Morgan’s Wardrobe
Households and Their Pets
Merry Meet Everyone!
Wishing everyone a Blessed and Bountiful Lammas!
This month I have decided to talk about how pets fit into the Wiccan household. Since Wiccan households see things a little differently than mainstream households, of course we treat our animals differently as well. As people who honor deities and energies of Mother Earth, we cannot help but hold Her wild creatures in reverence as well as Her domesticated creatures.
First and above all, pets in a Wiccan household are usually unbelievably spoiled. They are more than just pets; they are members of the family. Their moods and feelings are taken into account as such. Most magickal households will also have a conglomeration of animals if at all possible. They are treated as family members and are given the same attention and regard. Living in a house that is technically two residences, our household is home to 4 cats, 3 dogs and a myriad of fish. All are happy, well cared for and given at least as much attention daily as the children in the household.
One word of warning here is that while there may be many pets in a Wiccan household, it is also required that they all well cared for. This includes not just being fed and watered but being given the attention they both need and deserve. To have animals and not do this would be showing blatant disrespect to Mother Earth.
The presence of ritual in the Wiccan household is another aspect that doesn’t exist in mainstream households. While our pets are obviously present for our daily magickal workings, they may also participate in them as well. Some pets, not all, are considered to be familiars and will actually lend their energy to the daily magick of the household. Some of our household pets are familiars, actually, come to think of it, most of them are. Familiars are attached to a specific person and this is also the case here. While all the pets interact with all members of the household, each of them is spiritually connected to a specific member of the household. As spiritual consorts, each of these familiars aide the household member they are attached to in some special and/or magickal way.
As with good pets, familiars also tend to choose their ‘people’. When looking for a familiar, one can only ask that one be given and wait for an answer. Don’t expect that you will be able to go out and pick up a household pet and it will be an automatic familiar. It just rarely works that way. Familiars tend to appear in some of the strangest places in the strangest ways. My familiar is a perfect example of this. Through a twist of fate, I acquired him at the very young age of three weeks. At the time, I did not realize he was my familiar as I wasn’t particularly looking for one. I had just lost my dear old familiar of many years and hadn’t even given thought to a new one. One day a friend of a friend, someone I didn’t know well at all, asked me to take one of their kittens early. He was being such a piggy that the one other kitten in the litter was not getting nearly enough to eat. Since I had hand raised kittens before, I agreed to take on the task of raising the little piggy. The rest is history, as they say.
As you can see, pets hold a position of high regard in this household. I cannot stress enough that proper care must be given. This is something that needs to be considered before taking on the responsibility of a pet. To steal a comment that a friend recently made to me, they are not houseplants or frozen dinners to which one can just add water, they need love and attention. Yes, they can be and are work as well, pleasant work but work all the same.
Another consideration is what kind of pet you are willing and able to care for. Some pets require more attention than others to be healthy and happy. If you are looking to bring a pet into your home and are unsure of what type of pet might work the best for you, talk to your local veterinarian or humane society. They can help you to choose the pet that fits your lifestyle. Who knows, that perfect familiar may just be waiting to be adopted!
Light and love to all from Minnesota!
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author bio:
R.Beth Hall was born in Southern Minnesota and grew up around the country as a “Navy brat” since her father had a career in the Navy. Her mother was a teacher for 20+ years and she also has a brother who lives in Denver, Colorado. Living in Garden Grove, California, until she was 18, she now lives in the Mankato, Minnesota area and has for the past 30 years. Although she is living the single life now, she has three children and four grandchildren to date; they all currently live in Minnesota as well.
R.Beth has an Associate of Applied Science degree as an Administrative Legal Assistant and while she has held several jobs in this capacity, she currently works as an independent contractor for a mail processing company. This gives her time to pursue her music passion. She has spearheaded a folk duet called Dusty Rockers that plays in local coffee houses and are working on recording an album.