History Main / MyInstinctsAreShowing

* ''WesternAnimation/HarleyQuinn2019'': [[SharkMan King Shark]] is normally a cheerful computer expert but if he gets a whiff of blood he'll go feral in to attack the source to eat it. [[spoiler:This seems to go even beyond the regular standards of the shark kingdom as King Sharks' most shameful memory is him devouring his younger brother after he got a scratch to the absolute horror of their father.]]

* In ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', after [[spoiler:Jack Noir is affected by Becquerel's prototyping]] he is annoyed [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=005454 by his new dog instincts]]
** And now [[spoiler:Jade]] can't keep from barking at a cat.

* ''ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'': Before 2012, Rocket Raccoon was prone to this, often mentioning raccoon-like habits (such as his hackles raising when he thinks there's danger around or his tail frizzing) and having a severe hatred for Cosmo, a not-as-anthrophomorphic talking dog.
* In ''ComicBook/SamAndMax'', one comic story has Sam (a dog) incapacitate a crook by biting his arm. It works, but afterwards, Sam says to the audience that he's never done that before, and he's really embarrassed.

* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' fanfiction frequently depicts Miraculous wielders picking up traits from their respective animals - mainly, Adrien behaving like a cat when out of costume (everything from purring when scratched or petted to playing with yarn, getting in boxes and chasing laser pointers) and Marinette being more affected by cold weather (ladybugs hibernate). The story ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/5362856/chapters/12384923 Obsession]]'' and its sequels are a standout example, as is ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/5976262/chapters/13733869 One Thing After Another]]''. The purring at least is canon- he purrs in ''Prime Queen'' when Ladybug is thrown against him.

** Now, watch Sam and Florence's instincts [[ValuesDissonance crash into one another.]] What Florence the social predator sees as cowardly behavior from a lower-ranking pack member is considered to be nigh-heroic alpha male behavior by Sam's species (provided you do it to your enemies. Sam got chased off his homeworld when a stunt like this got out of hand and ended up seriously inconveniencing ''his own'' royal family).

* ''Fanfic/TheSeventhPlayer'': [[BeastFolk Machaira]], just like non-sapient big cats, has heat and hunting cycles, and she often purrs and growls in response to certain emotional situations like a cat would. By extension, all other tabaxi share these qualities, and presumably all other BeastFolk races are similar in this, albeit respective to their unintelligent counterparts. This is also deconstructed, however, as their animal qualities, in addition to their animalistic appearances, often result in them being subjected to FantasticRacism by more "human" humanoids. [[spoiler: Additionally, Machaira reveals that modern tabaxi culture actually teaches its youth that "primitive" behaviors and qualities are a bad thing, and has them actively suppress and hide them beneath a veil of superficial charm and beauty in order to deflect suspicion from themselves, which has a role to play in Machaira's DarkAndTroubledPast and her general disassociation from tabaxi society as a whole.]]

* ''Fanfic/TheSeventhPlayer'': [[BeastFolk Machaira]], just like non-sapient big cats, has heat and hunting cycles, and she often purrs and growls in response to certain emotional situations like a cat would. By extension, all other tabaxi share these qualities, and presumably all other BeastFolk races are similar in this, albeit respective to their unintelligent counterparts. This is also deconstructed, however, as their animal qualities, in addition to their appearances, often result in people dehumanizing them. [[spoiler: Additionally, Machaira reveals that modern tabaxi culture actually teaches its youth that "primitive" behaviors and qualities are a bad thing, and has them actively suppress and hide them beneath a veil of superficial charm and beauty in order to deflect suspicion from themselves, which has a role to play in Machaira's DarkAndTroubledPast and her general disassociation from tabaxi society as a whole.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheNewMrPeabodyAndShermanShow'', Sherman tries to bring in a cat to deal with a rodent problem. While he desperately tries to fight them, Mr. Peabody's canine instincts trigger so hard that he ultimately transforms into a feral dog and gives chase.

* ''Fanfic/TheBoltChronicles'': In “The Cameo” and “The Mall,” Bolt is depicted as unable to resist the urge to chase ducks.

** In the volume 3 episode "Round One," when Team RWBY are getting some food, everyone gets a huge bowl of noodles except Blake, who instead gets a huge bowl of fish. And when Weiss' card is declined, she is not happy about having it taken away and immediately dives on Pyrrha's offer to pay for it.

* Werewolves in ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', being somewhere in-between human and wolf, act a lot like dogs sometimes. They tend to wince at the word B.A.T.H., for instance. Angua is the only one who tries to suppress these instincts. [[spoiler: Vimes invokes this at the end of ''The Fifth Elephant'' to kill Wolfgang, by throwing a flare and counting on Wolfgang (who [[VillainousBreakdown isn't in the best of mental states anyway]]) to catch it.]]

* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'': The series operates on TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody, so this trope comes into play with the series' {{Token Non Human}}s, Ax and Tobias. The former is an alien who becomes a SenseFreak when he is given a mouth, while the latter is a human who, for complicated reasons, spends most of his time as a red-tailed hawk. He often notes that he's lost touch with how to behave like a normal person, and his short times as a human have him lamenting his weaker senses and forgetting to make facial expressions. The first time it happened (when he was transformed by [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien the Ellimist]]) he even got startled and began flapping his arms to fly away.

--> '''Stewie:''' Where the devil did he go?
--> '''Peter''' ''(uncovering his face):'' Peekaboo!
--> '''Stewie:''' AAAAH!

* WesternAnimation/RegularShow: Rigby the raccoon has an addiction to eating out of the trash, which Mordecai calls him out on. Whilst Rigby can stand up and walk, he usually runs on all fours. Rigby also becomes roadkill in an early episode, but survives, [[ItMakesSenseInContext due to his soul being outside his body (which was then possessed) at the time]].

** Scarlemange also indulges in this, howling and screeching like a monkey when excited. This serves as foreshadowing that [[spoiler:he was a normal animal transformed into a Mute, rather than a born Mute]], as none of the other primates engage in such behavior.

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder: Folklore & Mythology]]

* One of the ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'' movies has the title character ([[LittleBitBeastly a half-demon with dog-like features]]) fetching a stick. He'll also occasionally scratch behind his ear with one of his feet while sitting down.

* One of the ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'' movies has the title character fetching a stick. He'll also occasionally scratch behind his ear with one of his feet while sitting down.

'''Jaksmouth:''' [[Suddenly shouting ON YOUR FEET, SOLDIER!]] IT DON'T MATTER THAT YO' MAMA WAS A MONKEY, 'CAUSE MAMA'S BOY IS A ''MARINE'' NOW! ''[suddenly calm]'' Basic training trumps instinct every time. Am I right, Captain?\\

'''Jaksmouth:''' ON YOUR FEET, SOLDIER! IT DON'T MATTER THAT YO' MAMA WAS A MONKEY, 'CAUSE MAMA'S BOY IS A ''MARINE'' NOW! ''[suddenly calm]'' Basic training trumps instinct every time. Am I right, Captain?\\

* Marena of ''Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation'' is a [[TabletoGame/{{Exalted}} Lunar Exalt]], and has vulpine ([[AllAnimalsAreDogs and occasionally canine]]) instincts, which Misho [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0199.html sometimes takes advantage of]].

* BBC sketch show ''Series/SonOfCliche'' had a scene where a literary editor is taking a client out to lunch to discuss how well the biography is going. The client is a young man who for most of his life was raised by wolves. Whilst the agent orders ''agneau a la maison'', the wolf-boy asks for his lamb to be "very very rare, please. In fact, still alive." This raises a little consternation among other diners. Then the waiter asks if everything is alright, as sir has vanished under the table. Wolf-boy says he'll be done in a moment. Could you bring me some dead leaves, please? Wolf-boy also pays attention to an attractive female diner a table or two away...

* Bud in ''Series/{{Grimm}}'' is an Eisbiber (a [[OurWereBeastsAreDifferent beaver-like Wesen]]) and he mentions once that without supervision his children will chew the furniture. Of course, most animal-based Wesen have similar behaviors of that of the animals they represent (the [[BeePeople Melifers]] live in close communities with a Queen, the [[NiceMice Mauzhertz]] are cowards, the [[SheepInSheepsClothing Seelengut]] have a flock mentality and all [[PredatorsAreMean predatory wesen]] are agressive to at least some level).