Cats have been associated with deities, witches and Magick for centuries.

Here are some snippets of cat-related folklore. Cats have been sacred to more than one religion, and at different times and places have been considered both good and bad luck-bringers. The Egyptian goddess ast was both lion-headed and cat-headed and attended by cats and therefore cats were sacred and revered in Egypt! killing one was a heinous crime, and when a household cat died mourning rites were performed for it. Cats were often found in temples and were ritually fed! stray cats were treated with honor and fed, and the household cat was allowed to share the family"s food. Cat amulets were produced and elaborate cat-si#ed sarcophagi crafted for cats who had died, who were often embalmed as humans were. $ollowers of the goddess %iana also considered the cat sacred because she once assumed the form of a cat, and cats were under her special protection. &n 'candinavia, $reya"s chariot was drawn by cats. The Celtic goddess Ceridwen was also attended by white cats, who carried out her orders on earth. Cats are traditionally associated with witches, and it is generally assumed today that witches" familiars were (and are) always cats. However, during the urning Times any small animal that was kept in the house was suspect, and records show that accused witches were forced to confess having familiar spirits in the form of cats, rats, mice, dogs, weasels and toads. &t was also firmly believed that witches could take the shape of cats, and accusers sometimes claimed that they were followed or tormented by witches in the shape of cats. &n *+*, -illiam Montgomery of Caithness alleged that hordes of cats gathered outside his house nightly and talked in human language! he claimed to have killed two of them and wounded another one night and awoken the ne.t morning to hear that two old women had been found dead in their beds and another badly in/ured. &n ritain and 0ustralia black cats are considered lucky, and in some places white cats are correspondingly unlucky. &n many parts of Europe and in the 1nited 'tates, however, it is the black cat who is ill-omened. &n ritain tortoiseshell cats will bring their owners luck, and blue cats bring luck in 2ussia. 0n old saying about black cats is that "-henever the cat of the house is black, the lasses of lovers shall have no lack". &t was said that if the household cat snee#ed near a bride on her wedding day, she would have a happy married life. To meet a black cat is usually fortunate, especially if it crosses one"s path. &n some districts the luck is only considered released if the cat is politely greeted, or stroked three times. 'ometimes it is considered unlucky if the cat runs away from the person, or turns back on its own tracks. To meet a white cat is bad luck, e.cept in those countries where white cats are the luck-bringers. &f a black cat comes into a house or onto a ship, it is considered a very lucky sign, and the cat should never be chased away in case it takes the luck of the house with it. 'eamen avoid the word "cat" while at sea, but to have a cat on board is lucky, especially if it is a completely black cat with no white hairs. To throw the cat overboard raises an immediate violent storm! no sailor would do such a thing to the ship"s cat, and in fact cats are rarely left on an abandoned ship but are generally rescued with the sailors. &n 3orkshire, if a sailor"s wife kept a black cat, her husband would always return safely from the sea! this sometimes led to black cats being stolen. Cat hair and bones were often ingredients of charms and spells, and even now a few hairs from a cat are supposed to increase the power of a spell, although this now appears more common in England than in 0merica where the hair of a wolf appears to have taken over. &n previous centuries the tail of a black cat was believed to cure a sty if stroked over the afflicted eye, and a tortoiseshell cat"s tail was considered to remove warts. Three drops of a cat"s blood smeared

on a wart was also considered to cure it. &f a person in the house was very ill, it was thought that throwing the water in which the patient had been washed over a cat, and then driving the poor creature away, would transfer the illness to the cat and drive it out of the household. &t was said that every cat should be given two names! a country rhyme states "4ne for a secret, one for a riddle, name puss twice and befuddle the devil". This saying was based on the belief that one person could gain power and ascendancy over another simply by knowing his or her real name! by giving the household cat two names, once for common use and one secret and never revealed to outsiders, the pet which had the run of the household could be protected from becoming a tool of evil or of outside infiltration. The Historical Cat The cat species began over 56 million years ago with the 'aber-toothed tiger, which hunted deer, antelope, horses and buffalo. &t became e.tinct **,666 years ago. &mperial 7alace 4f 8yoto, 9apan: &n the year 0.%. ;;;, a white cat imported from China gave birth to five pure white kittens. Moved by this unusual event, the Emperor decreed that these charming animals be brought up with as much care and attention as if they were infant princes. <aw 4f Manu: &n 4rthodo. Hinduism, it is specified =He who has killed a cat must withdraw to the middle of the forest and there dedicate himself to the life of the animals around him until he is purified.= 8adis This ancient >ubian word is thought to be the origin of the word cat. Herodotus: The writings of Herodotus, a ?reek historian who lived around @66 .C., tell us that the ?reeks were the first to import Egyptian cats for the purpose of protecting their harvests from rodents. They had to go to Egypt and steal the cats because the Egyptians refused to let them go, which resulted in a series of diplomatic incidents. ?rand Coulee %am This structure was built with the help of a small white cat. 1nable to thread a cable through @66 feet of drainage pipe, engineers tied one end to the cat"s tail and placed her in the pipe, and she brought it through, thus solving a ma/or engineering problem. Egyptian Cats %uring the reign of the great cat goddess, ast, cats were given the very best care their owner could afford. 'ick cats were treated with the care usually only given to children. They were adorned with /eweled collars, and pendants were hung about their necks with silver, bron#e, or golden chains. 'ometimes the ears would be pierced to hold gold earrings or /eweled studs. -hen a cat died the whole family went into mourning and shaved off their eyebrows as a mark of respect for the beloved pet. $rey/a: The >ordic goddess of love and fertility is depicted riding in a chariot drawn by gray cats. $armers would leave out offerings of fresh milk for her cats, hoping to ensure good crops and protection from bad weather. ible:

There is no mention of cats in the ible. 'cholars think this is because cats were worshipped in Egypt at that time, and the cat was deliberately left out of the scriptures to make sure those rival gods did not tempt people back to old religions. The 'uperstitious Cat &f a black cat crosses your path without harming you, it is said to mean you are protected by the devil. &f a black cat walks into the room of an ill person, who later dies, it was blamed on the cat"s supernatural powers. &n some parts of the 1nited 'tates, a black cat crossing your path is considered unlucky. &n ritain and &reland, it is considered good luck. &f a strange black cat enters your home uninvited, you will have great fortune throughout the year. &f you shoo it away, it will take its gift of good luck with it. 0 black cat aboard ship is a very good omen... if your man is a sailor, keep a black cat in your home to insure his safety while at sea. &n the *A66s when witches were burned at the stake, their cats were ordered burned along with them. They were viewed as not only her private link with the devil, but it was also believed witches could turn themselves into cats and back into human form at will. Thus, in a superstitious society it became increasingly impossible to know if a cat was really /ust a witch in disguise. 0nother belief was that witches allowed their cats to suck their blood -intertwining the vampire legend among the superstitious. The many superstitions revolving around the black cat began as new religions emerged -- ones that denounced all things considered holy by previous religions (as in the ancient Egyptians belief in the ?oddess ast (a black female cat). lack cats, with their yellow eyes and nocturnal habits, embodied darkness and mystery, and became associated with the supernatural and evil. They gained a reputation of being witches" helpers, reincarnated evil spirits and bearers of bad luck. The Homing &nstinct of Cats (author unknown) -hat do birds, bees, salmon, rats and cats have in commonB ( esides being members of the animal kingdomB) They all have a homing instinct - the ability to find their way back home even after traveling long distances over unfamiliar territory. Cats are well known for their ability to do this and we often hear about them in the news or read about stories in books. &n =E.traordinary Cats= for e.ample, a cat named 'ooty finds his way back to an old home after his family in England moved more than *66 miles away. Then there is 7illsbury, the eight year old English cat who has made the eight mile /ourney back to his former home A6 times. 0ccording to <ondon newspapers, he makes the trip, which takes him across busy roads and through herds of cattle, at least once a week. <uckily, his owners always retrieve him. 7erhaps you"ve heard about Tigger, the three-legged cat who has made the

three-mile return trip to his old home more than +@ timesC 1T - perhaps the round-trip record is held by >in/a, the tomcat who moved with his owners from 1tah to -ashington 'tate in *;;D. He disappeared shortly after arriving in his new home, only to turn up at the old 1tah address - ,@6 miles away - one year laterC 9ust how these e.traordinary cats can =home in= on their old haunts isn"t completely understood, but researchers do have some clues about how other animals find their way: $or salmon, it seems that the smell of their home waters is key. $or birds and bees, navigating by the sun, stars, or moon appears to help. 4ther animals can orient themselves with the help of magneti#ed cells in the brain, which act like tiny compasses which help them decide which way is north. 'ea creatures may even use the sounds that rumble through the oceans as guideposts. %o humans share the cat"s ama#ing direction-finding abilitiesB 2esearchers aren"t sure, but so far, studies haven"t turned up any magneti#ed cells in our brains, although early navigators certainly learned to use the sun and the stars to steer by. =&t is not yet clear e.actly what kinds of uniEue navigational systems humans may have,= 7atricia 'harp, an e.pert in neuroanatomy at 3ale 1niversity, told ='cientific 0merican= =& suspect that humans have similar systems - but at present, there is no evidence to support that suspicion.= &n the meantime, then, perhaps we"d best /ust follow our cats. & envy the catC & have a hard time finding my car in the parking lot after shopping at the mall. & have many good strengths and talents, but a sense of direction is >4T one of them. & guess & need a guide catC $ascinating $eline $acts Here"s a collection of =fascinating facts about your frisky feline"s physiEue (say that three times fastC): F oth humans and cats have identical regions in the brain responsible for emotion. F 0 cat"s brain is more similar to a man"s brain than that of a dog. F Cats have 56 vertebrae, @ more than humans have. F 0 cat"s field of vision is about *,@ degrees. F Cats have 5G muscles that control the outer ear (compared to human"s D muscles each). 0 cat can rotate its ears independently *,6 degrees, and can turn in the direction of sound *6 times faster than those of the best watchdog. F 0 cat can /ump @ times as high as it is tall. F Cats step with both left legs, then both right legs when they walk or run (like a camel). F &n relation to their body si#e, cats have the largest eyes of any mammal. F Most cats do not have eyelashes. F 0 domestic cat can sprint at about 5* miles per hour. F 0 kitten will typically weigh about 5 ounces at birth. F The typical male housecat will weigh between + and ; pounds, slightly less for female housecats (well, & guess all of my kitties are =above averageC=). F Cats take between G6-A6 breaths per minute. F >ormal body temperature for a cat is *6G degrees $. F 0 cat"s normal pulse is *A6-GA6 beats per minute, with an average of *;@. F Cat"s urine glows under a black light. F Cats lose almost as much fluid in the saliva while grooming themselves as they do through urination.

F Cats do not have a collarbone, so they can fit through any opening the si#e of their head. Cat 'pells Cat Healing Materials: 'tatue of ast andHor 'ekhmet. 7icture of the cat to be healed, or at least their name written on a piece of paper ?reen thread 0 blue or white candle &ncense (lavender, lotus, or myrrh) Timing: Healing should be done any time it is needed! repeat the spell working on the ne.t $ull Moon to reinforce and strengthen the healing power. 'et up a little altar or sacred space, arranging the statues to the rear of your working area. 7lace the candle to the side of the statue or in-between if you are using two statues. <ight the candle and the incense. -ith the photo or paper with the sick animal"s name on it before you, ask the ?oddess ast to grant a healing. Take as much time as you feel you need to e.press this petition. 'it Euietly for a time, visuali#ing a stream of healing blue light coming from the candle and blending into the picture or paper before you. -hen the blue light ceases, take the green thread and cut off a piece thirteen inches long. &f you are using a paper with a name written on it, roll the paper into a small cylinder and wrap the green thread around it several times, tying it when you are finished. &f you are working with a photo, /ust loosely wrap the thread around the photo. %o the thread wrapping while chanting: I<ady of cats, large and small, 0nswer my entreating call. Cast out the sickness, bring in the <ight. ?rant loving healing through Thy might. 2enewing green, healing blue, & bind these energies into you. 0s threads around your image wind, 7erfect healing to you & bind.J <ay the thread-wrapped photo or paper near the statue, leaving it there until the candle is burned out. urn the thread and paper (if you are using a photo, remove the thread to be burned and return the photo to the proper person) and dispose of the ashes and candle wa.. 'pell for Healing a 7et Mi. some healing oil, using: D drops <avender oil D drops Camphor oil D drops 2osemary oil *HG ounce base oil (apricot kernel, /o/oba, grapeseed, even olive oil) 0noint a black candle, a red candle and a brown candle with this healing oil. The black is for absorption of the negativity (the illness), the red is for strength and health, and the brown is an =astral= or =significator= candle for the animal. 7lace the brown candle between the black and red candles, and make a ring of stones around the set-up, using stones or crystals that you associate with healing (amethyst, Euart#, agate...you choose whichever type or combination of types). 7lace some of the oil in your hands, and begin to rub them together, generating heat and energy. -hen you feel that you"ve built a small =bundle= of healing energy, place your hands on your pet, stroking it and giving it the

healing energy you"ve built, making sure to concentrate on any areas where you feel or sense the illness. $ocus on the candles, continuing to maintain contact with your pet, and visuali#e the strength from the red candle pouring into the brown candle, and pushing all the sickness into the black candle. 0ttune with the ?oddess, and when you"ve got a good grip on the visuali#ations above (and the animalC), say: =?oddess, with your healing touch less this animal we love so much. ?od, with beasts as your domain, 2emove the sickness, heal the pain. 'o mote it beC= Continue the stroking and energy flow until you feel that the spell is done, then allow the animal plenty of time to rest and heal. 4bviously, if you wish to perform this spell in a cast circle, that"s your choice. &f you wish to continue the spell for a number of days (&"d suggest at least 5 days), and your pet has a special place where it rests or =lives= (such as a cage, etc.), ring this area, if possible, with the stones, place a red candle on one side of the area and a black candle on the other (anointed with the healing oil)! focus on the red candle and pro/ect its energy into area with your pet, visuali#ing the illness being pushed out the other side, since there"s no room for it, and into the black candle. 2ub the oil onto your hands and stroke it intoHonto the animal"s body as often as you feel necessary. 'pell To ecome Closer To 3our Cat 7reparation: 3ou will need brown candles and the following herbs: Catnip Kervain ?ardenia 'affron 7assion $lower Consecrate each herb before starting. Take *HG of the empowered herbs and wrap in a small sEuare of brown cloth and tie it off with a brown cord or string. Take the other half and make a smaller sachet for your pet. -ear yours four days meditating with your pet at least once a day. 3ou can tie the pets sachet on while meditating. 0fter those four days take all the herbs and burn as an incense while sharing a meal with your pet. Charm on 'eeing a Cat &f a black cat should cross your path, you must greet the animal with courtesy, and stroke it if you can, whilst saying this charm: I lack cat, cross my path, ?ood fortune bring to home and hearth, -hen & am away from home ring me luck wherever & roam.J Lualway Cat 'pell I& poke thee, now & don"t poke thee, & charm the Euaff that"s under the "ee, 4 Eualway, 4 EualwayCJ 0 gentleman must use a Eueen and a tom must be for a lady, and in both instances the cat must be black. 'pell to Call up a Hearth 'pirit - by 0misti $or your dwelling-place to be a true home, a household spirit needs to live within its walls. 'o that a good brownie may be induced to take up residence,

take kitty on one side, and utter this magick charm over her head three times: =<ittle one, without a name Come inside and make much game, & send my cat upon this errand To seek you out till you be found 0nd may you of good heart be 0 truly charming company. = Then let kitty run off, and when she comes home again you must watch her closely! you will see her skit and play, patting a little at the air, and growing kittenish as though a child played with her. 'o by little signs and signals you will come to recogni#e that a brownie has entered your house! and you may be confident that he will soon make himself known to you. >ever frighten or abuse him, but thank him for the tasks he performs, and always praise his handiwork. The Keil of &sis Cat 'pell - by Claire >ahmad &f anyone in the home should fall sick, take a crystal bowl filled with well water and wash the hands and face of the patient in it. Then carry it to the garden door, and call for the cat of the household. -hen she appears, say to her: ICat spirit, bright as si.pence, Chase the illness a long, long distance, &t"s essence & hold in these drops of water, May it be routed before ne.t moon"s EuarterCJ Then you must throw the water away onto the garden, so that it passes over kitty but does not fall on her. 'he will, as likely as not, run away as if in pursuit of some spirit, and for this you must thank her three times over by using her magical name. &n throwing the water over her to the ground, you have created the magical veil of &sis, which summons the negative influences of the illness and draws it away from your loved one so that the cat may carry it away from the house. efore the ne.t moon"s Euarter, that is, before a week has passed away, the one who has fallen ill should be on the mend. Cat lessing - $rom ?erina %unwich"s =Every%ay -icca= -hile this is specifically a -iccan lessing, it can easily be changed to fit any path or 7antheon. 0nd while it is specifically for cats, it could also be changed for any animal. 7erform this -iccan ritual on a night when the moon is full and shining brightly, preferably the first night of the full moon at the e.act moment the moon enters its full phase. &f you desire, you may instead or also perform this ritual on your cat"s birthday (if the date is known), on the anniversary of when he or she first became part of your family, or whenever you feel it to be the appropriate time. <ight some fragrant incense and place a gold candle (in honor of the Horned ?od) and a white candle (preferably one in the shape of a cat) on the center of your altar. Cast a circle around your altar in whatever manner you usually cast it, and call upon the four elements of 0ir, $ire, -ater and Earth to be present and to serve as guardians of the circle. <ight the gold candle and then humbly invoke the powers of the Horned ?od:

=4 ?reat Horned ?od Consort of the ?oddess & &nvoke Thee 0nd &nvite Thee &nto This Circle= <ight the white cat candle and then, holding your cat gently in your arms, kneel before the altar and recite the following prayer: =4 ?reat Horned ?od $ather of the -oodlands 0nd <oving <ord of 0ll Creatures That -alk, Crawl, 'wim and $ly, 0 Threefold lessing & Humbly 0sk 4f Thee 4n This 'pecial %ay: May This Cat"s <ife e a <ong, Happy, and Healthy 4ne! May 'he 0lways 2eceive 3our %ivine 7rotection! 0nd -hen 4ur &ncarnations &n This -orld Cease To e, May -e $orever e 2eunited &n the ?reat 4therworld. 'o Mote &t eC= 0fter the prayer has been recited, ga#e into the flame of the gold candle and chant thrice the name of your cat, each time followed by the words: <E''E% E. ?ive the cat a loving kiss and place her or him down in the center of the circle. &f the cat chooses to e.it the circle at this point this is all right. ?ive thanks to The Horned ?od in your own words and bid Him farewell. >e.t, give thanks to the four elements in your own words and then bid them farewell. 1ncast the magick circle counterclockwise, and say: =&n 7erfect <ove 0nd Harming >one This 7agan lessing >ow is %one. 'o Mote &t eC= Cat Connection 'pell * brown candle G T of catnip G pinches of mugwort G pinches of sweetgrass 0 dash of lemon Cloth pouch for you Catnip toy or pouch for cat The catnip is to create a psychic bond with your cat, the mugwort is to strengthen your psychic bond, the sweetgrass is to aid you in the calling upon of the cats spirit, and the lemon is for friendship and respect of your cats spirit. <ight your candle and place it before you. Take each herb, one at a time, and divide into two eEual parts while empowering each with its meaning and visuali#ing becoming connected to your cat. 'ee and feel that connection the entire time you work with your herbs. 7lace half of each of the herbs in your pouch, place the other half in the pouch or cat toy for your cat. 8eep your half of the herbs with you for three days and the cats pouch or toy keep near the cats sleeping place for three day. %uring this time, you will

meditate at least once a day with your cat in mind. $eel what it is like to be your cat. E.amine the world through your cats eyes. 0fter three days. ury both the pouches in your garden or burn as incense. 8nowing that you are now connected to your cat. Thank the powers that be. Call on your cats spirit to aid you in searching for answers, comfort, finding lost items, and protection. -hen you are finished needing her help, always return her spirit back to him. 3our cat will always be there for you when you need her. &n using this for connecting with the spirit of cat passed on, place the herbs where she may be buried, and follow the same process. Her spirit will live inside forever.