Shardstep's Medicine Cat Guide: Treatment,Herbs,Hazards.

by Shardstep October 15th 2011, 17:04

"Greetings." Shardstep mews through a mouthful of herbs. Setting the bright green leaves down she looks up at you her eyes sparkling in interest. "So you want to know about many of the things medicine cats use to treat illnesses and the illnesses they treat? Usually medicine cats only teach their apprentices of such things, though I don't think anyone would scold me for teaching a cat how to help others." Sitting down in her moss nest she wrapped her tail around her paws. "Alright. Better get comfy though this might take awhile."

HERBS:

Alder Bark:
If a cat is having toothaches a good solution is to give them bark of the Alder tree to chew on.

Beech Leaves:
Usually used by Thunderclan medicine cats to hold other herbs and poultices on when they have to bring it to a immobilized cat or one that can't move to the medicine den. It's often found in Thunderclan's forest territory though may be found elsewhere. The leaves have serrated edges so you can distinguish them from others.

Blackberry Leaves:
When chewed into a pulp they can be applied to bee stings. When gathering them beware of the prickly Blackberry bush they come from.

Borage Leaves:
When given to nursing queens it will make them produce better and more milk. When gathering look for the blue or pink star-shaped flowers and hairy leaves.

Burdock Root:
A dark leaved, sharp smelling plant, which roots can be dug up, washed off, and chewed into a pulp, then applied to rat bites to stop infections and pain.

Burnet:
One of the many traveling herbs used by medicine cats. Has oval leaves with serrated edges.

Catchweed:
A plant that has fuzzy green burrs connected to it. You can use the burrs on poultices to keep them from being rubbed off without causing further hurt to the patient.

Catmint:
The best remedy for the deadly greencough, yet can also be used on whitecough. It is to be given to infected cats to eat. This rare herb is often found in twoleg gardens, so beware when collecting clumps of it.

Celandine:
A yellow flower with four petals. When chewed up you can trickle the juice into damaged eyes. It will soothe the pain.

Chamomile:
A small white flower, with a large yellow center, that is often found in twoleg gardens. Can be used as a traveling herb or something that can strengthen the heart and soothe the mind.

Chervil:
A sweet smelling plant with large,fern-like, leaves, and small white flowers. Chewing up the leaves or the root will extract the juice to be used on infected wounds or for bellyache.

Chickweed:
Tall stemmed plant with flat, almond shaped leaves. Can be used to treat greencough and whitecough, though catmint is more strong. I recommend using it for whitecough when catmint is scarce, though using the catmint for greencough.

Cob Nuts:
A smooth brown nut with a hard outside shell that is often made into ointments. Though during leaf-bare it can be used to get prey out of there burrows.

Cobwebs:
Long silver strands made by spiders. Used to stop,slow, or soak up blood flow. Can also be used to bind broken bones, though I prefer Rush.

Coltsfoot:
A plant with yellow or white flowers that resemble dandelions. It is to be chewed into a pulp and put on cracked or sore pads. Also can be used for the rather rare kitten-cough and to ease breathing.

Comfrey Root:
A herb I refer to as a medicine cat's best friend.It repairs broken bones, soothes wounds, helps wretched claws, soothes itching, and brings down inflammation on stiff joints. The roots are fat and black with a tangy smell. Above ground it can be recognized for the large leafs and small bell shaped flowers.

Daisy Leaf:
The thick, dark green, oval shaped leaves of a daisy that can be chewed into a paste and applied to aching joints for pain relief. Also is a traveling herb.

Dandelion:
A common yellow flower can be distinguished from Coltsfoot by the hollow stems. The white liquid it gives off can be applied to bee stings and the leaves can be chewed to act as a pain killer.

Dock:
A common large-leafed plant with a tangy smell and taste. Can be chewed up to soothe scratches, though I recommend Goldenrod for kits since Dock stings when applied. Can also soothe sore pads.
I especially use it for cats to vomit on when they have to expel toxins, but are to weak to leave there bed.

Feverfew:
Reduces body temperature for cats with fever or chills. Also heals pain, especially headaches. It resembles a small bush with flowers like daisies sprouting off of it, has a distinct sharp tangy smell, and small soft leaves.

Goldenrod:
A tall plant with bright, yellow flowers. When chewed into a poultice it is good for healing wounds.

Heather Flower:
A plant with small bell-shaped flowers. Makes swallowing easier and sweetens herbs that have a bad taste when mixed in.

Honey:
Can be found in honeycomb and bee hives. It soothes infections, smoke-damaged and sore throats, and sweetens other herbs.

Horsetail:
A tall, fleshy stalked, bristly stemmed plant, that usually grows in marshy areas. It is to be chewed into a poultice and applied to wounds to treat infections.

Ivy Leaf:
Leaves pulled of ivy vines. Often used to store and move other herbs.

Juniper Berries:
Purple-blue berries from the dark green, spiky-leaved Juniper bush. It only grows in places that are not wet. When chewed and eaten it soothes bellyaches, gives strength, helps troubled breathing, and can calm cats.

Lamb's Ear:
A soft, fuzzy green plant that is commonly found in the mountains. It's used to give a cat strength.

Lavender:
Small, purple, flowering plants used to cure fever and chills.

Mallow Leaves:
Three nubbed-leaves from a flowering shrub, smells like roses. Should be collected at sunhigh so there dry. Eaten to soothe bellyache.

Marigold:
A yellow to bright orange flower that grows close to the ground.Petals and leaves can be chewed into a poultice. Juice can also be used. Stops bleeding, infection, and inflammation for stiff joints.

Mouse Bile:
Foul smelling liquid extracted from a mouse. After moss is soaked in the liquid it can be used to remove ticks. The moss is to be held in one's paws, which are to be immediately washed downstream afterwords. If a cat consumes Mouse Bile they will have a horrid taste in there mouth for days.

Oak Leaf:
Leaves that are often collected during leaf-fall. They are round and ruffled in appearance, and are to be stored in a dry place. They stop infection from setting in.

Parsley:
A long-stemmed plant with ragged-edged crinkly leaves that have a sharp scent. When eaten stops a queen from producing milk.

Poppy Seeds:
Small black seeds extracted from dried poppy flowerhead. They are chewed on to put a cat to sleep, soothe shock or distress, and ease pain. Not recommended for nursing queens or cats that are very weak, they should be given dandelion leaves to chew on and sleep naturally.

Ragwort Leaves:
Tall shrub with yellow flowers. Can keep a cat's strength up, though when mixed with juniper berries it helps aching joints. Should often be mixed with Heather flower to dull the foul taste.

Ragweed:
Ragged-leaved plant resembling a fern. Often found in mountains, it gives cats strength.

Raspberry Leaves:
Soft to the touch, with jagged edges. often used as a pain killer, or to stop bleeding while kitting.

Rosemary:
A tall plant with needle-like leaves and purple flowers. It is to be put on a dead cat's pelt before burial to rid the scent of death.

Rush:
Long narrow leaves with lavender-colored head stalks. Used to bind broken bones.

Snakeroot:
The best remedy for poison, especially snake bites.

Sorrel:
Found near Twoleg nests, is used as a traveling herb.

Stinging Nettle:
The green spiny seeds are to be eaten by a cat who's swallowed poison, and the leaves are chewed into a poultice for a wound. Seeds will induce vomiting to help expel the poison from the body. Leaves can be mixed with comfrey to help broken bones.

Tansy:
A plant with round, yellow leaves, and very sweet and strong scent. It can be consumed, but in small doses. It can cure coughs, wounds and less-deadly poisons, stop cats from getting greencough, and soothe throats.

Tormentil:
Has a strong romantic scent to it and a sharp taste. Often found in the mountains. It's good for treating all wounds and poison.

Thyme:
Small,delicate,thick, sticky leaves with a fresh tang.When chewed on calms nervousness, anxiety, and shock.

Watermint:
A green, leafy plant often found in streams or damp earth. It is to be chewed into a pulp then eaten to soothe the suffering from bellyaches. Is sometimes used to take away the scent of death when rosemary is not available.

Wild Garlic:
Often used by warriors to hide there scent on raids instead of medicine cats. Though can prevent infection, especially from rat bites. It is to be rolled in.

Willow Bark:
Bark from willow trees. Can be used to ease pain.

Willowgreen:
Often found in moutains. Easily identifiable by its red berries and is known to treat some wounds and poisons.

Yarrow:
Its leaves are chewed into a poultice that can be given to cats or applied to a wound depending on the situation . Can extract poison from wounds, will make a cat vomit up toxins, and the ointment will soften and help heal cracked pads.

HAZARDS:

Deathberries:
Red berries from the dark-leaved, poisonous yew bush. Will kill a cat in minutes when consumed. Cats who have consumed the berries should instantly try to spit them out and be given yarrow to vomit up the rest. Sometimes used by Medicine Cats to put a cat out of it's misery when there is nothing that can be done to save it.

Foxglove Seeds:
It's more that often young medicine cat apprentices confuse foxglove seeds with poppy. A mistake that can be fatal. If the seeds come from this bell-shaped flower they should be buried where no cat can find and consume them. When ate they cause paralysis and heart failure.

Holly Berries:
Plant with spiny leaves that produces red berries with no medicinal value. Though they are generally harmless kits and young apprentices can be still be in danger.

Nightshade:
A tubular flower with radiating petals that is poisonous to cats. Deadly,yet rare.

REMEDIES:

Dislocated joints:
When a cat has a dislocated joint you should give them poppy seeds before doing anything. This will numb the pain. Then grab the joint in your teeth and force it back into place.

Sprains:
Sprains occur when a part of the body stretches beyond their limits and the muscles are possibly torn. Letting the patient rest for several days will fix them up.

Broken Bones:
Broken bones often only occur after a accident like falling from a high place, or being hit by a monster. Binding the area with rush or cobwebs while propping it up with something like a stick will keep it in place. Sadly cats barely ever fully recover from broken bones. If a cat breaks it's back bone it can become crippled and most cat's usually die after they loose the use of there back or front legs.

Wounds:
Wounds are injuries when the skin,muscles,or organs are cut or punctured. Most of the time wounds
come from battles. Minor cuts and scratches will heal on there own, but more severe wounds must be acknowledged and treated by a medicine cat. First a wound should be cleaned by licking with the tongue, next cobwebs should be used to stop the blood flow and soak up the existing liquid, after that
poultices may be applied to stop any infections and help it heal faster.

Rat-caused Infections:
Though there is not a specific name for the infections caused by rats there is a treatment. Burdock root should be used to cure rat bites and other illnesses caused by rats.

Poisoning:
Poisoning can come from many different things venomous animals, tainted water, rotten food, eating or drinking toxic things like deathberries, and inhaling to much smoke from a fire. Small amounts of poison will cause a bellyache, which can be easily treated with juniper or watermint. Large amounts of poison or very lethal toxins will need to be extracted from the body with the use of yarrow or nettle leaves.

Joint Aches:
A condition usually occuring in elders. With age the the joints gradually degenerate, causing pain and difficulty in movement. Damp moss can also cause this remember to warn apprentices to make sure that the moss they gather is completely dry before setting it into the dens of cats. Aching in joints can be treated with poultices of daisy or ragwort.

Toothache:
Cavities, cracked teeth, and infections of the mouth, are the usual causes of toothache in cats. Alder bark can be used to soothe the pain.

Fever:
A oddly high temperature that is usually a sign of a infection. If needed, it may be treated with feverfew, borage, or lavender.

Chill:
Though not actually a wound or illness lack of body heat has taken the lives or many cats. Depending on the situation there are two ways to get heat back into the body. If there is no wind or cold weather and the cat was just submerged in water licking the fur the wrong way gets the blood flowing again. If there is wind and cold weather using your paw the move the fur the wrong way has the same effect without wetting the fur. A poultice of lavender, catmint and feverfew is also a good remedy, though often not used.

Cracked Pads:
After walking for a long distance, or cold weather, pads can become cracked and sore. It can be treated with a poultice of coltsfoot or yarrow. Dock leaf poultices are also used to cool cracked pads.

Whitecough and Greencough:
A chest infection common to the clan cats. Whitecough is a milder form that can become the deadly greencough if not treated. Greencough can be treated using catmint, and if fevers accompany it tansy, or borage can be used.

Other Diseases:
Some conditions have no known treatment or name. Many cats die from a painful lump in there stomach.

(Man this took me forever to write out! I'll add images and drawings later. This was made for the medicine cats and their apprentices of this site. If anyone needs help with any problems concerning knowledge of herbs and treatment I'll be happy to help!)