to pursue.Teens and others who grew up during the age of social media and instant messaging prioritize responsiveness over discussion. What's important is being available and having something to say - even if that something is a whole lot of nothing. With a smartphone in almost everyone's pocket, these folks are used to their chat partners being online and ready to talk at multiple points during the day, if not constantly. Chats between these furries are liable to resemble a ping-pong game of short, rapid back-and-forths. They're more likely to send what I refer to as "ping" messages - not continuing a discussion, just seeking a response or confirmation that their partner is there. These frequently come in the form of emojis devoid of any supporting text, Telegram stickers, or short salutations along the lines of "hey," "woof," or "*pokes you*". Conversation can remain on a small talk level for quite a long time before eventually breaking the ice into a deeper connection (I assume, I have little experience with how this type of relationships operates). I freely admit, I'm unsure how these folks ascertain when they have crossed the threshold between "acquaintances" and "friends." Perhaps one receives a certificate once a certain number of hours staring at an open Telegram chat has been logged? (I kid.)This is not a communication style that meshes well with me. When someone messages me out of the blue wanting to chat, I don't know anything about them or what common ground we'll share upon which to build a conversation. For me, having a surface level chat like "hey what's up" "nm just chilling, you?" "haha same" is not how I discover how to connect with somebody. Chatting like this isn't fun for me, and the part of the discussion where I have to slog through the small talk (and explain to someone 12 years my junior that that's not how I operate) leaves me feeling that my time's being wasted.When chatting with a new acquaintance, I like to offer several possible topic threads for them to pick up. When those are replied to with short sentences or generic reactions ("oh that's cool" or the infamous "oof"), I'm not being given any fodder with which to continue the conversation. This is especially the case if the person doesn't follow up with a question or topic of their own. Having a message where I'm opening up to a new person, or sharing a genuine passion of mine, be essentially disregarded is extremely invalidating.
Trying to get a person from the second communication group to chat with me on my level feels like pulling teeth. A conversation like this becomes one-sided very quickly and I don't often feel motivated to put effort into continuing to try and drag a response out of my partner.Folks from the second communication style can find the first group's info-dump messages overwhelming and time-consuming. People from the first group can get irritated by the second group's need for constant contact and lack of material to work with. It's a fact that not all furries (or on a macro scale, people), communicate online in the same way. It stands to reason that people would prefer and seek out those that speak the same "language" as them. A conversation works best when both parties are on the same wavelength. While correlation is not causation, a fact of the matter is that an individual's age bracket is likely an indicator of their online communication style.Out in public, we're forced to interact with all kinds of people to perform our jobs, meet basic needs, and go about our daily routines. Online, we have the option of choosing who we share our leisure time with. This shouldn't be seen as an exclusionary practice. Other furries aren't entitled to your attention simply by virtue of sharing a common interest or hobby.

Be Yourself - No, Not Like That

CONFORM - by red_snow_leopard

*Originally posted on Weasyl. *

I've spent 6+ years as a fursuiter in this fandom and need to get some things off my chest. Visual art is what draws people's attention in this community, but the sentiment behind the image is just as important. I appreciate your patience and attention as you take in what I have to say.I have an, at this time, unique hyper-realistic fursuit that incorporates my real eyes and hair into the costume. I love my fursuit and couldn't be happier with it, but obviously, it's something extremely niche, quite the opposite of the cute and cartoony fursuits that attract most members of the fandom. Over the years, I've received a fair bit of unwanted criticism, backhanded compliments, and outright insults about my choice of fursuit style. I have been called ugly, creepy, gross, cringe, horrifying, "not a real fursuit(er)," and other less savory things that don't bear mentioning. I've had people say I should cut my hair off, wear contact lenses, and even tell me to get fake eyes put into my fursuit, as though I didn't actively choose to purchase a fursuit like this based on my own preferences.Of all the realistic features of my suit, my eyes are what draw the most attention, for better or worse. Until now I've been telling people that I chose a use-your-own-eyes fursuit because of my vision impairments, to avoid the redundancy of putting fake glasses on a bigger and uglier fursuit head with my prescription ones hidden away beneath. While this is completely true, I haven't spoken before about the more personal reasons for doing so. I was put off getting a fursuit for so long because the vast majority, even realistic ones, don't really feel alive because of their static facial expressions. Shetani is not a theme park mascot or a cartoon and I don't envision her as such; she is a representation of myself as an animal. When I fursuit, I'm not being an individual playing a fictional character, I'm still me - albeit a little fuzzier. I want people I meet to feel like they are talking not to the costume, but the person within, and make that interpersonal connection. It's said that the eyes are the window to the soul, and I love how I have been given so much freedom of expression and emotion by showing my eyes when I fursuit. Some of the most impactful people in my life tell me that my eyes are striking, beautiful, and breathtaking - who wouldn't want to include that in a representation of themselves? My eyes are as integral an element of my fursona's design as her hair or species.In a fandom supposedly based in acceptance and tolerance of individuality, I'm disappointed by how much close-mindedness I encounter, not from non-furries, but from fellow community members. For years, I was afraid to call myself a furry because I would be shunned and mocked by people outside the fandom - it is a bitter irony that the bulk of the harassment targeting me today comes from other furries. The phrase "Be yourself - no, not like that" is frequently tossed around as a humorous punchline, but as is often the case, its basis in reality makes it all the more poignant. I can't help but get aggravated every time I share a photo or video I worked hard on and get the inevitable remark that I should change things about the way I present myself because Random Internet Stranger #503 would like it better. I fursuit for my own benefit, not the enjoyment of others. I'm not performing for public approval and my mere existence is not an invitation for critique. I feel frustrated that the common response is not to appreciate something unique that they perhaps haven't seen before, and respect or even just acknowledge a person self-expressing in a novel way. Instead they go out of their way to tell me that they're put-off by how I choose to present myself, and that I should remove my individuality, assimilate, and become more like the status quo.This aspect in particular inspired much of the symbolism of the piece. A garishly colored cartoon furry seeks to strip Shetani of her individuality as it forcibly stitches cutesy cartoon patches over her eyes. Its arm across her chest, with Shetani's broken glasses clenched in its paw, restricts her from moving forward, and she can do little more than accept the abuse defiantly, tears welling in her uncovered eye, brow and muzzle creased in silent outrage. The artist did a fantastic job of pushing the contrast between the two art styles, enhancing the unsettling feeling and really driving home that the two do not belong together. I'd love to hear other folks' interpretation of the piece as well - feel free to comment with your remarks!Yesterday, an opinion post made the rounds on Twitter, which happened to be a comment on a photo of a suit belonging to one of my friends. The person claimed all realistic fursuits are nightmarish and take away the fun of people trying to be cartoon characters, while using the verbage "realistic and regular fursuits" as though realism is a form of aberrance. Thinking before you speak is absolutely lost on many members of our community these days. The amount of entitlement and outright lack of etiquette from some furries is absolutely astounding. Everyone's allowed to have opinions, but they are not entitled to voice them without being asked. If you wouldn't walk up to a person on the street and tell them their shirt is ugly, this also applies to any other apparel or visual aesthetic they've chosen to express themselves.Sadly, we live in a culture that promotes reactions and having a comment on everything over actual substance. I'm glad I grew up in the time period that I did, because I doubt I would have survived as a teenager in today's social climate. I'm shocked by the amount of bullying, vitriol, and outright bigotry I see regularly - it's like people don't care there is another human being on the other side of the screen. What's worse is that these individuals never face actual consequences for their actions, and thus, never learn how to properly behave.
Naturally, I have my own opinions on toony fursuits, art styles, and even certain popular fursuit makers. You will never hear me voice them, especially not directly to people who enjoy and support these aesthetics, because it's their decision that makes them happy! Other people's choices have zero bearing on my own enjoyment of the furry community, and in fact, it's our diversity that makes this fandom such a joy to be part of.Thank you for taking the time to read this, see things from my perspective, and hopefully understand what we need to do to improve as a community.

FurAffinity United 2012

The following is adapted from my Cheetah Chat web-series episode entitled "My First Furry Con." YouTube video is embedded below.*Photos from this con can be viewed here. *

As I've discussed previously, I was essentially on the sidelines of the furry fandom for over 10 years. I wanted to be a part of the community, and the only thing holding me back was my own worry about what others would think of me.
Because of this, when I finally took the plunge as a full-fledged furry, I hit the ground running. Immediately I wanted to do everything that embarrassment and fear had prevented me from trying before, like making a fursona, getting art of her, and going to furry cons. At the time, I had just started dating my current partner, and while getting to know each other, it came up that she'd never been to a furry con either. It sounded like a great idea!I went online and found out there was a furry convention not too far from where we both lived, called FurAffinity United. This con is in Virginia today, but at the time, it was located in Whippany, NJ. As a longtime attendee of comic, anime, and general fan conventions, I was excited to experience a furry con for the first time. I printed out a drawing of my fursona and covered it in packing tape to serve as a makeshift laminated badge, and made myself ears and a tail to wear since I didn't have any furry-related t-shirts.I had been to conventions large and small, from tiny anime cons held at local colleges to the gigantic pop culture monstrosity that is New York Comic-Con. Despite all this, I had never been to a furry convention before! I didn't know how different it was going to be or really what to expect! On top of all that, having just started being a part of the community and interacting with the furry fandom, I didn't actually have any friends that were furries. Luckily, my partner knew a few people who were going to the con too, so we met up with them and hung out together over the weekend. Turns out that they were some pretty cool people, and that trip planted the seeds for great friendships that have lasted the test of time.We didn't go to many panels, but one I remember was Massage 101. The turnout was very low, and when the panel was over, there was enough time for the instructors to give a few of us a real hands-on massage, which felt so amazing.My friend brought a pack-rat puppet along and "interviewed" a lot of fursuiters as the rat. It made for a lot of funny and cute moments.At FA:United, I got up close and personal with lots of fursuiters. I realized it's not so different from cosplay, and in fact, many of the suiters I saw seemed a lot more carefree and joyful than the cosplayers I knew, like they were having more fun being their own characters. I had been on the fence about getting a fursuit at this point, but after FA United, I started thinking I'd like to have one of my own. I also got to watch my very first fursuit parade, which was a real treat! Seeing all the different types of characters and ways they were portrayed really opened my eyes to how diverse and unique we furries are.In the hallway, they had a notice board set up with notecards and tape for attendees to leave messages. It may sound silly, but one of the highlights of the con for me was looking over all the funny things other people had written and drawn and leaving a card of my own.Compared to other conventions I had been to, FA United was on the small side, with 629 attendees. Because of this, the atmosphere was super relaxed and laid-back. While there were things going on, a lot of what you saw in the hallways was just people hanging out and talking. The small size helped me feel comfortable and at ease during my first foray into the furry convention scene. I think if I had gone to a bigger con like Anthrocon as my first, I would have been overwhelmed, and the hustle and bustle would have made it really hard for me to talk to people and make friends. I met folks for the first time who I'm still friends with today!The Dealer's Den and Artist's Alley were smaller than I was used to, but it was cool to see all the furry-specific stuff and finally be able to buy some. I even ran into a couple artists face-to-face whose work I had been following for years, and admittedly got a little bit star-struck.One booth at the convention sold tons and tons of plushies. They had a giant stuffed cheetah who immediately caught my eye, but I didn't have the money to buy it, so I had my friend take a picture of me holding the cheetah as a souvenir of our trip. You may recognize this cheetah as "Mama Cheetah" from my Cheetah Collection video. I kept going back to the booth to "visit" her over the course of the con. Then, lo and behold, on the last day, my partner surprised me by buying me the giant cheetah! I drew so much attention walking down the halls of FA United holding a massive stuffed cheetah up over my head to keep from bumping into people. I was so happy and grateful to receive such a treasured gift from my date, and today it stands as a wonderful memory of my first ever furry convention.

Anthrocon 2016

Photos from this con can be viewed here.I'm back from Anthrocon, finally! I spent the whole day Monday on a train headed home, then about 2 hours after I arrived, I got a call from my dad (who had no idea I'd been at AC) asking me to come down the very next day. It wasn't anything major, but I did have to take a bus the next morning and spend a couple days with my family. I'm back now, though, and trying to get back into the swing of things!There's too much stuff for me to possibly cover in-depth, so here's a quick rundown of the positives and negatives of my Anthrocon:

THE PROS:- My fursuit got recognized a lot! Many people were able to place the maker as MagpieBones, and a couple mentioned seeing me on Facebook or Youtube. Social media networking success!
- Got recognized out of suit too, by people I'd met previously at cons.
- Apparently, I have a very clean-looking fursuit. A dealer called out to me from across the aisle on Sunday to compliment me and give me a badge ribbon that said "Someone likes my fursuit!" Another person was surprised to hear that my suit was 2 years old, as they thought it was brand-new from the way it looked. If two different people say so, it must be true, right? :3
- Had the opportunity to take a lot of nice photos in fursuit, some of which I can use for profile banners on various websites.
- Attended my first ever room party, where we had a ton of fun snacking and I watched the infamous CSI furry episode for the very first time.
- Had great food at Winghart's and Emporio again, and tried Hanlon's and Primanti Brothers for the first time.
- Got stopped by a fan after the fursuit parade and received my first piece of fanart. It feels weird to say that!
- Participated in the Furry Femme photoshoot and meeting some very lovely people.
- Picked up badges I'd commissioned or been gifted, in suit for two of them.
- Wore a shirt with The Cheat from Homestar Runner on it to see if people would recognize him - two actually did!
- Broke 3000 Streetpasses on my 3DS! My Mii Plaza is all filled up now, and I have all the puzzle pieces.
- Managed to not catch con crud, hooray!

THE CONS:- Whereas Anthrocon 2014 was #moistcon, Anthrocon 2016 was #sleepycon. I did a lot of snoozing and didn't manage to go to as many panels or do as many activities as last time. I'll be sure to buckle down, get some tea in me, and do better next year!
- Didn't get to hang out with my friend as much as I wanted. They were also high all the time and ate most of our food, but whatever.
- Tried to participate in a fursuit music video after a successful and fun experience last Anthrocon, but the shooting was plagued by delays, causing two of my evenings to be eaten up. Another, more experienced fursuit MV director had been planning a video with the same song, and canceled theirs to allow this group to go ahead. I found out after the fact that the crew didn't even get all the scenes filmed, and that we'll have to wait until after next year's Anthrocon for the video to be finished.
- Missed the Hashtag concert due to waiting in the Artist Alley payment line.
- Missed the Fursuit Meet & Greet and Gender Identity panel due to the previously mentioned music video shoot.
- Missed the Friendly Feline Furry Fiasco due to me being a lazy bum and falling asleep.
- Stopped by TaniDaReal's table to get some more achievement stickers for my achievement badge, only to find out she's not making them anymore.
- In lieu of the Lion King panel (which I had a lot of fun at in previous years), I attended the Disney meetup, but it was rather lackluster and I bowed out early.
- I showed up for the fursuit parade closer to 2 PM in an effort to cut down on the time I'd have to spend standing around in fursuit, but I found myself near the back of the pack and had to wait 45 minutes to exit Hall A anyway. It was hot and tiring, and I ended up getting blocked in the photo. :(
- Alas, my fursuit feet are beginning to fall apart after all the running around. I need to contact my maker and ask how to go about fixing them.
- When walking down Liberty Ave to get breakfast on Saturday morning, a protester outside the Planned Parenthood clinic stopped me and said "Did you know future furries are being aborted here today?" I was so caught off guard by this that I paused, causing her to take the opportunity to launch into her prepared spiel. Unprepared and unwilling to debate abortion rights on the street outside a furry convention, I just cut her off and continued on my way. It was rather disconcerting, considering how the rest of Pittsburgh seemed to embrace the furry community with open arms.

All in all, though, I had a really great time! I met a lot of wonderful people and had so much fun. I am still going through the photos I took. Expect those to be posted within a few days, and if all goes well, a fursuit parade video and maybe a con video will be up after that. <3

Anthrocon 2017

Finally got a chance to sit down and put (figurative) pen to paper regarding my Anthrocon trip this year!
You can see my Anthrocon photo album here if you missed it, or on Facebook if you prefer grainy compressed images for some reason.
My con video is right here! You should totally watch it, it'll certainly take up less of your time than reading this long-ass thing.

Wednesday was our travel day, so it's not getting its own header, but there were a couple things worth mentioning. I had brought my laptop this year (which I usually leave at home for safety) because I was worried about running out of space on my phone and needing to clear off photos and videos as I took them. I'm glad I did that, because there were no other furries in our area to chat with, so I was able to spend most of the 9-hour train ride playing Mad Max. We arrived and checked into our hotel without fuss, and had time to grab a bite to eat at our favorite restaurant, Winghart's. We also ran into our first fursuiter of the con in the elevator: Mosfet!

THURSDAYMika and I started off the day with a visit to Colony Cat Cafe, a few blocks from the con center. We were able to grab a tasty bite to eat (avocado toast, hummus, and tea) while spending an hour with some absolutely adorable little kittens. It turned out we were the only ones to have booked that time slot, so we had a whole hour to ourselves as we got to know the little cast of fuzzy characters. We reluctantly tore ourselves away from the kittens with a ton of cute photos, a very classy mug, and a promise to return next year. After spending about an hour getting distracted by an expansive four-story comic and media store right next to Colony, we made our way back to the DLCC to pick up our pre-reg badges.
(Colony photos are on my Facebook)

Next stop: the Pittsburgh Zoo! I'd wanted to go last year when the coupon was being offered, but couldn't make it due to con activities; this year I made sure to schedule time for it. It's quite a sizeable zoo with a large variety of wildlife to see! Most of the animals were lazing about or hiding in the shade due to the heat, but we still managed to see nearly all of them. The cheetahs were lying down in the shady grass farthest from the viewing area - those clever lazy boys! That didn't stop me from taking way more blurry and obscured photos of them than I should have. Mika and I took refuge from the heat in the aquarium building, where we saw a ton of ocean life and got to pet manta rays in the touch tank. It was a very special experience for the both of us. I left the zoo with a new cheetah plush to add to my collection, which I named Andiamo after one of the two cheetah boys I saw that day. Unfortunately, our good mood was dampened by an issue with an Uber driver who couldn't find the zoo entrance and canceled on us, but we eventually managed to make it back to the hotel.
(Zoo photos are on my Facebook too)

In spite of the delay, we managed to get me into fursuit and down to the dock just in time for the sunset fursuit cruise. This was something new that Anthrocon was trying out for the first time this year, and what an experience it was! Mika tends to feel left out whenever I'm in fursuit and she's handling, but she really enjoyed just being with me on the cruise. We explored above and below deck and took a bunch of rather classy photos of me in my formal attire as the sun set over the Allegheny River.

I had never been on a moving riverboat cruise before, and the view was spectacular. I also got to chat, dance, and take pictures with a ton of other fursuiters, including Meulin and Commie, Quibbles, Blu and Bravewolf, Nico, and a really cute little kid who was dancing up a storm!

After the cruise, Mika retired to bed while I checked out the rave for a short while.

FRIDAYThere were no morning activities on the schedule for us, so the rat and I had a leisurely breakfast at Joe and Pie's and browsed the eXchange (the DVD/record store on the corner) before getting me into fursuit and heading over to the con. The first panel we attended was the Fursuiters Meet and Greet, which wasn't quite what I had expected. Instead of a group mingle, it was a lecture-style panel with fursuiters being called up by the presenter to speak, but due to time constraints, only a few people actually got to talk. My stamina in fursuit is limited, and spending an hour of precious in-suit time sitting in a chair is a bit of a waste, so I'll be skipping this panel in future. On the plus side, I got to say hi to Ransu!

After that, we browsed the Dealer's Den and Artist Alley for a bit. I don't typically dress up for furry con themes, least of all sports ones, but I figured it'd be as good an opportunity as any to get some more wear out of my TF2 Scout cosplay. (He's a baseball guy, it totally counts.) A bunch of the dealers got a kick out of it, which was good enough for me! I suited for a little while longer, then went back to the hotel so I could return to the Dealer's Den in a less fuzzy state better suited (no pun intended) to exchanging money for goods. After the Dealer's Den closed, we took a walk to Lidia's Italy for dinner. It was quite a swanky place with a price tag to match, but the food was phenomenal, and I found myself wishing I could take the breadsticks with bean and pesto dip back with us.

The final activity of Friday was the Furry Femme Photoshoot hosted by ShujinTribble. It went very well, and the turnout was even bigger than last year! I had hoped to see Rhea there again, but it seemed she wasn't able to make it this year. There's always next time! I got some photos taken with Nessie, and met the lovely Mieze, who mentioned in conversation that her roommate is also a MagpieBones suiter. I have the photos from the shoot on a CD, which reminds me I still need to go through them and post the best ones here.

SATURDAYThe biggest day of the con - fursuit parade day! Last year I had shown up right before the parade started in an attempt to minimize the amount of time I had to spend in fursuit, which backfired splendidly as I ended up in the back of the pack and had to wait nearly 45 minutes in a cramped and stuffy hall for all the other suiters to file out ahead of me before I even began my parade march. I vowed to get there in a more timely manner this year to avoid all that kerfuffle. Unfortunately, it meant I had to break my rule of de-suiting in public and walk from the hotel to Hall A partially suited. A lot of people don't really mind, but it's something that I take very seriously myself, and though it bothered me to have to do it, I would not have been physically able to suit for as long as I did otherwise. We do what we have to for the sake of fursuiting! That said, everything worked out, and I managed to be actually visible in the group photo this time!

The parade itself went splendidly. Everything moved a lot quicker and more smoothly - whether that was due to the adjustments made by Anthrocon staff or just the fact that there were fewer participants (or both). This was the first year that a fursuit meet and greet with the public was being offered after the parade, which I forewent in order to ensure I got a fursuiter badge. (That was probably for the best, as I heard there was a mix-up with the room or time slot that resulted in a small turnout.)

After picking up my fursuiter badge, it was time for the Instagram meet. Last year, this was an informal photoshoot that took place in front of Hall A, but there were so many participants that they got a room for it this year! Unfortunately, probably due to the fact that it was the first year on the official AC schedule, the panelists were not given a room of the size they requested. The room was packed to capacity 15 minutes after the panel started, and more people were still pouring in. The panelists weren't able to start due to the fact that the room was rapidly becoming a fire hazard, so we all just sat around while they tried frantically to locate an unoccupied room large enough to fit everyone. Some people entertained themselves by making a giant pyramid of fursuit heads. It was nearly 40 minutes into the hour-long timeslot before a suitable room was found and all the fursuiters moved upstairs, which left no real time to do much speaking, so everyone took a ten-minute break and then we all just gathered for the group photo. I was reaching my personal fursuiting maximum, so I did unfortunately have to take my head off once again for a few minutes before the picture.

That said and done, Mika and I returned to the hotel room to de-suit and get cleaned up, followed by an absolutely delightful dinner at Emporio's Meatball Joint. Sadly, they no longer carry the flavored Italian sodas that they did in 2016, but I had some cheesy bread and the Angry Birds bowl (chicken meatballs on mac and cheese), which was to die for. After getting me back into suit, we went down to the waterfront where SeikoLiz was doing a light wand photoshoot. I was really excited to try it as I don't have any Cool Photos(tm) of my fursuit, and they came out awesome! We hung around by the river a little while longer and took some pictures in front of the Rachel Carson bridge all lit up in rainbows. We capped off the night by popping into the rave to get some fursuit footage.

SUNDAYThe final day of the con is usually less activity-driven for us, and when we do most of our shopping. True to form, we arose late and headed to the Dealer's Den and Artist Alley for a final sweep so I could pick up some gifts and purchases for myself. Following that, I got into suit with just enough time to catch the tail end of the Feline Friendly Furry Fiasco (I always have to check that to make sure I have all the words in the right order. :P) No sooner had I entered the room than I was being ushered up to the front by Mizuhiro Neko! Despite being totally unprepared for public speaking (this is why I don't host panels, guys), I talked about cheetahs for a little and did my best to cat around a bit. I sat down and asked Mika if she had been recording my speech... which is when we realized my phone was left back at the hotel room. Welp.Prior to this year, I had never actually met another MagpieBones fursuiter before, let alone seen a professional group photo of MagpieBones suits. Despite me having never organized a con gathering of any kind before, I had taken the initiative to put together a little meetup at AC so we could get photos together. (The world's largest furry con would be the best place to try to find others, after all.) Immediately after the FFFF, I ran over to say hi to everyone and get a head count while Mika retrieved my phone from the room. Unfortunately, Sebastian was also dealing and needed to get back to his table before the photos were taken, but I was able to get pictures with Wyoon, Derecho, Dreamfinder, Baldric, and Fuzzydice (Mieze's roommate)! I also got to talk to Calico Firethorn, who is just the sweetest. A couple of us stuck around to get some outdoor photos courtesy of Abrahm.

By that time, the rat and I were feeling rather peckish, so we went out for dinner. On the way, though, I just had to stop at Starbucks and try one of the famed Furryccinos that they were offering as an Anthrocon special. It tasted like berry and possibly coconut, and looked super cute! I haven't had their unicorn frap that was all the rage earlier this year, but I imagine the ingredients were similar. For dinner, we tried Condado's, the taco restaurant that took the place of Tonic right across from the Westin. One of my fondest Anthrocon memories is of seeing fursuiters and plain-clothes people just hanging out, drinking and laughing together outside of Tonic, so I'll miss it for that, but Condado's is a fine replacement in my opinion. The mural inside looks pretty cool too!

By this time, Anthrocon proper had wrapped up, so without any other furry stuff to do, we went for a swim in the hotel pool. It was quite relaxing, and the pool itself is pretty nice. It wasn't very supervised when we went, so maybe I can get some fursuit pictures in there next year... I shouldn't push my luck, though. Swimming worked us up an appetite yet again, but all our go-to eateries were closed, we made the trek to Market Square for sandwiches at Primantis. (I don't particularly prefer their food, but everyone else seems to love it.)Returning to the hotel, we passed two people in cars who were giving rides around the city to fursuiters. One was pulling into the front of the Westin and picking them up by the carload! Maybe I'll get to catch a ride next year. We started to head back to our room, but stopped when we heard the sound of music. Someone was playing Beatles songs on the piano on the second floor, and a bunch of people had gathered around to sing along and dance. It was such a sweet moment that I feel captures the cameraderie and overall feeling of Anthrocon pretty well.

Well, if you've read this whole thing, I certainly commend you! AC is always the highlight of my year, and I'm already looking forward to the next one.

Anthro New England 2018

See my Anthro New England photos here!This review is still under construction.
In the meantime, please enjoy my ANE 2018 convention video below.

Furpocalypse 2018 Con Review

This review was adapted into an episode of my video series Cheetah Chat, which can be viewed here.

Furpocalypse is a Halloween-themed furry convention located in Cromwell, CT, a spiritual successor to the now-defunct FurFright con of a similar nature. I had not planned to attend Furpocalypse at all, but was presented with the opportunity to go for free after winning a contest. Since this was a bit of a last-minute thing, I did not attend for the full duration of the convention, and I did not stay at the con hotel.

Even though I did not pay, I still had to pre-register for Furpoc on their website. This didn't go smoothly at all. The registration page was extremely slow and hung for minutes at a time, even when I tried using different browsers. Other attendees on Twitter reported having the same issue. Some people were so frustrated they gave up and said they'd just pay the extra few bucks to register once they got to the con. Furpoc staff did mention they intend to get a new payment processor next year, so hopefully that will be cleared up by then.
Picking up my badge at the convention was quick and easy. I arrived on Saturday morning and there was no line at all. They even let me in earlier than the time printed on the schedule! Oh, and they gave out free pronoun ribbons for badges, which was much appreciated.

The Dealer's Den was well laid-out with plenty of space between rows. There was lots of room for shoppers to navigate, even folks in costume or using mobility aids, and I never felt crowded. A great variety of vendors were represented - plush, apparel, fursuits, premade art, commissions, accessories, novelties - a little something for everyone.
Sadly, the Artist's Alley was practically nonexistent. I think there were less than 10 sellers present! With that small of a turnout, I feel this could have just been rolled in as part of the Dealer's Den. The Artist's Alley was also in a bad location next to the con store row. I noticed there was often a long line of people waiting to cash out at the con store, which blocked the Artist tables and prevented people from browsing their wares.
The con store was not labeled and I had a hard time finding it. Once I got there, my initial reaction was Oh... That's it? The only items on offer were a 2018 shirt (sold out by the time I arrived), a glass cup, a plastic cup, and old stuff from previous years of Furpoc. There was no sign listing what they had for sale or how much they cost. I ended up not buying anything from the con store.
For a Halloween themed furry convention, I was expecting more vendors to have Halloween themed items for sale. A lot of people were giving out candy and Halloween party favors at their tables, but the actual merchandise on offer was just standard furry con fare.

The fursuit games were great! I had wanted to participate, but I totally zonked out the night before and didn't wake up with enough time to get into suit. The activities were unique and really fun for both fursuiters and the audience.
I loved the Furpoc dances, and attended on both Friday and Saturday nights. The DJs played good music, the room was spacious and not too dark. There was no water in the rooms, but there was a fan by the door that helped fursuiters cool off without needing to leave for the headless lounge as much.The fursuit parade was a bit of a debacle. I believe it was supposed to go outside, but was restricted indoors due to inclement weather. The parade did not go through the dealer's den at all, which I found an interesting choice considering that the fursuit parade was originally started as a way to let dealers, who are forced to miss most daytime events at furry cons due to being stuck behind a table for 6 hours, experience at least a little bit of the fun.
I was most dismayed by the fact that they didn't wait for all the fursuiters to finish filing into the room before taking the fursuit group photo. I happened to be in the rear of the parade line, and there were quite a few folks still behind me. I could hear people shouting to look at the camera as I was just coming up the zoo ramp, and I ran into the room as quick as I could, but by then all the photographers up top were already turning and leaving. Because of this, I'm not in any of the group photos - not that you'd be able to tell, as Furpoc still hasn't posted their group photo on their website or social media. There was a full hour of time allotted for the fursuit parade, so I don't understand why everyone was in such a rush. At least I was able to get a fursuiter tag.Furpoc boasted some fun events I hadn't seen at other cons before, like Friday night trick-or-treating and late-night karaoke. I'm not sure if karaoke was actually a Furpoc thing or a thing the hotel did, but regardless, it was fun getting to see fursuiters and cosplayers do karaoke.
I just wish the trick-or-treating was held on Saturday night of the convention too! I arrived late Friday night, and by the time I got situated in my room, suited up, and traveled over to the main hotel, most of the rooms had stopped giving out candy. I only got to trick-or-treat at one room, and since I was the last fursuiter of the night they just dumped all their candy into my bag. Hey, that worked for me! But still, maybe Furpoc will look into extending Trick-or-Treating for more than just one night.

Furpoc had most of the regular con offerings - tabletop gaming room, video gaming room, the zoo - all were pretty good.
One thing missing from Furpoc that I've gotten used to seeing at furry conventions was a photo booth room for fursuiters, and non-suited attendees, to take photos. I understand if the convention wasn't able to find a photographer to work with them, but a space could have provided a space for attendees to take their own photos in. I feel like they really missed the opportunity to set up spooky backgrounds or give people fun Halloween props to pose with.

Furpoc did have a wide variety of panels lined up. However, the panels were not printed in the conbook, nor even included as a paper insert added after the fact. The panels were shown on TV screens throughout the con space, as well as on their webpage at sched.com, but if someone didn't look in either of those two places, they wouldn't have known what was going on at any given time. That online schedule was only ever shared on Twitter, not even linked on Furpocalypse's main webpage. I found this rather disappointing - you can't expect everyone to have a Twitter account, and if people don't know about events, they're not gonna show up for them!
One of my biggest gripes was very lackluster scheduling, especially on Sunday. There was a period of almost 2 hours on Sunday afternoon where the only event occurring at the entirety of Furpocalypse was a car show... outside... in the parking lot. I understand that things can be out of the con's hands if panelists bail last-minute or if not a lot of people sign up to run panels, but guys, c'mon. You have to give your attendees something to do. There are only so many times you can walk from one end of the hotel to the other before you've seen everything. People shouldn't be bored at a convention! I feel bad for the folks who were only able to attend on Sunday!

One thing I must is that there was no shortage of accommodations. There were many hotels located in the vicinity of the convention, including one right across the street where I stayed, and they were all rather affordable. The Furpoc hotel is located right off a major highway, which is convenient for traveling there, but a big downside is that there are no walkable food places or points of interest around the convention. As I mentioned, I found myself bored and looking for something to do for a good bit of my Furpoc time. At a con like Anthrocon or Anthro New England, this is normally the part where I would go sightseeing, take some fursuit pictures in a cool photo op spot, or find a local restaurant to grab a bite. All there was to do outside Furpoc was play IRL Frogger across a 4-lane highway. If you attend Furpoc without a car, you will probably struggle when it comes to finding places to eat and things to do.The hotel itself was quite humid and damp, which I highly suspect has to do with the fact that there is a fully uncovered indoor pool right smack dab in the middle of the hotel. A couple times, I came in from the outside and my glasses fogged up from all the moisture in the air. I'm not gonna lie, there were moments where I had a hard time breathing, especially when I walked past the pool and the stench of chlorine hit my nose. Blegh.

I took notice of the fact that Panel Area 3 was not wheelchair accessible. This wasn't even a room, more like an awkward landing area with tables and chairs, but it held some big events like the Fursuiting 101 panel and the sketchbook swap. This panel area could only be accessed by one of two flights of stairs, and attendees with wheelchairs or other kinds of mobility aids could not and were not able to go to those events. Disability advocacy is something I take very seriously, and in today's day and age there isn't an excuse for these things to be overlooked by con management. Have folks with disabilities on staff, contact contact a member of your local Barrier Free Committee, do whatever it takes to make sure your convention is accessible to all.

It just wouldn't be a Furpocalypse review if I didn't bring up the (big, moldy, leaky, ramshackle) elephant in the room. I had heard tales of the fabled "Furpoc mushrooms" in the past, and while I didn't see any actual fungi while I was there, I was surprised at the substandard condition of the hotel. Around Friday night or Saturday morning, the ceiling in the main entryway started leaking, which put one of the automatic doors out of order for the whole rest of the weekend. They put some buckets under it, but you could see the dark wet spot on the carpet getting bigger and bigger as the days went on, and I got some really nice photos of "Lake Negligence," as I affectionately started calling it. Ah yes, filthy rainwater dripping from the ceiling to make a puddle in the doorway. That's a great thing to have at a gathering of people wearing delicate outfits worth several thousand dollars.
I went by the pool only once, to take some fursuit photos. We were in the middle of shooting when one of the people I was with said "Hey, something just dripped on me!" I looked up and sure enough, there was a ceiling tile missing right over my head. If I was standing just a little bit to the left, my fursuit would've gotten hit with that nasty water. I noped outta there right quick!
Thankfully, I did not have to spend the night at the hotel. If I hadn't been able to secure lodging offsite, free attendance be damned, I would not have attended. During and after the con weekend, social media was abuzz with images and reports of the stellar accommodations experienced by people rooming at the con hotel, including leaky ceilings, crumbling walls, and lots and lots of mold.

In an attempt to end on a positive note: I went to this convention on my own, without my partner or any of my usual friends with me, and I was worried I'd be lonely. I was blown away by how many people actually came up to me to say hi and to tell me they enjoyed my videos. It's very meaningful to know that people recognize and appreciate my work. Every picture, every hug, and every dance made my Furpocalypse experience as bright as it could be under the circumstances.

Anthrocon 2019

This report is still under construction.
In the meantime, please enjoy my AC 2019 con video below.

Megaplex 2020

Here we are in 2020, and the global pandemic is understandably hitting the furry community quite hard. With all physical conventions canceled for the foreseeable future, I sought out an alternative to the typical con experience. While many cons have quickly adapted to the online format and started putting together virtual experiences for their attendees, my pool was narrowed by the fact that I was specifically looking for cons with webcam-based virtual programming - ruling out anything hosted in VR Chat or Minecraft.

Sorry folks, I ain't no square. (Image c/o @mosspond_)

An artist I follow on Twitter posted about their plans to deal at the upcoming Megaplex Online. This seemed right up my alley! It was being hosted on Hopin, a platform I was already familiar with, and I found a coupon code that would knock a few bucks off my registration fee. Based in Florida, Megaplex was outside of my physical convention travel range - thus not one I'd ever been able to attend in person - though I'd heard good things about it.A quick look at Megaplex's site told me that they were still accepting panel submissions. Prior to 2020, the types of events I had experience hosting at cons were limited to meetups and photoshoots. I had never given a lecture style panel before, believing I didn't have anything worth sharing with the community at large. However, I'd recently attended a friend's panel at a virtual Brony convention, and I felt confident that I could do something like that as well! I figured I'd go ahead and apply for a panel slot at Megaplex, and the worst that could happen would be that I was turned down.

But what to talk about? The topic had to be relatable to a wide range of viewers, broad enough for me to discuss for an hour, and catchy enough to land a slot on a convention's programming roster. After hemming and hawing, I decided to discuss things to do at home in a fursuit without having to rely on external events. I titled this "Fursuiting in the Time of Quarantine."Not long after sending in my submission, I received an email reply. My panel was approved! My initial excitement quickly morphed into anxiety as I realized the pressure was now on, and I had less than a month to put together my first ever convention panel! I spent the next couple weeks with my nose to the keyboard: writing up an outline, fleshing it out into a full-fledged lecture, building a presentation as a visual aid, practicing (and timing) my script, and sourcing photo submissions from fellow fursuiters on social media to spice up my slideshow.

Don't forget the info graphics and promotional images!

T-minus a few days from Megaplex, with my panel ready to go, I started preparing for the con as I normally would. I posted a video to Youtube and Twitter informing everyone of my upcoming panel, and how to register for Megaplex so they could come watch! I checked the con schedule to see what else was going on, and applied for a few other events, like the online fursuit parade and Furry Jeopardy. The Megaplex staff was very responsive and made sure to keep us panelists in the loop. Right before the con weekend, they held a test session for panelists to familiarize themselves with the Hopin presentation platform and ensure their webcams and broadcasting software were all set to go. As a first-timer, I found this extremely helpful, and it helped put my mind at ease.The day before I was set to present my panel, I was contacted by the host of the Megaplex Furry Jeopardy game - I'd passed the prelims and was being invited on as a participant! I was a bit thrown by the short notice, but excitedly agreed. I love trivia, even having tried out for the real Jeopardy show in my youth, and the timing wouldn't conflict with my Fursuiting in the Time of Quarantine panel. My fellow contestants were Gale Frostbane and Phaeux.

Playing Jeopardy was a barrel of fun. I ended up placing second, for which I won a pawprint throw pillow and a fox print mug. As the game wrapped up, we were all surprised when the host announced that we hadn't just been playing for fun, but to benefit the con charity as well! Our point totals were to be converted into dollar amounts donated to the CARE Foundation, and for my second-place win, I had earned the charity $100 in my name. The Jeopardy game ended with a combined total of $300 donated!A second shock came in the form of an invitation for me to return as the Megaplex Jeopardy champion in 2021. I quickly informed the host that I lived much too far away from Florida to travel to Megaplex in person, but if the convention had online elements the following year, I would be elated to accept the position of returning champion! None of us can predict the state of the world come August of 2021, so we'll just have to wait and see.After a few hours' break, it came time for me to present my panel. Though I had practiced quite a bit and taken the time to test out the presenting software, there's a lot that can go wrong with live broadcasts and I was starting to feel the nerves. Thankfully, the panel went off with nary a hitch. The software enabled me to broadcast my webcam and visual aid simultaneously, with a live chat running alongside the stream for viewers to comment in real time. I was heartened by seeing a few familiar names and "faces" in the crowd who showed up to support me at my first online convention panel. The Hopin broadcasting platform was wonderfully receptive, with zero lag (a fact I'd soon come to realize is not at all the norm for virtual furry conventions, and something I would sorely miss in the future). This enabled me to react instantly to questions in the chat during my Q&A segment, and I was delighted to see viewers conversing with each other too.

An image from my panel. There were over 47 concurrent attendees!

Throughout the rest of the convention weekend, I had a great time playing Jackbox games with other furries in the live gaming rooms on Hopin. Jackbox games are great for parties - the experience only gets better the more people you have playing - and have become quite the fixture at furry conventions. I felt that the experience was a fine analogue to the physical-con practice of wandering down to the Zoo or Games Room, seeing who's hanging around there, and hopping into a game with people you've never met before, to just share a chat and a laugh together.On Sunday, the Megaplex Virtual Fursuit Parade was broadcast. The con had requested fursuit photos from attendees beforehand, which we could now watch "parading" across the screen as a moving slideshow set to music. The other attendees and I watched with great excitement, commenting on the most eye-catching suits, pointing out friends we recognized, and typing excitedly in the chat whenever we saw ourselves on the screen. With the fursuiters' names and locations listed right below each image, it was so much easier to identify fursuiters than at a physical fursuit parade. The parade video looped when done, so even latecomers didn't have to worry about missing a single fursuiter.

The first fursuit parade in which I didn't break a sweat.

Megaplex also had a scheduled fursuit meet and greet, where anyone who wanted could jump into the room via webcam and chat with other fursuiters. As you can imagine, managing a group of 20 people on a video call was rather chaotic, but that's kinda what physical conventions are like too! Non-suiters could also watch and interact via the text chat. I had a blast suiting and getting to know everyone, and some of the folks I met in that chat room I remain friends with to this day.

Like any convention, Megaplex did eventually have to end. A timer at the top right of the screen ticked down the last few hours, minutes, and finally seconds until the client would no longer be accessible. As panel and socialization room links stopped functioning, one of the last remaining areas was the general hangout room. People who were still online in the wee hours of Sunday-into-Monday-morning all squeezed into that last working chat space, some on voice or even video while others kept up the conversation via text chat. Out of everything I experienced at Megaplex Online, I found this one encounter to be the most memorable. I was quite taken aback at how a virtual experience could truly mirror that feeling of people piling into a common space during the last hours of a con, determined to keep the party going for as long as physically possible. In this moment, I could feel the true spirit of a furry convention.
A virtual event could never replace in-person conventions, but if all online cons could be just like my Megaplex experience, I feel like we definitely have an authentic and viable way of continuing these invaluable social gatherings.

Anthro New England 2022

See my photos from the con here.

ANE marked my first in-person convention since 2019. The decision was not made without heavy consideration. I chose ANE for several reasons:
- I'd been to ANE before and was familiar with the logistics of the con, hotel, and trip - and what changes I could make for safety.
- ANE mandated full vaccination and mask wearing at all times in con space for all attendees. The hotel itself would also enforce these policies on non-convention guests.
- I knew ANE staff and trusted them to put their money where their mouth was in regards to making sure the con was as safe as possible for everyone.
- I would be enacting personal safety protocol on my end, including double masking with N95s and cloth masks, using hand sanitizer and gloves when touching people or shared surfaces, a no touch policy when fursuiting, and avoiding high-risk scenarios like group pictures, parties, and going out to eat with others.

THURSDAYWe arrived at the con late on Thursday night, and did not have time to pick up our pre-registration badges. I was a bit anxious over how that'd affect our plans for the next day, but busied myself with the more productive action of unpacking and settling into our hotel room. Despite booking the same type as last time, our accommodations seemed smaller and less impressive. My initial thought was that we'd accidentally been booked into a Run Of House room. Fortunately, we weren't sharing with roommates or hosting parties this time as part of our COVID precautions; despite the cramped layout, the room served us well for the weekend.

The pandemic hit everyone hard - especially the BPP hotel. :/ 2019 (L) vs. 2022 (R)

FRIDAYWe woke up early to pick up our badges from pre-reg. All in all, the wait wasn't too long, though I was still glad for it to be over as I didn't see anyone besides myself attempting to social distance. ANE had a QR code scanning system in place that expedited things.After that, I got into fursuit and dropped Mika off at the sketchbook swap panel in the Zoo. While she got her doodle on, I headed out for an artistic pursuit of a different kind - a photoshoot with Pine Raven, whom I'd previously shot with at ANE 2019. After years away from conventions, it was so pleasing to walk and talk with a friend again. I was very excited to take pictures showcasing the landmarks of Boston, including a statue of Edgar Allan Poe! We also ran into Dew Shep and other friends along the way.

(Some photos are still being processed - here's what I have for now)

The sketchbook swap was just wrapping up when Pine and I returned from our jaunt. I took the opportunity to test the dexterity of my new auxiliary paws from The Forgotten Imp. Not many folks can sketch in fursuit, I imagine!

ANE has one of my favorite photo booths of any furry convention. It's always stocked with cute and fun props that match the yearly theme, and this instance was no exception. I was thrilled to see a fursuit sized Ty hang tag, as I was a huge collector of Beanie Babies in the 1990s and even wore a Beanie Baby-themed badge to ANE!
The photos came out great, and really highlighted the dye job I painstakingly performed so that my hair would match the purple, pink, green, and teal hues in my vintage 1990s windbreaker and t-shirt. Doktor and the other photogra-furs are truly masters of their craft.
Another surprise was the option to have your photos printed out instantly as a keepsake. I hope more cons take a page out of ANE's book!

We popped into the PC Games of the '90s panel and took some time to browse the Dealer's Den and Artist Alley before heading back up to the room to get me out of fursuit. Mika and I were both pretty hungry by then, so we had a dinner of sushi, her favorite. I then checked out the dance and played some Jubeat in the games room. Fittingly, Friends was playing on the TV when I returned to our hotel room, so I was able to keep the ANE spirit going even as I wound down for the night.

SATURDAYMy new outdoor-compatible feetpaws were unfortunately not broken in after one day of use. First order of business on Saturday morning was to make a convenience store run for band-aids and blister supplies. While out, I grabbed breakfast from Mike and Patty's, which was offering a discount for ANE attendees.I normally make a point of participating in fursuit group photos and parades at cons, when applicable. However, I was worried about crowding in with so many people in one room, given ANE hadn't indicated social distancing would be enforced during the group picture. The march outside through the Boston Commons was tempting, considering my new feetpaws were built just for the occasion, but I ultimately decided it'd be more trouble than it was worth.The pin trading panel exceeded my expectations! I made a bunch of swaps - obtaining more pins for my cheetah collection, helping people obtain their dream trades, and even getting a little gift for Mika. I could only catch the tail end of the Lady Furs meetup, which was very subdued. Most were already clearing out of the room to allow the trading post swap to set up. However, I did get to say hi to Drifa!The trading post panel could best be described as an extension of the pin swap. In addition to enamel pins, folks had stickers, rare coins, collectibles, fursuit supplies, custom art, and general geek miscellany up for grabs. Mika set up her sketchbook for art trades while I offered my pins and ANE exclusive stickers. I found myself wishing I'd brought along even more furry memorabilia to exchange. Hopefully, we see similar panels arise at future conventions.

After a small rest and regroup at the hotel room, Mika and I sat in on some very educational trans panels. Feeling quite hungry from a long day, we sought breakfast for dinner at the Friendly Toast, an ANE staple for us.
I then got into fursuit and put on my cyberpunk-inspired rave outfit. Not quite enough leather and too much color to read as the Matrix, but appropriate for a 90s themed furcon rave nonetheless!
Dancing at a furry con rave is so freeing. We actually ran into some local friends of Mika's on the dance floor. I was able to check two events off my furcon bucket list - dancing on stage in fursuit (which I'm still seeking footage of - I know it was recorded!) and getting my fursuit scanned by the Furcon AI bot (I am not a muzzle, but nice try).

SUNDAYSunday is generally a chill con day for me, allowing us to get some rest after a late night raving, browse the Dealer's Den for final-day deals, and wrap up any loose ends. My delightful rat surprised me with a breakfast scone and tea from the Starbucks in the Boston Park Plaza lobby, which I supplemented with some 1990s snacks, of course. (Can you tell I was really into the theme this year?)
I'd hoped to get some photo room pictures in my third outfit (paying homage to The Lion King, a formative piece of 1990s media for me), but as I approached the hall I met the unwelcome sight of a line already stretching past the corner. The photo room would close at 3 PM, and I could tell there was no way I - and likely, the poor saps near the end of the line already - would have a turn before closing. I wasn't about to gamble several hours of my last con day on a maybe, so I forewent booth pics in the hopes that I'd run into a photographer or two on the con floor and end up with some candids.
Leaving the photo room at the same time was Pine, who mentioned wanting pictures with the Edgar Allan Poe statue outside. Mika and I gladly volunteered a hand (and paw), so off we went. We shot some solos of Pine and a couple pics of us together. A Boston tour bus stopped by while we were shooting, and the passengers certainly got more than they bargained for that day - a real live Raven visiting Edgar Allan Poe! (Plus a bonus cheetah, of course.)

We headed back inside the Boston Park Plaza after our little jaunt and bid farewell to Pine. I made a final sweep of the Dealer's Den and Artist Alley with Mika, picking up some final day purchases and making a trade at the Fursona Pins swap board (another brilliant idea). Mika headed off to do her thing while I prowled con space saying hello to friends and taking more footage for my con video. I received word that all Jubeat participants were entitled to a prize - off to the games room to claim mine!Our final day's dinner was from Thai Basil, a spur-of-the-moment choice that I don't regret. I then got into fursuit for one final romp. Though things were visibly winding down, there were still plenty of folks around looking to wring every last drop out of their convention weekend. I was treated to an impromptu acoustic performance of Hey Ya by Scurrow and Mortis, and spent some quality time with the ever-alluring Strobes.Loath as I was to call it quits, my poor paws had had about as much as they could take. My sights were set on having a nice luxurious soak in the tub with a gothic bath bomb I'd packed just for the occasion. It was, indeed, quite relaxing until the fire alarm went off. Fortunately, it was just a drill, and no cheetahs were made to trudge outside into the below-freezing streets of Boston sopping wet.We capped off our ANE vacation with chocolate mice from LA Burdick Chocolatier. I'll certainly miss them, but I hope to attend ANE in 2023 at its new location. Time will tell!

Furnal Equinox 2023

See my photos from the con here.

Intro

#shetanicomix

I can't draw. That doesn't stop me from doing it, though.
An eclectic autobiographical series which my friends convinced me to post online.

overwatch

no fun allowed once you hit puberty

"If you want to see a panel at a furry con, you should host one"

The Online Experience

when the barista spells your name wrong

Out of Touch

Text Interviews

📰 Furry Weekly Issue #232, "Character Interview," July 2022
(Archive)

Audio Interviews

🎙️Furry Trash Podcast Episode 64, August 2021🎙️ Furry Trash Podcast Episode 38, November 2020

Video Interviews

🎥 Benji the Beagle Season 4 Episode 1, November 2021🎥 Furry Trash Podcast Episode 64, August 2021🎥 Bear-ly An Interview with Arctic Random, April 2021🎥 Fursuiters World Episode 43, "What the Fandom Has Done for Us," September 2020🎥George Price's Furry Documentary, April 2018

Features

See the following YouTube playlist for videos and collaborations in which I've been featured over the years.🖥️ Featuring Shetani 🖥️

I'm open for interviews of all kinds, as well as script consultation work for films, shows, and novels pertaining to the furry subculture. Contact me via any of the links at the bottom of the page to set up an interview!

Stream Commands

I livestream at youtube.com/Shetani/live. Here's a list of all the chat commands you can use during my streams!

Chat Redeems

Earn Purr Points by watching the livestream and being active in the chat. Purr Points can be redeemed for all sorts of fun and wacky things!
Type !points in the stream chat to see how many Purr Points you've earned so far.
(If the commands are not working in chat, please click here to do your redeems)

In addition to my public Youtube streams, I host impromptu private streams with friends & supporters on my Discord server. Ko-Fi donors and Treatstream supporters get an invite to the server as well as a special thank-you!

★Game Specific Redeems ★

★Special Redeems for Guest Stream★

🥳 WOOHOO! 🥳

You did it! You bought a thing from my Ko-Fi shop! Thank you so much for sponsoring a session of Shetani Plays!

How does this work?

Essentially, you've handed me the money to pay for your game of choice, and I will use that to purchase the game for myself online. I'm cutting out the middleman of needing to exchange Steam IDs, give our personal info out to each other, and all that messy stuff.
I encourage you to look up the public Steam page of any game I have listed in my Ko-Fi shop to confirm that the listing is at or below the market price of the game. Please be assured I make no profit from this, you are simply facilitating the purchase of the game itself. It's as if you purchased the CD-ROM (remember those?) from a game store and gave it to me in a pretty box with a big bow on top. 🎁
I'll stream at least one session of Shetani Plays with the game you got me, in fursuit. You'll be able to chat with me and the other viewers live while I play - it'll be like we're all hanging out on the couch playing games together!

When will you stream the game I gave you?

It depends! I'll definitely get in touch with you to coordinate the stream for a day and time you can be there. The gameplay video(s) will be recorded and uploaded publicly on my YouTube channel, so even if you can't participate in the entire livestream, you'll always be able to go back and watch the Shetani Plays video later.

How long will it take?

How soon the stream will happen after purchase is dependent on a few factors, like my health, life obligations, or whether I have another game lined up to stream at the time. Also, I might want to keep your game for a special occasion or holiday - for example, saving a horror game to play around Halloween time.

The games I put up on Ko-Fi have a minimum playtime of several hours. Games that are short will result in a shorter stream than games that are long. If the game has a narrative storyline to complete (e.g. The Walking Dead) or a win condition (e.g. Armello), I will endeavor to finish/achieve that, or at the very least get as close as I can. Sandbox games (e.g. Planet Zoo) I'll play for as long as I'm having fun. 😺 As I mentioned on Ko-Fi, I guarantee at least one gameplay video, during which I'm completely in fursuit.
If I'm really bad at a certain game or genre, it might take me a while to finish it, LOL. Remember these are all recorded LIVE and anything can happen!

For any other questions, feel free to contact me in the usual places.
The game you got me is one I genuinely have an interest in playing, so I'm really excited to try it out! Thanks again!

Shetani’s Partial Fursuit Costume Contest

2019 Winner - Athra

2020 Winner - Kirin

2021 Winner - Samson

Thanks for your interest in entering my contest, returning for the 4th year in a row! Halloween is my favorite holiday, and of course, dressing up in costume is one of the highlights. As a partial fursuiter, I love how my partial allows me to express myself in different ways based on my choice of attire, an often overlooked feature of partials. With everything going on in the world right now, and many folks still unable to attend in-person Halloween celebrations and conventions, we can use an opportunity to dress up in suit even at home!

👻🦇🎃 Rules 🎃🦇👻

- Partial fursuits onlyThis contest is intended to celebrate partial fursuiters, recognize the versatility of partials, and showcase the multitude of fun and unique ways they can be transformed with clothing and accessories! Fullsuits will not be accepted for this contest.
A fullsuit may be separated into pieces and worn as a partial, as long as you are not wearing your bodysuit under the costume in your entry. Half-suits can omit their chest piece or leg pants and still enter.
A “partial fursuit” is here defined as a completed fursuit head and any combination containing at least one of the following, such that a “bodysuit” or torso covering in the same material is not included: hand paws (or hooves, wings, etc.), arm sleeves, feet paws (or hooves, talons, etc.), leg sleeves, tail, wings.

- Fursuit must be dressed in a costumeWrite who or what your fursuit is dressed as in your entry comment. A partial with the wearer’s or character’s regular clothes will not be accepted.
Some ideas include: cosplays, celebrities, anthro pop culture characters, Halloween classics (e.g. maid, witch, zombie), kigurumi, handmade or store-bought… get creative and have fun!Note: Partial fursuits that are inherently a copyrighted or established furry character will not be accepted.
❌: a fursuit of Lola Bunny from Space Jam
✔️: your original rabbit fursona wearing Lola Bunny’s basketball uniform

- No photos from before 2022Only photos taken from January 1, 2022 onward may be submitted.

- Enter using your own Twitter accountAll entries must be made on Twitter as detailed in the “How it works” section below. I’m not accepting submissions through any other website, social media, or online platform on which this contest may be promoted.
Entering on behalf of a friend is not allowed. All candidates must have their own Twitter account. Creating one is free and takes minutes.
Please have your Twitter DMs open so I can contact you with your prizes if you win. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

- The fursuit must belong to youI will not accept entries of:
❌ you wearing someone else’s fursuit, or someone else wearing yours
❌ a picture you took of a different fursuiter
❌ a fursuit you made but don’t own
❌ a fursuit you owned in the past but no longer possess
❌ random fursuit pictures you found online
❌ your friend who doesn’t have Twitter
etc.

- No harmful or offensive costumesAny costume that is deemed to promote hatred, discrimination, hostility, or harmful sentiment towards any protected class, group, race, individual, etc. will be disqualified.
(I don’t think we’ll need to worry about this, but you never know.)

- You must be 18 years of age or older to enterSelf-explanatory.If you have any questions at all, or would like to clarify beforehand whether your entry is valid, please don’t hesitate to DM me on Twitter!

👻🦇🎃 How It Works 🎃🦇👻

✔️ Reply to the contest tweet {LINK} on Twitter with a photo of your partial fursuit in costume.
✔️ Only submit ONE PHOTO with your fursuit as the sole subject. Multiple pictures will be hidden/disqualified. Group photos will be disqualified. Ideally you should be taking a photo just for this contest, so there’s no excuse to not meet the parameters.
✔️ Write your fursuit/character’s name and what their costume is.
✔️ Feel free to add any info you might like us to know about your costume, such as why you chose it, or if you made it yourself!Please submit a clear and well-lit photo that shows as much of your costume as possible. You are not being judged on professionalism of the photo, quality of your partial suit and/or the costume; however, keep in mind this will be put to public vote and people like things that look nice :)Entries are open until Wednesday, November 2, 2022. I recognize that for many, Halloween is the only opportunity to dress up, so everyone has a bit of extra time to get submissions in.You may enter multiple different fursuits that you own. Each entry must be a different partial wearing a different costume, and of course, all previous rules must be adhered to.
Max 1 prize per entrant. Submitting multiple fursuits will not qualify you to win more than one prize.After submissions close, a poll of all entries will be created and posted to my social media. The public will then vote for their favorite costume. Voting will run until Wednesday, November 9th, after which the votes will be tallied and winners announced.First and Second Place will be awarded by popular vote, as tallied by the public poll.
Judge’s Choice will go to the costume I (Shetani) liked the best!

👻🦇🎃 Prizes 🎃🦇👻

First Place
- First place ribbon to wear on your fursuit
- Trick-or-treat prize pack
- A customized digital certificate to print out and proudly display!Second Place
- Second place ribbon to wear on your fursuit
- Trick-or-treat prize pack
- A customized digital certificate to print out and proudly display!Judge’s Choice
- A digital icon of your furry character by CeruleanRodent
- A customized digital certificate to print out and proudly display!* Winners may opt out of physical prizes if they do not feel comfortable receiving items in the mail.*All winners will be announced publicly on my Twitter!

👻🦇🎃 F.A.Q. 🎃🦇👻

- Is poodling allowed?
- Yes, but you can't wear only a head (see Rule 1).- Are petsuits allowed?
- Yes, you may wear a petsuit or similar printed spandex bodysuit underneath your partial and costume.- Are dinomasks allowed?
- Yes, in combination with gloves, feet, tail, or other fursuit parts (see Rule 1).- Are unfinished fursuit headbases allowed?
- No.- Are cloth face masks (example) allowed?
- No.- I have a 3/4 suit or a fullsuit, can I still enter?
- See Rule 1.- Here are some pictures of my friend @FurryName's really cool costume! Is this a valid entry?
- No, you can't enter as a proxy (see Rule 4). Your friend has to make their own submission.- Can I submit 4 pictures and just let you pick the one you like best?
- Nope, you must pick the photo yourself. It would not be fair if my choice influenced the votes. Your entry will be deleted if you do this.- Can I enter the same costume multiple years in a row?
- Yes, however the picture must be new each time. See Rule 3.

Submissions close Wednesday, November 2nd
Voting ends Wednesday, November 9th

Thank you for reading, and I hope you have lots of fun entering my contest!

Staff and Volunteer Resume

Social Media ManagementScripting posts, writing copy, and editing to meet platform character limits.
Mirroring posts across a variety of accounts.
Creating promotional visuals in 2-dimensional image, 3-dimensional model (VR), and video formats, both from scratch and incorporating provided graphical assets.
Developing balanced post schedules for time frames ranging from 2 months to a full year.
Queuing posts on a host of online platforms and pushing live updates and announcements on the fly.
Answering customer inquiries via public and private messages in a timely manner.
Moderating online communities with over 300 active members.
Performing non-invasive background checks and vetting join requests to secure online communities.
Developing screening protocols and disciplinary procedures.Eufuria (May 2023 - Present)
- Twitter
- Fediverse (Mastodon)
- Bluesky
- Telegram
- YouTubeDigital Villainy Summit (January 2024 - Present)
- Fediverse (Mastodon)
- Bluesky
- DiscordFurry Weekly (June 2023 - Present)
- Fediverse (Mastodon)
- YouTubeCovid Safe Furs (December 2023 - Present)
- Fediverse (Mastodon)The Energetic Convention (September 2022 - February 2023)
- Twitter

MerchandisingResearching and developing novel products entirely from scratch.
Designing product packaging.
Negotiating contracts and communicating with vendors and merchandise producers around the globe.
Working in synergy with graphic designers and artists to create product design to specifications.
Selecting merchandise partners with a priority on community members (self-identified furries), small businesses, LGBTQ+ and POC creators, recycled and/or handmade goods.
Quick, efficient, adaptive problem-solving to overcome unexpected production issues while maintaining professional relationships and meeting deadlines.Product examples: looseleaf tea blends, premium mugs, enamel pins, stickers, buttons, keychains, convention books, badge ribbons, mascot costumes (fursuits). Samples available upon request.Eufuria (May 2023 - Present)

AccessibilityTranscribing captions for pre-recorded videos in short and long formats.
Burning closed captions into video tracks.
Timing open captions for online posting.
Writing alternative text for images and videos shared to social media.
Webpage visual impairment compatibility consulting.Eufuria (May 2023 - Present)Anthro Irish (August 2024 - Present)Covid Safe Furs (December 2023 - Present)Digital Villainy Summit (January 2024 - Present)Furry Weekly (June 2023 - Present)The Energetic Convention (September 2022 - February 2023)

Here are all the places I can be actively found online. You're welcome to add or follow me as long as you're over 18!

• Fediverse (Mastodon)
• YouTube
• Weasyl
• Instagram
• Ko-Fi
• Refsheet

or send me an email

Here are some links to my friends and really cool people!

←Fediring→

You can use this to link back to me:

The following sites are no longer updated but remain listed for verification/archival purposes.

Twitter
Patreon
Facebook
Tumblr
Furry Network
Furiffic
FurryLife Online
Pillowfort
Listography
Toyhouse
Cohost

Fediverse (Mastodon)
YouTube
Weasyl
Instagram
Ko-Fi
Refsheet

Here is an example of a link in one text box: Link 1

Here is a link in a second text box, which still works: Link 2

Here are two links in the same text box: Link 3 and Link 4. As you can see, Carrd tries to parse it as subscript markdown and the formatting breaks.

Testing Link 5 and Link 6