August 17th is officially National Black Cat appreciation day, and I feel a needed day of celebration indeed. For black cats were not always celebrated, in it’stead thought to be the imps of the devil…
The Ancient Egyptians though paid homage to felines of all colors, as they saw them as truly sacred. The Egyptians honored Bast and Sekhmet, cat goddesses that have been worshiped since 3000 BCE. These people adorned their cats with jewelry, baubles, and fancy collars, giving an indication of the cat’s importance and worth within the family. But around the 13th century, the Catholic Church created the “Vox in Rama,” a document declaring black cats specifically, were the incarnation of the Devil. The Western cultures followed suit, stating black cats were a symbol of evil and bad omens. Believing them also to be a witches familiar, and that these cats aided their witches in the art of shapeshifting… wicked felines indeed. With that lunacy aside there may be a speck of truth to black cats and magick though, as it was said that Hekate herself had a cat, both her ally and familiar.
The day I decided to go to the towns and visit the animal shelter for my new familiar, there was an adorable litter of gray and white striped kittens, crawling and playing about. As I came up to the cage to take a closer peek, a very tiny little black kitten appeared out of the bunch. She teetered right up to me, and while looking me in the eyes wrapped her tiny little paw around my arm… long story short she went home with me that day. It was May Day, and when I left my abode to get this little kitten I noticed that my new Queen of the Night black tulips had come to bloom for the magickal day. So I got to thinking and decided my new little friend’s name would be Petula. As the name literally means tulip petal, and since she came home with me on Mayday, I found it bewitchingly perfect. The name in Latin also means to “seek and attack,” and that too is quite fitting. When she’s relaxing she is quiet, sweet, and very affectionate, but when it’s playtime… it’s attack time! I believe she has plans on becoming a mouser when she grows up, at least she’s working on a trade. We connected with each other the minute we laid eyes on each other, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.
So to honor Petula and this fine day I’ve added a new magickal oil to my shop. A magickal oil that celebrates the feline and our connections with these bewitching creatures. Use this oil to honor Bast and Sekhmet, to work with your own feline, the cat spirit, or as an aid in shapeshifting… Feline Familiar Oil
Happy National Black Cat appreciation day!
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