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If you love cats, you may sometimes wish to invite a stray cat to stay with you. If you detest cats, you may more often wish to encourage them to go away. Fortunately, most cats possess a significant amount of sensitivity to magic, including the subtle senses of empathy and psychic communication -- obvious to any of you whose cat has ever interrupted a crying jag by jumping in your lap and purring. Most people find it easier to communicate with a cat they know well. Reaching an unfamiliar cat offers more of a challenge, so I suggest enlisting the aid of the feline-identified Goddesses Bast and Sekhmet. You can also substitute favorite feline powers from another system, Bast and Sekhmet both coming from Egypt.
The main power of these spells rests in the words. Simply speaking the spell aloud usually does the trick, particularly if you often work magic with the power of your voice. Use a soft, coaxing tone for the "Stay" spell and a firm tone for the "Go" spell. Say the words whenever you see the cat you wish to address. I should mention that when you want to attract a cat, you should leave food out; when you want a cat to go away, you must make sure to avoid leaving anything remotely edible where the stray can reach it. If you feel that you need more of a focus for your spell, add some of the altar effects below.
Spell to Encourage A Stray Cat to Stay
Greetings, agile traveler of many paths!
Let there be friendship between us.
I open my home and my heart to you.
I offer good food and a warm place to sleep,
Comfort and companionship all your days.
Stay if you will, go if you must, but hear this:
I mean you no harm and wish you well.
In the name of Bast I bid you welcome;
In the name of Sekhmet I invite you to stay.
Set your altar with a feline theme. For an altar cloth, consider leopard or tiger pattern, or one with pictures of cats or pawprints. Light a candle the same color as the cat you wish to contact; if you can't find one in the right color, use black (traditional for a witch's familiar) or white (all-purpose) instead. In fact, you can often find candles in the shape of a cat, particularly useful for this spell. Burn incense for Bast or Sekhmet. You may want to add catnip to your incense, or sprinkle catnip leaves on your altar. Include an image of a cat, preferably one that resembles the stray. Finally, recite the spell slowly in a welcoming tone.
Spell to Encourage a Stray Cat to Move Along
Greetings, agile traveler of many paths!
Let there be peace between us,
But I say to you now that this my territory
Must remain closed to you.
My home and my heart are full;
I have no place for another just now.
I mean you no harm and wish you well
As you continue your journey.
In the name of Bast I bid you farewell;
In the name of Sekhmet I ask you to move along.
Set your altar with a subdued but still feline theme. Use a dark-colored altar cloth. Light a black candle (for banishing) or a red one (good for "hotfoot" spells, also Sekhmet's color). To invoke the assistance of Bast and Sekhmet, you may burn incense pleasing to them; alternatively, burn any good warding or banishing incense to encourage the stray to leave your territory. Try the spell at least once in a polite tone. If that doesn't work, replace the feline elements with canine elements and invoke a canine-identified deity such as Anubis, who acts as a guardian and defender.
As I worked on this article, it occurred to me that some people often need temporary protection from cats -- for instance, when visiting friends who keep them. I wrote the spell below as a means of communicating with cats in their own space, into which you come as a guest. If you don't want your friends to catch you talking to yourself, you can cast this one silently. Just meet the cat's eyes and say or think the words, concentrating on your fervent desire for solitude.
Spell To Decline the Company of Cats While Visiting
In the name of Bast I acknowledge your sovereignty
Here in your own territory,
But in the name of Sekhmet I ask you to leave me alone
Because your presence distresses me.
When you work these spells, remember that cats have a mind of their own. No magic can affect an unwilling cat; the purpose of the spells is to communicate, not command. None of them will affect a cat whose plan or destiny indicates a different course. Some cats will also ignore you out of sheer mischief, but most will respect your wishes. It's simply the nature of the beast.
The Neteru of Kemet by Tamara Siuda-Legan. 1994, Eschaton Productions, Inc. 60 East Chestnut Street, #236 Chicago, IL 60611. An excellent introduction to Egyptian deities; recommended.
The Book of the Cat edited by Michael Wright and Sally Walters. 1980, Summit Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. A good all-around guide to cats; recommended.
"Addressing the Cat Who Walks by Himself" copyright 1996 Elizabeth Barrette, first published in Circle Network News #63 "Sacred Cats" Spring '97.
Art on this page is from the "Treasured Felines" set, at Moyra's Web Jewels.
The URL for this page is http://www.worthlink.net/~ysabet/catspell.html and it was last updated on October 13, 1998.