Printable Coloring Pages
Witches' Familiars Coloring Pages:
Welcome to our Witches' Familiars coloring pages section.
Witches' familiars are magical animal companions believed to assist and protect witches in their craft. Often depicted as cats, owls, ravens, toads, or other creatures, these familiars are said to be both guides and guardians, linking witches to the spiritual world. Each familiar brings unique qualities: cats are known for their intuition and agility, owls for wisdom, and ravens for mystery and transformation. In folklore, familiars are not only loyal friends but also magical allies who help witches perform spells and protect them from harm.
Witches' Familiars: Cats
Witch Folklore: In witch legends, black cats are famous for being witches’ helpers. People once thought they could talk with their witch owners and even spy for them. Black cats were seen as mysterious, and it was believed they had magical powers to help witches with spells.
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The History of Cats and the Realms of Magic: In Ancient Egypt, cats were sacred and believed to protect people from evil. Egyptians even had a cat goddess, Bastet, who watched over homes and kept families safe. This mystical reputation helped cats become symbols of magic and mystery long before they were linked with witches.
Egyptian goddess Bastet coloring pages >
Witches' Familiars: Owls
Witch Folklore: Witches love owls because they’re silent flyers who can see in the dark, making them perfect nighttime helpers. People believed that owls could carry messages from spirits and help witches work in secret.
The History of Owls and the Realms of Magic: Owls are symbols of wisdom in many cultures, especially in Greek mythology, where the goddess Athena, who represented knowledge and skill, had an owl as her companion. Today, we still think of owls as wise creatures who stay alert when everyone else is asleep, making them perfect guides in the world of magic.
Witches' Familiars: Toads
Witch Folklore: Witches were thought to keep toads to help with potions and spells. Some stories say toads had poison that witches could use in their magic, making them a handy friend to have around!
more Toad or Frog coloring pages >
The History of Toads and the Realms of Magic: In many cultures, toads symbolize good luck and wisdom. Some people believe that if you find a toad in your garden, it means rain is coming—a helpful sign for crops. With their “magical” connection to nature, toads were seen as lucky and clever long before witchcraft legends.
Witches' Familiars: Ravens or Crows
Witch Folklore: Ravens and crows are smart birds with dark feathers that people often think of as spooky. Witches were believed to keep them as familiars to help see into the future or send messages between worlds. Ravens were even thought to talk to witches and warn them of danger.
The History of Ravens and the Realms of Magic: In Norse mythology, the god Odin had two ravens, Huginn and Muninn, who flew across the world to bring him information. In some Native American legends, ravens are tricksters who love to play pranks and help shape the world with their cleverness. With their mystical powers of knowledge and trickery, ravens have long been magical messengers.
more Norse Mythology coloring pages >
Witches' Familiars: Spiders
Witch Folklore: Spiders are great at weaving webs, just like witches are good at "weaving" spells. People believed that witches used spiders to make magic potions and sometimes turned into spiders to spy on others!
The History of Spiders and the Realms of Magic: Spiders are symbols of creativity and patience. In African stories, a famous character named Anansi is a spider who uses clever tricks to solve problems. Anansi teaches that with patience and creativity, you can overcome any challenge, making spiders perfect symbols of magic’s craftiness and persistence.
History of Witches' Familiars:
The idea of witches and their animal "familiars" started a long time ago in Europe, around the 1400s. Back then, many people didn’t understand how natural events happened, like why some plants healed or why strange weather suddenly struck. They sometimes blamed people they thought had magical powers, especially women who knew a lot about plants and healing. These women were sometimes called “wise women” or “healers,” and while most were just trying to help their communities, others saw their knowledge as suspicious or even dangerous.
People once believed that witches used magic with the help of animal friends, or “familiars.” Superstitions led people to think these animals had magical powers of their own or were actually evil spirits helping witches. If someone had a pet they loved, wildlife in their garden, or even a big spider on their porch, others might start to wonder if they were secretly a witch.
As fear spread, so did gossip. People whispered about neighbors who seemed different or kept to themselves, and soon these whispers turned into stories of “witches” working with dark forces. Gossip moved quickly—just like on social media today—and before long, anyone who looked or acted a bit different could be a target. Fear, jealousy and gossip made people believe things they might not otherwise, and this led them to accuse innocent people of witchcraft.
We know now that the stories of witches and their magical animal helpers weren’t true, but they’re a good reminder that gossip and fear can still lead people to make unfair judgments, even today. Whether it’s online or in person, spreading rumors or exaggerating stories about someone can be just as dangerous now as it was back then.
Unfortunately, people harmed animals thought to be "familiars" during the witch hunts, especially in Europe. When someone was suspected of witchcraft, their pets—particularly black cats, toads, and owls—were sometimes believed to be magical helpers or even evil spirits in disguise. Because of these superstitions, people often harmed or killed these animals, thinking it would stop any supposed “witchcraft” from spreading.