Your Feline Familiar and It's Care

Almost every Witch I know has at least one cat. Most are also magickal familiars, and are assistants in rituals. They are almost always treated like members of the family. Having a cat does a lot more for you than just gives you something to take care of: they don't require a large backyard like dogs so they are easier to play with, they keep you company whether you want them to or not, and they can even lower your blood pressure! Cats are a lot easier to take care of than dogs, in my opinion, but there are still some things you need to know. The quotes below are all from a book called "Love Is a Happy Cat" by Dr. Michael W. Fox.

This is one of the best things you can do for a cat if you don't want to get them declawed. (By the way, if you do have your cat declawed, NEVER declaw it's back legs. It still needs those for protection.)You don't want them ripping up the furniture, and you can teach them early on to only claw the post.

Willow has two cats - Helmut and Steel. When I first met him, I was excited to see his kitties. Being a kitty lover, I rushed into the house and picked up Steel first. He's a sweet kitty, so he was happy to have the affection. But when I put him down and moved for Helmut, I was shocked when he swatted at me and ran away. I then decided it would be my mission to befriend him. Since then, we have became "buddies" and he will let me pet him and hold him once in a while, but I have learned when to leave him alone to be by himself. Some cats are just that way.

Cat food, especially premium cat food you can get from the vet or the pet store, is specially made for the diet of a cat, to give the cat the nutrients it needs. Feeding a cat only meat and cream or milk can upset a cat's digestive system, and make them sick.

When my brother was born, my cat Guinevere always loved to sleep underneath his crib. My mom told me the old wives tale that you should never leave a cat in the same room with a baby, as the cat will suck the breath out of the baby. We had a good laugh about that one...and yes, my brother is still alive today. :)

It is important for cats to get all of their shots, since cats are prone to so many types of illnesses. Taking them to the vet regularly ensures that they will not get sick as easily.

One of the funniest things I have ever seen is a cat eating catnip. My cat Callie just rolls around in it, then rolls around on the floor. Willow's cat Helmut will get very protective of his - he will lay down with his paws circling the catnip so no one else will steal it. Steel just eats it, sneezes a couple of times, and rolls around.

Please have your cat spayed or neutered. Males will spray to mark their territory if they are not "fixed". Female cats will go into heat, and believe me, a cat in heat is not a fun thing to deal with. Besides, there are so many cute little kitties out there without homes. Let's not try to make any more.

My cat Callie used to bolt out the door when we would open it to go outside. The first thing she would do is eat the grass. My sister later found out in Vet school that she ate the grass because she needed it. We changed her diet to a better cat food, with the nutrients she needed, and she no longer ate the grass. But eating grass is not bad for cats. (Unless yours later leaves it on the floor like Callie did.) Leave a potted plant in the house for them with some grass, some wheat, or even some catnip. Leave a few of their toys around it so they know it's for them. The grass helps aid their digestion, and you'll also see less furballs being coughed up.