I've always liked the "Talking Animal" movies as a kid. Everything was animals this, and animals that.
My mom was always, "She's going to work with animals when she grows up."
I was also a big Yoshi/Mario Bros. Fan as a kid, so I wondered onto the interbutts and found a artist on DA that I really liked so I got into drawing. Said person drew not only Yoshi's but anthros, so it was sort of cool.
Then one thing happiend: Oekaki
When I started to get older I joined Oekaki (Online Drawing Boards for those who don't know) since I was old enough, and started talking and drawing with other users.
They all created fursonas, and me not knowing what a fursona was created one for myself.
I picked a werewolf, because at the time I was going though some changes with my PCOS condition, and thought a werewolf changing against it will was a perfect metaphor for that.
So I joined DA, many other oekakis, and pretty much skirted on the outside of the fandom.
Then I discovered there WAS A WHOLE FANDOM based on this stuff from a few artists on DA.
I also heard many bad things about it, so I was a closest furry until recently.