Three Pagans and a Cat is a weekly podcast where a family of 3 pagans, each on a different path, discuss a topic of interest to the pagan community.  Gwyn, the Mom, is a green witch.  Car, the Dad, is the newest pagan and a Druid, while Ode, their child, is a Heathen. The cat referred to is named shadow and with them in spirit, although they got a new cat as the podcast progressed.

This feels a little like a pagan Siskel and Ebert, where the family will do research on a topic but the unfolding conversation with input from their listeners on the discord channel is what makes it a gem.  Gwyn has the most experience within paganism but tends to be the most intuitive.  Car as the newbie asks the necessary clarifying questions, and inserts humor.  Ode is the (over) analytical voice focused on the academic perspective.    Topics range from Spiritualism, the American movement started in the 19^th century that planted seeds in the modern Pagan community, to candle magick, to the Great Wheel of the Year.  They also do interviews with pagans of note, and review not only books but also stores and music.

I highly recommend this podcast as being not only informative but entertaining.  Their first step series is aimed at the newbie but has valuable information for even the experienced practitioner.  Sometimes it is useful to go over the basics, no matter where you are, and sometimes people skip or forget about certain parts.  If I knew someone interested in paganism I would lead them here.  I enjoy listening to their author interviews, and have a stack of books to pick up. Not that I need any encouragement. Gwyn also blogs on the Patheos Pagan channel.

I do feel a little guilty saying this, but the sound quality is sometimes not so great.  I know they are recording in their living room (although Car has professional sound experience) so it is a little unfair to compare them to a podcast produced in a studio.  Especially when they talk about their donated mike staring at them like a little alien because they haven’t been able to use it yet.  Also, the sound does improve as the podcast continues and they get better equipment.

Another con is the length, although I will admit that is more of a personal taste.  Most of the podcasts I listen to are in the 30-55 minute range, so at an hour to an hour and a half this is the longest one I regularly listen to.  There are a few topics I felt were too big to be done in one episode and needed to be narrowed or done over two episodes.  Also, there are times they go off on tangents.  They are entertaining and informative tangents, but still off topic.  The editing could be tighter with extended versions available to patreon subscribers, which I know a lot of other podcasts I listen to do.

My last negative is probably more about podcast ratings.  It is marked an explicit podcast because of the F bombs that are dropped, but there isn’t anything else that is really adult.  For a newbie or someone learning about paganism because a family member came out, seeing a podcast about paganism marked explicit might have them freaking out and thinking there is sexually explicit/ adult content.  I also don’t know if the explicit rating effects podcast distribution or access, and I feel the more accurate information out there about paganism and the community the better.  To me it isn’t clear the E is for swearing.

In all, I feel jealous of a family able to come together and practice three different paths and learning to do syncretic rituals.  Gwyn especially gives off a sweet “mothering” vibe that I think a lot of us following a separate path from our parents crave.   After reaching their 100th episode, there is a lot of material to sift through, but this podcast is well worth anyone’s time.