How to tell if my cat is my familiar

In this installment of Practical Magic, Lisa Stardust explains witches familiars—the pets psychically connected to their witches. Always remember that magic is for believers, but this column can also simply serve as a guide to getting in touch with yourself — magically or not.

The relationship between witches and familiars runs deep. Familiars (or imps) usually are small household pets that serve as a witch’s companion. According to legend, familiars are sort of like guides, who take the form of an animal on Earth. They are loyal guardians and protectors to witches, who are sent to assist them with magic.

According to The Hoodwitch Owner and Creative Director, Bri Luna, “Familiars are not just pets, they are our truest friends and confidants. They hear and see it all, they understand and know us better than we may even know ourselves.”

Familiars are psychically connected and can telepathically communicate with each other in times of need. Magic practitioner Nina Kahn felt this way about her hamster, Bagel. “[He] became a true familiar to me,” Nina says. "I adopted him in my late teens from a friend who could no longer care for him, and immediately felt bonded. I could easily read his emotions, and he communicated with me in so many different and meaningful ways.”

Bri adds that her cat “has protected me in more ways than one. His energy is calming and very soothing and he has very unique colored eyes (orange). Just looking at him, we both understand each other without ever using words. He knows all of my moods, he enjoys watching me do tarot— at one point he even pulled cards but now he just likes to sleep on them.”

Familiars are also healers and magical practitioners in their own way. Tarot reader, witch, and color magic practitioner Sarah Potter says that her cat, Polly, “psychically chatters to me all day long and sometimes even crashes my client Tarot sessions. Because of her good sense about people, her advice is always on point, too. Polly insists on being a part of every ritual...which is why I never keep her out of any magical work I am doing.”

Psychic Stephanie Ulrich (AKA “The Snake Channeler”) receives downloads from her snakes, which are known to be super intuitive creatures. Her snakes share pivotal insights about clients during readings. Stephanie translates the messages with her clients that the snakes are telling her and lets her clients know all the pertinent information that her snakes want to share.

So, how does a witch meet their familiar? Well, they just sort of find each other. They choose to be the other’s familiar, and enter a mutually beneficial relationship.

Tarot reader, host of This is Your Magic podcast, and author Michelle Tea met her cat serendipitously, after waiting for the right familiar to “choose” her. And, “it finally happened three years ago when my cat Birthday Rainbow walked into my house, laid down and never left.”

Witch, psychic, and host of The Glitter Cast podcast Renee Watt further explains, “there is a correlation between wishing for an animal companion and having it manifest for you in serendipitous ways. Dreaming about a pet or feeling as though it communicates with you in psychic ways are also indications that you've got a familiar by your side.”

Can any animal be a witch’s familiar? Sort of, yes! Insects, cats, mice, rats, toads, ravens, and dogs are traditionally familiars. However, it depends upon how the witch and the animal connect. Sometimes two spirits (that being the witch and the familiar) want to work together and find an affinity in each other. This means that it won’t matter who the spirit belongs to, as it’s a fated meeting that draws them together as one.

Every animal has its spiritual significance in the magical world. But if we're being real, many witches have cat familiars by their sides (the tropes are true!). The reason that most witches have cat familiars is simple: According to Bri, “cats have been long admired and revered as sacred from the days of the great goddess Bastet...They remember this information and their energy and presence offered is indicative of this.”

Remember all of this the next time you play with your pet. They are the gatekeepers, protectors of your magic, and will bring you clarity. Plus, they’ll prove their loyalty by never leaving your side.

The secret of whether your cat feels bonded to you lies in behavioral signals they would show to feline friends

• By Emily Blackwell, The Conversation US on October 5, 2022

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Credit: Chalabala/Getty Images

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The following essay is reprinted with permission from

The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research.

Even the most devoted cat owners wonder at some point, perhaps waking up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, whether their cat really loves them. Dog people like to smugly point out dogs’ long history as humankind’s best friend.

But research shows cats’ reputation as a cold and aloof pet is undeserved.

Because of their evolutionary ancestry, domestic cats are, by their nature, more independent than dogs. The wild ancestors of our cats didn’t live in social groups as canines do. However, during the process of domestication, cats developed the ability to form social relationships not just with other cats, but also with people.

While they may not rely upon people to feel safe as dogs do, many cats show affection towards their guardians and seem to highly value the company of their human companions. Their attachment to humans is partly influenced by their experiences of being handled by people as a kitten.

Cats behave towards humans in the same way that they respond to their feline friends, so the secret of whether your cat feels bonded to you lies in their behaviour.

1. Look out for scenting

The ability to communicate with other cats over long distances and when no longer physically present was an advantage to their wild ancestors. Our pet cats have retained this “supersense” and rely heavily on this form of communication .

In particular, cats use scent to identify members of their social group or family, by sharing a group scent profile. Cats have scent glands on their flanks, head and around their ears, and often rub their heads against people and objects that are familiar and comforting.

Does your cat rub its head or side against your legs? The soft sensation you feel against your calves is actually your cat identifying you as a friend and is a huge compliment.

2. Watch how they greet you

One of the most obvious signs that your beloved pet is fond of you, is the way that your cat greets you. When cats greet members of their social group they show signals to indicate friendship and a desire to move closer. Cats also show these signals to humans.

A tail held in the upright flagpole position shows a friendly intention (the feline equivalent of a wave), indicating familiarity, trust, and affection. Some cats also use an upright question mark shaped tail to greet someone they like, or to motion that they want to play.

Cats sometimes intertwine their tails  as a sign of friendship and the human equivalent of this is to wrap their tail around your calf.

Rolling over and exposing their vulnerable under belly is another gesture that a cat has ultimate trust in you. However cats prefer to be petted on the head and neck area, so this is not usually a request for a belly rub.

Attempts to stroke a cat’s belly will often result in a hasty retreat, or even claws. The chirrup or trill greeting is a melodious sound that cats make when saying hello to preferred individuals. So if your cat sings to you in this way, be assured they are pleased to see you.

That familiar feeling when your cat hits the back of your knee can also be a sign that they feel an extremely close bond to you. The feline version of a high-five, the head bump is usually saved for a cat’s closest feline friends and most trusted humans.

3. Look for blinks

Your cat might also be secretly signalling their affection in the way they look at you. When cats encounter strange humans or other cats they don’t know, they usually greet them with an unblinking stare. But they are more likely to slowly blink at cats they have a good relationship with.

Research suggests slow blinks are associated with a positive emotional state and can be a sign of trust, contentment and affection, similar to a human smile. If you wish to return the compliment, blink and your cat might blink back. This is nice a way to bond with your cat if they aren’t keen on being touched.

4. They get up close

Cats are very protective of their personal space and don’t like unwelcome guests to invade it. If a cat allows you to get close to them, that suggests a close bond, particularly where the contact is frequent or long lasting.

Curling up on your lap for a nap is a sign of deep trust. Grooming only happens between cats with a warm relationship, so licking your hand or face can be a show of endearment, even though those barbed tongues may not feel all that gentle.

How can you tell if a cat has imprinted on you?

When cats don't feel threatened by other cats, they will show affection by rubbing on them, sleeping near them, and being in their presence. If your cat replicates those behaviors with you, Delgado says it has officially imprinted on you. They rub against you.

Do cats recognize you as their owner?

If you've ever asked yourself, “Does my cat know me?” you can rest assured: your cat knows you. In fact, she may even know you better than you know yourself. Animal behavior experts and pet owners have both observed that cats learn their human housemates' habits.

Do cats mimic owners?

Your furry friend might be more of a copycat than you thought. According to a recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE, these notoriously independent creatures were found to mimic their owners' personalities, particularly with traits like extroversion, openness, and neuroticism or emotional stability.

Do cats know their owners aren't cats?

Cats do often treat humans like other felines, using gestures like licking or rubbing on both feline friends and human caregivers, she says. “In a way, cats think of us as bigger cats,” Bonk says. “They might not necessarily know that we're a different species or they just don't care.”