A familiar is a spirit, a witch's companion spirit, usually an animal spirit in the form of a physical animal. A familiar can be purely in spirit form.

The most common animal familiars are cats, especially black cats, but can be any animal such as a dog or rabbit, and also insects. Most familiars serve as general magical helpers, aiding in spell casting and other works of magic, while others are protectors of hearth and home, or personal guardians during dream or astral work.

See The Magical Arts Table of Contents for more information about Traditional Magic.