Cat Buttons

Cats, beyond the love people today have for their feline friends, have always been associated with the ability to see into other orders of existence. With their nocturnal vision, in Egypt cats were regarded as protectors from evil spirits and otherwise invisible beings. In the realms of old Wicca, the cat was the familiar par excellence.

The Egyptian cat-headed goddess, Bast, was the "Daughter of Ra", a designation that placed her in the same ranks as such goddesses as Maat and Tefnut. Additionally, Bast was called one of the "Eyes of Ra", the title of an "avenger" who is sent to protect the enemies of Egypt and her gods.

In Japan, the image of a cat sitting on its haunches with one paw raised in a beckoning gesture was a good luck charm, and Japanese merchants used it to lure customers into their places of business.