what can familiars do

You could try summoning it through a personal circle. It's whatever comes to mind when in desire for a familiar. Draw it, understand how to use it, and call your familiar.

Thank you guys and I just have one more question can familiars touch physical things

And again thnx for the help

Some can, some can't.

Kk thnx a bunch

They are animals who you share a magical bond with.

I'm not sure where the idea that a pet is the same as a familiar came from. I guess I have to blame it on some of the crop of poorly researched books on the market these days. But the fact of the matter is that our beloved pets and a Witch's familiar are very, very different things.

A Witch's familiar is an animal spirit or a magical construct created by the Witch or the Magician as an adjunct to their magical workings, as a repository for power, and if needed as a defense against magical attack from another magic user. A Witch or a magician can draw upon the energies of the familiar when they need an extra boost of energy in a magical working. Conceivably if the spell is important enough, the Witch could completely drain the familiar of energy causing it to "die" or cease to exist. And in the case of a magical attack, the attack could be diverted to the familiar so that it would be the familiar which is destroyed rather than the magic user. None of these are things that I think any of us would want to do with our pets.

There is an excellent article on familars here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Familiar_spirit

Animals are very sensitive to the energies around them and they may be drawn to us when we are working magic because they can sense the energy. They also want to be around their people, which again will make them want to be where we are..and that may be where we are doing magic. Neither of these things makes the animal a familiar or inherently magical in and of itself.

I agree with lark, some are spiritual creatures that are drawn to us by are magic energy. Some are pets you share a magical bond with.

The idea that an animal was a witch's familiar comes from the idea that either a demon had possessed the animal or that the witch turned into the animal. That has become, today, the idea that the familiar is their pet - like in Harry Potter. A familiar should be seen as a spirit guide or a business partner.

Wow I guess I just learn a lot I didn't know you could kill your familiar :'(. Or that you take energy from it.

That was really helpful lark! Thnx!!

No Fenrir, you must have misread my post. Pets are not familiars.