If your cat is scheduled for surgery or is recovering from an illness, try the following spell. If possible, try and schedule surgery during a waning moon phase. (It's thought to help keep blood loss and infection down.) Call on one of the gentle cat goddesses, such as Freya, Bast, or Diana.

Supplies
For this spell you will need:

• A plain white tealight candle
• 2 candleholders
• A cat-shaped candle or a small candle (like a votive) that matches the color of your cat's fur
• A nail or large straight pin to carve your pet's name in the candle
• A few strands of loose cat hair
• A cat-shaped charm, or a small picture or statue of Bast
• Lighter or matches
• A natural representation of each of the four elements (such as a crystal for earth, a feather for air, a lava rock for fire, and a seashell for water)
• A safe place to set the spell up on, or a large cauldron to burn the candle inside of

Directions
Set up your natural representations of the four elements in a loose circle. Arrange the candles in the center of the work space. Carefully carve the name of your pet into the cat-shaped or color-coordinated candle. Then, add the loose cat hairs to this candle holder; by doing this you link the healing magick firmly to your pet. Speak the name of aloud of the goddess with whom you are working. Light the tealight candle as you ask in your own words for her help. Then, light the cat candle and repeat the charm.

Close up the spell by allowing the tealight and cat candle to burn out on their own. Keep any eye on the candles and don't leave them unattended or where curious cats can reach them. You might try setting them inside of a cauldron or large pot. Remember to thank the goddess when you are finished. Best wishes for your pet's speedy recovery.

Excerpted from The Enchanted Cat, by Ellen Dugan.