Also, now that I tried the synth form for a while, it's clear to me that I'm only going to keep it around as a secondary character rather than a "me" character.
That's how I decided to handle my animal feelings. If I have a sudden inspiration for a form that might fit, I'll draw it and become it for a while. I have no issues with changing my species if that's how it turns out, because people constantly change and that's good. I'm not the same person I used to be 10 years ago.
Embracing that part of myself feels way more honest than clinging to the past.