Melbourne schoolgirl identifies as a cat and her school is supporting her assumed identity

A year eight Melbourne private schoolgirl is being supported in behaving like a cat, as part of a trend of people identifying as “furries”.

Students are being allowed to act out animal identities in schools in a bid to support their mental health needs.

A year eight student at a private school in Melbourne identifies as a cat, and as long as she does her school work, the school is supporting her assumed identity.

Although she is “phenomenally bright”, she is understood not to be verbal at school.

“No one seems to have a protocol for students identifying as animals, but the approach has been that if it doesn’t disrupt the school, everyone is being supportive,” a source close the family said.

The girl’s school is supporting her identifying as a cat. Picture: iStock

“The behaviour is being normalised. Now more and more people are identifying as whatever they want to identify with, including ‘furries’”.

The school did not confirm the enrolment but said they have students who “present with a range of issues, from mental health, anxiety or identity issues.

“Our approach is always unique to the student and will take into account professional advice and the wellbeing of the student,” the school said.

There is also a boy who received treatment from a Melbourne psychologist who for a time identified as a dog.

Some people identify as ‘furries’, which is becoming more normalised. Picture: Mark Cranitch

It comes as students from Brisbane Girls’ Grammar have also been reported to identify as cats, and simulate walking on all fours and lick their hands like paws. One teenager was even said to have cut a hole in her uniform to accommodate an invisible tail. The school did not corroborate the account.

In the United States the trend of dressing up as animals is a more established trend, with students in the states of Kentucky and Miami coming to school adopting cat, fox and dog personas. However, a Miami school denied reports that the children coming to school as cats were using a kitty litter tray.

Ella Collins, who is a leading member of the Melbourne “furries” community, said a number of young people take their animal identities – known as a “fursona” – into their everyday lives, including at school.

“It’s not like they bark at you in public, but they might have a preferred furry name,” she said.

“If they don’t feel like they fit in or belong, it may bring them comfort,” Ms Collins said.

“It’s not common but it’s not unheard of.”

Taking on an animal identity is a recognised psychological problem but it is not listed in the official Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Clinical psychologist Judith Locke, author of The Bonsai Child, said adolescence “was a time for trying new identities and trying to fit in and trying to stand out”.

“It’s an age where dressing up is more accepted and you can find your community of friendships this way,” she said.

“We must be careful not to panic about this. There are gender issues and animal issues and it’s important not to give it undue attention.

“It’s important that young people are not held back from exploring something at a point in time. If it’s forbidden or over-encouraged it can be fraught.

“We need to trust teachers to be sensible. If it’s not hurting the student there may be no harm in it,” she said.