The Witch's Familar

Perhaps one of the most well known weird associations of the cat is its reputation as the preferred familiar of witches. In fact many different animals - everything from owls to toads - can be familiars. However it is the image of the black cat that we most often associate with witches, especially at Halloween.

Halloween, Witch Silhouette
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What Is A Familiar?

A "familiar" is more accurately called a "familiar spirit", the name deriving from the word "family". This was believed to be some form of spirit that either took the form of or inhabited the body of an animal.

Familiars were believed to assist witches in their activities, be those activities philanthropic or nefarious. Sometimes the familiar was believed to be the source of the witch's magical powers, possibly channeling this from some demonic entity.

Some modern Wiccans prefer to think of their familiars not as spirits but simply as animals with whom they are psychically attuned. This is more in keeping with the pagan tradition.

Why The Black Cat?

Of all the animals that could be used as familiars, why should the cat - in particular the black cat - be the most common? There are a number of possible explanations.

One possibility is simply the folklore reputation that cats have always had for psychic abilities. If one is going to choose an animal to assist in witchcraft then it makes sense to select one that is believed to have special powers.

A more mundane possibility is simply that cats are clever, inquisitive, stealthy creatures that can go almost anywhere without being noticed. In the dark of night, a black cat can be almost invisible. When a cat does let out a cry it can be quite blood-curdling. It would thus be the ideal choice of companion for a witch.

The most depressing explanation of for the cat as familiar is simply the nature of the witch hunts. Many of the people accused of witchcraft were spinsters living alone. Such people are often likely to have pets, a cat being a favourite. Given the cat's reputation for psychic ability and its physical talents, possession of a cat was an easy excuse for condemning an alleged witch.

Someone who takes in a nosey, stray black kitten is not necessarily a wicked, mind-controlling enchantress...

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