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Everyone needs a companion to help them through life, and a witch is no different! But what best suits her? The answer can vary naturally. However,  certain creatures have more often held the coveted position of witchy escort.

 

Welcome back, my beloved little monsters! Thank you for returning to read today’s witchy content. The Archivist and I are thrilled with your interest in the craft and are grateful to share more content with you all.  

 

Now, where there are witches there are spells, magic, mischief, and of course, a familiar at the ready should their mistress call upon them.

 

Today, we are going to discuss a witch’s familiar along with some of the more popular ones in modern-day storytelling. Excited?! So am I!

Before we get started though, remember that BASIC Studios is hiring and we would very much love to see our readers join the team!

 

What is a Familiar?

 

To begin, it is important to clarify what a familiar is and what their purpose is in relation to the witch who calls upon them.

 

According to Britannica, a familiar in Western demonology was a creature, often a low-level  demon that took the shape of an animal, that the witch received from the devil. (1)

 

What exactly does that creature do? What is its purpose? Is this a mere house pet, or something more? The answer is, it’s something much more. Familiars are helpers who guide a witch in all that they do, including spells and rituals. They venture into the world to act as a second pair of eyes for their witch and gather information she may need. There are times a familiar might be asked to help conduct magic as well. This sounds so pleasant, doesn’t it? Perhaps? But be mindful, my dear monsters, because familiars cost something to the witch who summons them. (2)

 

From the Other Wordly Oracle, who provided us with the information above, there are common Familiars listed (2). For the purposes of this piece, I will focus on specific animal familiars because those are the types we often see in popular media. Hares, black cats, dogs, wolves, and butterflies were common familiars. There were others that were less common animals, and some who looked like a humanoid, such as an imp (2).

 

What is fact and what we see in popular media are often very different, of course. In fact, some of us may have thought that a familiar was nothing but a glorified house pet. Now we know better.  

 

Familiars in Visual Media

 

One of the most common Familiars that we often see in witchy media is the famous black cat. Across film and television, black cats have become a staple in many a witch’s home; there are a fair amount of these that most of us have come to know and love.

 

However, do they fit the mold of a familiar, or are they just merely there to look pretty and give off that unsettling vibe we have all come to love in media based on the craft? Shall we talk a walk together and find out?

 

Five Cat Familiars

 

Black cats are popular companions in animated television shows and films, and some of our most coveted are involved with magic worlds and people. One in particular follows a young witch and aids her in her quest to learn her powers and find her place in this world. The black cat in question is Jiji from Kiki’s Delivery service.

 

Now then, we should make sure we have some rules set before judgement. What is the criteria? Simple is best:  

1. A creature who has taken the shape of an animal (black cat)
2. They are there to guide, help, or lead the witch 

Who is Jiji? Jiji is Kiki’s companion who travels with her when she journies away from home to become a witch in her own right. We do not know if Jiji is a creature that has taken the shape of a cat. However,  it is clear that he is present in order to guide and help Kiki in her quest to harness her power (3).  

 

Miyazaki had this to say about Jiji, “… He’s part of Kiki. He represents an immature part of her.” (3)

 

Does this make him a true familiar? He helps Kiki, has the ability to speak with her, and apparently lives longer than a normal cat (3). I believe he constitutes a true familiar. Either way, it’s clear that this snarky black cat has his place in witchy culture. 

 

Next on our list is Binx from Hocus Pocus. Does he fit the criteria?

Our Thackery Binx attempted to thwart the Sanderson sisters’ killing of his little sister. However, he did not arrive in time to save her. He saved other village children by alerting the adults to what the sisters were doing. Unfortunately, it did not save him from being cursed.

 

Binx was cursed to take the shape of a black cat, and so he remained near the old Sanderson house to make sure Winifred’s prophecy never came true. Perhaps he isn’t a true familiar, as he did not serve the witches. But he was a former human, now cursed into the shape of a cat who could not die. I believe this would make him familiar-adjacent. Regardless, he was an easy black kitty to love. But then, aren’t they all?

 

Stepping into television, another popular cat is Kit from the series Charmed. While she was not a black cat, it was clear that Kit was very much a familiar to the Halliwell sisters. Kit is clearly a magical creature with powers. However, it is not mentioned whether she is a demon or devil. Interestingly, she actually is rewarded by being turned into a human later in the series. Kit has many magical abilities and powers, and she definitely watches over her witches (4). I think it is safe to say that Kit mostly meets the criteria required of a familiar.  

 

The last on our list happens to be the same black cat from two different decades and two very different versions of a popular story. Salem, the black cat belonging to Sabrina Spellman in both Sabrina the Teenage Witch (StTW) and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TCAoS), has a unique tale from one television show to the next.

 

Can he be considered a familiar though?  

 

In StTW, Salem was a former warlock who attempted world domination. When he was caught, he was turned into a black cat as punishment and given to Hilda Spellman to keep him out of trouble (5). Technically, he has magical abilities, even if they’re  not useful to him in his current form. He also serves the witches in his household, though he is a bit of a pest more than he is helpful. Lastly, he was a being other than a cat, but certainly not a demon or devil (5). I’m not sure he could be a familiar. Still,  his story was a fun and intriguing way to alter the typical familiar mold.

 

Perhaps the only true familiar in this list is our last Salem from The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Sabrina summons Salem through a spell, and when he appears, he is a creature not of this world. To fit into the mortal world and not raise questions, he shapeshifts into a black cat. Salem protects Sabrina and has powers with which to help her on her quests through life as a witch (6). He ticks all of the boxes required of a Familiar by our definition.  

 

In Conclusion

 

Whether or not familiars in film and television fit the rules of what constitutes a familiar, the addition of animal companions provides viewers with the chance to step out of the ordinary. This is undoubtedly why they are so beloved in fiction.

 

Audiences want to be pulled in by magic and fantasy, because we have been enraptured by it since infancy. Fairy tales, cartoons on Saturday mornings, films about talking animals with superpowers…

 

We grew up on these incredible concepts, and seeing that they can fit into adulthood keeps the magic of childhood imagination alive and well.

 

Or maybe that’s just me?

 

Either way, what do you, my precious little monsters, think of familiars in modern day media? Is it alright to tweak their purpose? Should they remain the same? Or, are familiars a medium that can change and adapt with the times?

 

We would love to hear your opinions on this topic! Don’t hesitate to like, follow, and if you feel brave, drop a comment below to tell us what you think.

 

Until next time. Your resident Monster Mama thanks you for joining us this spooky season, and never forget to question everything.

 

Resources:  

1. “Possession.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/topic/possession-religion. Accessed 18 Sept. 2026. 
2. “Witches Familiars: What is a Familiar Spirit? From Past to Present.” Otherworldly Oracle, 19 Mar. 2019, otherworldlyoracle.com/witches-familiars/. 
3. “Jiji.” Ghibli Wiki, Fandom, ghibli.fandom.com/wiki/Jiji. Accessed 18 Sept. 2026. 
4. “Kit.” Charmed Wiki, Fandom, 18 Sept. 2026, charmed.fandom.com/wiki/Kit. 
5. Salem Saberhagen. Thesabrinatheteenagewitch Wiki, Fandom, 20 Sept. 2026, sabrinatheteenagewitch.fandom.com/wiki/Salem_Saberhagen. 
6. Salem. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Wiki, Fandom, 20 Sept. 2026, adventuresofsabrina.fandom.com/wiki/Salem.