Turning animals into humans in your head?

Okay first of all bear with me because I am really nervous about posting this/sharing this with "the world" because it sounds kind of ridiculous.. and I honestly didn't know where to post this but since I'm autistic...here goes nothing:

You know how furries have like a fursona right(a character that is an anthropomorphic animal). So ever since I was a small child being obsessed with sailor moon on the TV, I got introduced to cats that could suddenly transform into humans. So me and my colourful fantasies did this sort of "synesthesia like thing" of creating a "humansona" for every cat I saw, and later dogs and other animals. When I look at an animal I see a clear picture of a human with its own distinct looks and features, especially if I know the animal well it becomes a whole persona.

My 12 y/o tuxedo cat for example is a 16 year old alt girl with tan skin, a pear shaped figure and her hair is black shoulder length with a bleached white fringe. She has a very distinct face with defined facial features too such as a slightly crooked hook like nose. She has evolved over the years as she has gotten older pretty much how the image of any other child would when growing up.

I don't know why my brain brains this way but it happens almost automatically. Like I don't even have to think much about it I just see these human personas pop up in my head when I look at an animal.

Does anyone else have this? Is this a common phenomenon? I couldn't find anything on it but maybe someone is better at searching than I am. I am not trying to be special, and I know it is my strong and vivid imagination, I just was wondering if I was alone in this at all? Is this my autism going haywire? Would be cool if anyone felt the same. It's a big reason for me why I connect deeply to animals and can't eat them.

Sorry for the long post.