MY FURRY-TALE LOVE STORY

HOLLY AND HER FIANCÉ CHRIS FOUND EACH OTHER THROUGH A VERY UNUSUAL HOBBY!

- Emma Levett

Holly Watson excitedly wriggles into her enormous black-and-white furry costume. Adjusting her bushy tail, she waits for her fiancé, Chris, to pass her the huge yellow head. Then, with a deep breath, she pulls it down over her own.

In an instant she’s transformed – no longer Holly, a 28-year-old nurse from Brisbane, Qld, but Katsu, a half-cat, half-cockatiel creation ready to cause mischief and fun.

But Holly isn’t an entertainer or even heading to a fancy dress party. She’s a ‘Furry’ – the name was given to the ever-growing community who have bonded over their love of animals with human characteristics.

Many, like Holly, create their own ‘fursona’, bringing to life an elaborate furry costume and socializing with like-minded people.

“I found out about furries 10 years ago,” Holly tells New Idea exclusively. “I saw some drawings of the characters online and loved the style.”

It connected Holly to an online community and led her to her first furries’ meet-up in Sydney.

“It was a barbecue at Centennial Park,” Holly remembers. “There were about 70 people and around 20 of them were wearing these huge fursuits. I had no idea they even existed, so I was a bit shocked!”