therianthrope
n.(from Greek "ther", wild animal, and "anthropos", human) A person who feels a strong spiritual connection with a particular species of animal. Therianthropes may define the connection as totemic (having an animal spirit guide or guardian, or a religious connection to the archetypal spirit of that animal) or the result of reincarnation from an animal form into a human one. Therianthropy has existed for millenia in tribal cultures across the globe and also in popular religions such as Buddhism, but the word itself is a recent coinage.
The therianthrope had a spiritual connection to cougars.