A familiar is a companion. Whether it’s a positive good thing is up for debate, historically speaking.
According to Wikipedia: In European folklore of the medieval and early modern periods, familiars (sometimes referred to as familiar spirits) were believed to be supernatural entities that would assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic.
A.K.A. Women who expressed intellectual ideas and both men and women who were free thinkers.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, it’s a demon supposedly attending and obeying a witch, often said to assume the form of an animal.”her familiars were her two little griffons that nested in her skirts”, a close friend or associate, or, (in the Roman Catholic Church) a person rendering certain services in a pope’s or bishop’s household
A.K.A…. See above.
I think of a familiar as one that loves and takes care of you but not like a parent, spouse or friend.
I think of it like my Cats.
Always happy to see me, even if I’ve been a bad human and was gone for a feeding time or two. In my defense, if I know I’m working a 12-15 hour day, I always make sure to leave something for them like a couple bowls of dry food, I’m not a monster.
Always there to comfort me when I need it, cats are incredibly empathetic.
And most of all, they allow me to pet them even when they don’t necessarily want to be.
Petting an animal is scientifically proven to lower blood pressure and I can personally attest to that.
Here’s a video my cat Harry is patiently allowing me to make, he even faked liking it for my benefit. I know because I made a few from different angles and he put up with it every time.
Enjoy and feel the love!