A sort of Clairvoyance? Summing up the character of any being instantly in this case. The fact that you saw auras from animals too is most interesting.
It's quite possible. I was born of a mother who has too had unusual abilities; sudden detection of emotion and semi-psychic pre-sight, but of course, earlier in life, where it cannot be proven.
I too have differences, like an over-whelmingly powerful emotional response to certain music, often causing cerebral explosions of colour, maybe persued by blacking out. This sounds more likely related to Synaethesia.
The mind is very special and very individual, but certainly can confuse its bearer in both positive and negative ways. I'm always surprised to hear the similarity of conditions which may be percieved as super-natural or extra-sensory, which only seem to effect the young. In what way do you remember the auras changing between completely different people etc?
I very much believe in scientific evidence for anything, but hypothetically speaking, if you do have a 'skill', it may be possible to retrieve, even enhance it from the brains mental desert of memory. Ah, I do go on.