At the end of September, I was given the painfully difficult news that 14 year old cat familiar has kidney disease. As you can imagine, I was devastated.
Although right now he is alive and as healthy as can be, I literally felt unable to cope for days. I think that hardest part was having to admit that my boy had grown old. I adopted him in my mid twenties, and now that I'm staring down the barrel at 40, well I guess it was time to admit they we have both gotten older and wiser.
I also found myself being eternally grateful, which sounds strange right, but the truth is, he could live for a number of years if his illness is well managed, and he is given the correct diet (I have been through this before with one of my dogs, so I know what will be expected of me). It gives me the opportunity to give him extra love every day. It gives me the opportunity to be prepared for the worst, but most importantly it gives me the opportunity to remember how lucky I am to have this cat in my life, and to remember the life we lived together.
For years, as a single bachelorette witch, we lived together, just him and me, before I adopted Gem, my little black cat. Now 14 years down the line, I have an amazing wife and life partner, who dotes on my furbabies and spoils them rotten... and we managed to adopt another 10 more (yes we have a busy, love filled home).
Over this last full moon, I offered special prayers to Bastet, for protection and good health for my boy, as well as for two other friend's with cats who haven't been well... it almost feels like there's something in the air as we approach Beltaine here in the Southern Hemisphere.
I found this amazing little prayer to Bastet for our feline friends, and wanted to share it with you, just in case you needed it too...
I was also inspired to design a range of goodies to commemorate my Gem cat, she is such a magnificent beauty, and also becoming an older, grumpier lady now. I want to always have something to remind me of her, and to hold her in my heart. So I decided to design some clothing and fashion items with her included - I have to admit it was very therapeutic process, and it helped me to be able to breathe a little more once again.
So for me, these aren't just clothing items, they're made up of memories and love, spells and magic, and they're something special and close to my heart.
Find me on twitter and tag me @Wiccaseries and let me know what special things you have done to remember your familiars, I would really love to hear them.
Remember Witches... Stay Safe, stay home (if you can) and make Magick!
Nathalie Beulah