Here’s my very own recipe from my very own Book of Shadows for Black Cat Oil!…I give you my ingredients, and we make a jar of BCO together. For more information on Cats, Cat Magick (including Black Cat Oil), Cat Correspondences, and Cat Superstitions, visit my blog (Magickal Connections) and this post: “Magickal Katz”… https://wytchymystique.com/2011/09/10/magickal-kat
[Originally published in The Witch’s Corner newsletter, June 2011…Pixie passed away since this post was first published]
Katz
(Salem & Pixie, sitting in *their* spot at the livingroom windows, watching birds & squirrels at the feeders.)
We have six cats, or Katz, in our house, and each one is a unique creature that stands out from all the others with a staunch individualism that only cats can carry off successfully. There’s Salem, the sleek black prince of the house, who enjoys a great deal of affection, and can’t seem to wait until 5:30am, the time my husband normally rises for work, to come greet us in bed with morning nips to the fingers, purring, chirping, and carrying on. Unfortunately, Salem seems to think that *every* morning must begin this early and in this way…whether the alarm goes off or not.
At the other extreme is our brown tabby cat, Basil. Basil was born with the soul of an irrascible old man. He doesn’t want to be touched, he doesn’t really like it when you talk to him, and he puts a lot of effort into pretending not to listen. He doesn’t even like you to get too close, and goddess forbid, don’t make eye contact. And just like some crabby old man, he spends a lot of time growling, hissing, and complaining.
(Basil, napping on the back porch.)
Bast is the ‘Mama’ of the group, both figuratively and literally– she’s Basil’s mother. She also runs our cat community with an iron fist, and if anyone gets out of line– either cat or human– she puts them back into place by giving them a good swift slap to the face. Apparently this system works very well for her. So far no one has questioned her authority or tried to usurp her position in the pecking order.
(Mama Bast)
Pixie, also known as “Mistress Pixie Paws”, is just plain weird. She’s known around the house as ‘Spook’, for the unnerving habit of calmly watching us out of glassy gold-green eyes when we least expect it, and then blinking complacently when we’re startled. She is a sprite, a magickal creature, one of the elves or nymphs come to spy on us humans. Her actions are usually slow and deliberate, occasionally totally off the wall and unexpected, and always entertaining.
This cat also has the ability to fall asleep anywhere in almost any position– occasionally even when she’s sitting up, human style.
(Pixie, sleeping on the arm of the couch, where she had fallen asleep sitting bolt upright in a human position, and then gradually slid to the right.)
Pyewacket defies explanation. He’s a beautiful black angora that is very affectionate, likes to do a little ‘head-bumping’ greeting he has, and absolutely refuses to use a litter box– no way, no how. Wintering with him in the house is hell. He is banished to the laundry room, with the entire floor laid in newspapers. I defy you to pick up one square of newspaper, because if you do, out of this entire room– and it’s big– he will choose that one bare spot of floor to do his business.
We’ve decided that, lovable and affectionate as he is, Pyewacket basically has the heart of an outdoor cat.
(Pyewacket, snoozing in his food bowl on the back porch.)
Baby, aka Duchess, is my ham. Where the camera is, you’ll find Baby. She winds up in more of my photos, and photos that I’ll use for particular purposes, more often than any of the other cats. She also has two names, as you can see.
She is quiet, sort of out in a zone all on her own. This cat also obviously interacts with beings or entities that only she can see. We sat and watched her one day in the middle of the livingroom floor, as she circled an unseen being, her hair standing straight on end. It must have been about the same size as herself, and as she circled it, all puffed up, she would reach inside this space, trying to sniff whatever it was. Suddenly, it must have startled her, for she leaped backwards, all four paws off the floor. And then it was gone. I’m grateful that I had wittnesses to this extraordinary display.
Cats are lazy, plain and simple. That’s the truth. They spend their time eating or sleeping, with a little bit of play and shenanigans inbetween.
But mostly, they sleep…
Sometimes they like to share their space…
And sometimes, they don’t.
The Hummingbird:
Energies: peace, joy, love
Element: Water
Planet: Venus
Colors: pink, green,
Herbs: lavender, primrose, fern, lotus
Stones: rose quartz, jade
Hummingbird is a free spirit of the forest. It follows the wind from blossom to blossom without leaving a trail of its existence. It is the spirit of the seeker, forever searching for that which will fulfill it. It is the embodiment of wistful love; the harbinger of good omens; a creature of the wind, carrying messages to and fro through the twisted limbs of trees and shades of ever-changing sky. Hummingbird is the favored steed of fairy folk; the messenger of dreams; and handmaiden to the green witch.
Skullcap:
Energies: love, fidelity, peace
Element: Water
Planet: Saturn
Gender: Feminine (receptive)
Skullcap is used in spells to promote peace and harmony; to ease transitions of any kind; to enhance mental clarity and peace of mind; to help heal the soul from a loss; and to enhance meditation. It’s said that if a woman wears skullcap, her husband will be so strongly drawn to her as to be oblivious to the charms of other women. Skullcap is also used in spells of reconciliation, to heal rifts in friendships, and to cleanse a space of disruptive or frenetic energies.
What is the difference between the Hedgewitch, Kitchen Witch, & Green Witch?
A lot of people view these three aspects of the witch as one in the same thing, with a few minor differences, and I believe this to be true, especially when you look at the similarities between the Hedge, Kitchen, and Green witch: all three of these practices involve using natural things of the world, those things found around you, to create magic– herbs and stones; energies of the animal world; folk magic; personal spells; and informal spell casting, rather than heavy-duty ritual. Most of these practices involve a solitary practitioner, and this practitioner tends to be very independent and imaginative in their magickal endeavors. Simplicity is the bottom line, inter-laced with old world charm.
The Green Witch…connects with the power and magickal energy found within herbs. Her magic is natural and is often attuned to healing– healing of the body, mind, and soul through the world of herbs and the abundant magickal power found there. This witch tends to be a solitary practitioner, often tending her gardens, perhaps even growing many of the herbs she uses in her practice. She has a unique connection to nature and to the seasons, particularly in the aspect of growing and harvesting.
Kitchen Witch…her magick lay in the heart of the home, at the hearthfire itself. Her practices will also include using those items around her that are a natural part of her world. The Kitchen Witch has the ability to tap into herbs, stones, as well as other mundane items found in her home, and unleash the magickal energy from within. This witch incorporates this magick in her daily life– in the meals she prepares for her family, the way in which she cleanses and cares for her home, through magickal potions from her own unique recipes, and in her private and simple rituals and spells.
Hedgewitch…this witch prefers to live close to nature and is strongly connected to the natural world, often enjoying a relationship with the wild things that mundane people may find strange or unusual. The Hedgewitch is grounded, close to the earth and all its elements. She is the most elusive of the natural witches, often secretive about her practices and her magick, protective of that which she holds sacred. Her magick transcends the more common use of herbs and potions, candles and such, and originates strongly from her natural connections to all things in nature and the fundamental energy found there.
Bast, the Matriarch
In the first place, they usually come to you, you don’t acquire them; and if you happen to, they may disappear quickly, quietly, and mysteriously; leaving hardly a trace that allows you to remember they were ever there.
They return like actions for like actions, like emotions for like emotions…if you are cruel, they will return this action in kind, with the grasp of a jaw, or the swiping rake of a claw. If you are gentle, so shall they be, calmly and matter-of-factly washing your hand or your cheek as they would one of their own kind, showing in their own way their acceptance of you– in spite of your human condition. O’ joy, you are considered worthy!
Human outbursts are generally met with two reactions, either a quick departure which wreaks of not only fear but severe disapproval, or an intent stare of disdain, which wreaks of superiority and quiet wisdom. They refuse to remain in the company of one who would wish them ill. They refuse to remain in the company of one who offends their senses. They are what they are, and they do as they do, and in the process they cross paths with the human race and our wearisome state of being. They know, they figured us out long ago.
Baby, The Huntress
Correspondences for Cat Magick
Day: Monday
Planet: Moon
Element: Water
Color: blue, silver, purple
Herbs: calamus, gardenia, sandalwood, willow, chickweed, bladder wrack, columbine, Dittany of Crete, catnip, belladonna, apple,
African Violet
Stones: chalcedony, moonstone, sapphire, pearl, aquamarine, selenite
Magick: visions, seeing spirits, protection, astral travel, fairies
Bast, at sundown
Black Cat Oil
Ingredient: sage, bay leaves, myrrh, iron,
black cat hair
Base: almond oil– for romance, to draw a lover to you; castor oil– to draw spirits for spirit contact, for protection, to break bad spells and hexes
The black cat is not viewed as evil by the magickal practitioner. On the contrary, this animal is believed to be imbued with magickal connections to the spirit world. It’s often a favored familiar for a witch because of it’s otherworld qualities; its intelligence and sense of intuition, its beauty, its mystery, its loyalty, and its magick.
Black cats are also believed to be the favored form for shape-shifting spirits. This is why it’s considered bad luck to harm a black cat– this cat may not be a cat at all, but an entity from the spirit world who’s scrutinizing you as closely as you are watching it. Treat the black cat with respect and kindness, and you will receive this same treatment in return…harm this creature, and you may regret it.
Pyewacket
Cat Superstitions
Dreaming of white cat means good luck.
To see a white cat on the road is lucky.
It is bad luck to see a white cat at night.
If a cat washes behind its ears, it will rain.
A strange black cat on your porch brings prosperity.
A cat sneezing is a good omen for everyone who hears it.
A cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under means cold weather ahead.
When moving to a new home, always put the cat through the window instead of the door, so that it will not leave.
When you see a one-eyed cat, spit on your thumb, stamp it in the palm of your hand, and make a wish. The wish will come true.
In the Netherlands, cats were not allowed in rooms where private family discussions were going on. The Dutch believed that cats would definitely spread gossip around the town.
To reverse the bad luck curse of a black cat crossing your path, first walk in a circle, then go backward across the spot where it happened and count to 13.
Bast, on the eve of Samhain
A cat is not a panting, jumping, blindly adoring dog. Strike a cat and you may forever lose their trust and confidence in you. When our cats were kittens, and even once in a while yet, when they need to be reprimanded for climbing on shelves where they don’t belong, hanging from the living room curtains, or some other distinctly mischievous catly behavior, we use a small spray bottle of water in order to tell them that we don’t approve of what they are doing. After you’ve used this method a few times, all you have to do is reach for the bottle and they quickly scamper off the forbidden perch, scattering hither and yon to their secret hiding places within the house.
(The Late) Mistress Pixie Paws
Credits:
The information for “Correspondences for Cat Magick” and “Black Cat Oil” are excerpts from my book: “Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way” © Amythyst Raine 2011; “Cat Superstitions” is courtesy of: http://www.catquotes.com/catsuperstitions.htm
Magickal Connections 