What is the difference between pets and familiars?

Question

do you have to be a witch/wicca to have a familiar? define familiar.

Answer 1

A familiar ia a vessel through which spirits can help a witch do things.I have even heard of cases where a witch can trade places with a familiar. A pet is just an animal that one has for companionship or protection.

Answer 2

Merry Meet Ray Ray,

The differences in a mundane pet and a spiritual familiar is simple, their use. Not all pets are familiars and not all familiars are pets. One cannot simple turn a pet into a familiar without removing its self will. So a familiar should be of mutual decision between the familiar and you.

Traditionally, a familiar is a creature that both you and it share a common bond as well as goal. You both should work as one creature in ritual, you should be able to feel what they feel and visa versa. In essence you are one. Depending upon the Familiar they can help you stay grounded, or focused, or even share their strength with you. But be advised that what you can get from them, they also can draw from you. Hence you feel what they feel, you sense what they sense, you can smell what they smell and all this can be done at a distance. A pet can only give you comfort in the present and through their sharing and loving can reduce stress and even give you companionship.

A familiar will add to your energies and your abilities, a pet will only keep you grounded and at peace. There is more to it, but with this limited space I feel that this is a basic blurp on the subject. A decent book to check out is “The Witch’s Familiar” by Raven Grimassi. It leans ceremonial magick but it is still a very informative book.

Always in Light and Love

Nyjh

Answer 3

A familiar is a magical pet that through the application of incantation becomes magically bound to someone.  Legends describe familiars being able to speak to their hosts through empathy, being able to change shape into other creatures of similar size and even being able to scry to their hosts what they see, hear and smell.  Familiars are however products of legends and folklore.

Answer 4

Nyjh gave a very good description for you.  You don't have to be a witch to do spells.