For some unknown reason when I tried to answer your reply to my Other wereraces comment- it will not load. Confused on that one. I just followed your name and thought to put my answer here.
Were-otters like all were-creatures are a part of the mythos of the Indian tribes. They believed that anyone could with enough spiritual training have an animal form. How many forms depended on how powerful you were and what your totem animal would allow. Opposing forms would not be allowed. For example a practitioner would not be able to become a cat and a dog. So a prey animal and a predator in the same form was considered very difficult. It was considered possible though according to various records that are still kept. See North American Indian tribes Shamans and holy men. You will have to dig through to find info. Some of it is on a pay basis so do not expect it all just to pop on your screen. The interesting part is that when the shifter was able to take on those forms the shifter gained some pretty incredible abilities; eyesight, stamina, greater lung capacity, ability to withstand cold-along with more hair (fur) to do that. Most Native Americans are relatively hairless especially in the chest area, some that gained werebear forms were known to have hair growing all over their bodies. Hopefully, this answered your question if not contact me again. Write On!