Thank you very much 
I know yahoo answers is gone but tapas forums is probably not a suitable replacement.
Jokes aside, consuming or even making media with anthro characters doesn't really make you a furry, but that also doesn't mean that 'you have to do more than that' to want to be one.
As stated before it's also not really a gatekept fandom and you can just jump in at anytime. No secret code, furry level system or furry quiz you need to pass. Just find some other furs, make friends and join the community, it's really more just a social group than anything. (at least this is what I understand from an outside perspective)
Try making a thread asking for something like "Hey are there any other furries here? Got any furry webcomic recs?" admit (or not, it depend on how private you want to be) that you're new to the fandom and just really want more media, and not only will you find furries looking to socialize but you'll get some furry comic recs too
I think what I could say has been covered by a lot of people, so i'll just say.
Be yourself.
Want to have an anthro character represent you, great! (or maybe even a feral!)
Make it however you please, bright neon collors or natural fur collors,
Research facts on your animal so you can make them accurate, or don't,
You like the beastars style more? The BNA more? Maybe you like the more animal like think that zootopia got in it, thats dope too.
You like them anime syled? Maybe american cartoon styled? Or maybe you have your style... All is cool!
Want to roleplay them with you friends? If they are cool with it, you can do whatever you want.
So again... Be yourself, and everything else fits in place as you move along.
It's how I got into the fandom, and I don't regret it one bit.
Just know like any fandom there are good apples and bad apples... And you may need time to tell them apart.
Honestly, it's just a meme lol anyone saying that sincerely is just wildly misinformed on both ends lmao they're treating it basically as a form of some elaborate furry conversion scheme- like, bruh. Y'all getting heated over talking cartoon animals, it's not that serious 
This is one of those things where only you can really say if you are one or not.
there are people who like furry stuff and do not identify as furriers, there are people who have their furrydom as a full on fetish. Its really all you and how you want to identify yourself.
I do furry art for people for example and enjoy some furry media but I would not classify myself as a furry as I dont care much for the community and its not much of a kink for me personally. As such i don't identity as one. But anyone can if you think of yourself as one.
Only way to become a real furry is RP 24/7, obsess over your fursona, and never be able to read the room ever. Or just look at nsfw content since that's what 99% of the people do anyway. That's what i've learned hanging out in furry groups when I look for commissions. Then you'll earn your furry card 
Also don't be surprised when you join a furry group and someone dms you nsfw content 
it happens... constantly
Lol, I just watched a few videos that talked about the fandom for beginners like me, and a bunch of them emphasized how much money pr0n furry artists make, you're probably loaded then. xD
"Wow had no idea this was even a thing. Well off to go research"
Here Lies Tanako
5/10/2021
Rest In Peace
Tragically lost to the rabbithole of the furry fandom.
3
The furry fandom is definetly one of those things I think people should ease into... Specifically for that reason.
I actually love the sex positivity of the fandom, it helped me connect with that side of me when I was waaaaay too repressed.
but if a person is not ready they will see certain things that won't sit well with them, and that is why I often don't mention to people IRL that i'm a furry.
If you are an artist though, particularly if you are willing to 'get your hands dirty' so to speak... You can make serious money in the fandom.
But I don't think explaining more than that is appropriate for tapas xD
From someone who's been dancing on the edge of the volcano for years (just look at my username and avatar for pete's sake), like everybody else said, you are if you want to be, aren't if you don't. It's quite the spectrum too, so don't feel like you have to kitchen sink a particular identity. I hope you have fun figuring out whether it's a community you want to belong to.
(PS - Even as someone that doesn't really identify as a furry, but shares a lot in common, Stardew Valley IS WAY BETTER when using the furry mods to make everyone cute/rad animal people. Trust me.)
I saw a video talking about the craziest things the fandom did, and a few of them were commissions for absurd prices, I 100% believe in you xD thanks for the insights~
just kidding Dang, $4,000 USD is enough to buy a brand new car in my country, my local currency is extremely devalued right now, I guess I'll give it a try then, I'd make minimum wage with only $200, american minimun wage would make me rich lol xD
Please elaborate, a youtuber talked about nazi-furs or something like that, is that what you talking about? or there's more? o.O
I may be in the spectrum then 
almost a furry haha, thank you very much for your help, and "mrwulf" is kinda furry xD
I have a tendency to use characters from things I've made as usernames/avatars - my favorite villain from a years long roleplaying campaign I ran was a nasty, egotistical fae named Ewindale Moss. His name isn't nearly as catchy as Mr. Wulf, and since that could refer to either Mr. Jonathan or Trevor from my Chrysalis Falls stories, I decided to run with that for my web name these days. Again, I'm terrible about dancing around the edge of things.
My favourite pokemon are the rock ground and steel type inanimate object and golem pokemon instead of the furry bait, does that make me the rock equivalent of a furry then?