Cations are positively charged and are attracted to the cathode. Anions are negatively charged and are attracted to the anode. But it is worth pointing out here that the cathode is not ALWAYS negative and the anode is not ALWAYS positive. Students often define anode as the positive electrode and the cathode as the negative electrode. That is not the definition of anode and cathode. By definition, the anode is the electrode where oxidation takes place. So in a battery, for example, the anode just happens to be negatively charged.
