Two terms often confused in the otherkin community are "polytherian" and "cladotherian". While they may sound alike in definition, they are actually quite different.
Polytherians are therians that have more than one theriotype. For example, one individual (let's call them Bailey) may be a rat therian, but is also a magpie therian and a salmon therian. Rather than just the one rat theriotype, they have multiple, three in the case of this fictitious individual. Polytherians are just as valid as therians with just one theriotype (monotherians?) and deserve the same respect.
Cladotherians are people that are kin with all species of a certain animal. For example, an elephant cladotherian (who we'll call Dale) is not just kin with the African elephant, but is also kin with the Asian elephant, the many extinct species of elephants and any and all subspecies that species have. It's quite a tough concept to grasp, and, as I can relate firsthand, quite the ordeal to experience. Some have said it's no different than being a cladotherian.
Cladotherians are not classified as polytherians because their theriotypes are all the same animal, just different species, rather than three or four or five different animal species.
The fictitious individuals (Bailey and Dale) mentioned before are not the same "type" of therian due to the fact that Bailey's theriotypes are three completely separate animals while Dale's are all within one genus.
It is possible, however, for a cladotherian to also be a polytherian and vice versa.
YOU ARE READING
Otherkinity And Therianthropy
Non-FictionA detailed guide on therians and otherkin as written by someone who is both.
