I think I may be a therian and so does my bf

I [18N] am currently dating a guy [22M] who refers to himself as a golden retriever quite a lot. He barks too. I ask him if he's a therian and he just said "kinda mabye". While I didn't get a direct answer, after spending so much time with him I started feeling feline. Like I started meowing and purring and while cats don't usually wag their tails I felt the need to swish around my tail but then realize I don't have one.

Is this just a contagion or may I actually be a therian? Not asking for an answer just want to know y'alls experiences with figuring out your identity as a therian.

Also note I did used to identify as a therian for a short period of time but got nervous and stopped.