Part 1
Kitcough- An uncommon illness effecting weak kits. Usually happens to kits that had a difficult birth or did not start breathing right away. Identified by a harsh cough that weakens the kit. Usually harmless but very persistent and can lead to weak lungs.
Whitecough- Synonymous to a cold. Characterized by a running nose and eyes and a lasting slight cough. If left untreated, it can turn into Greencough.
Greencough- Similar to the flu. Symptoms include a running nose and eyes, chest pain, slight trouble breathing, a wet and loud cough that produces mucous, and tiredness. Sometimes causes a really bad fever. Can cause death if left untreated.
Blackcough- A horrible but rare disease that can come from nowhere. There is no known cure, only ways to help cope with it. It almost always results in death. It is unlike Whitecough or Greencough and does not come from those illnesses. It begins with chills and a cough with a lack of appetite. Weakness, dizziness, and nausea then ensue along with a worsening cough that results in blackish blood being hacked up. Wheezing and difficulty breathing are the worst part and normally are what kills the ill. It is believed that blood that is coughed up can cause Blackcough in any that touch it. Not formally featured in the Warriors series.
Shock (Emotional)- Can sometimes happen when great trauma has just occurred to an individual. Characterized by a lack of emotion or empathy, denial, ceasing to communicate, and rocking back and forth. Treat with poppy seeds, comfort, and, in extreme cases, valerian.
Shock (Physical)- Occurs due to blood loss and/or extreme pain. Characterized by chills, numbness, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure (not that cats can really check that), and weakness. Is life-threatening because poor blood supply and breathing can lead to cardiac arrest or cellular damage (again, cats wouldn’t know the science behind it but they can know that it kills at least.) Treat by giving water, honey, and small quantities of dry yarrow. Cover and treat any bleeding wounds or broken bones.
Cloudmouth- Or rabies as it's known in real life. It is to be noted that, as of now, rabies has not been featured in the Warriors books. Credit to the name goes to Darknesque. Cloudmouth is very contagious, spread from the mere bite, scratch, or saliva contact of someone infected. Depending on what stage the infected animal is at when they come in contact with the victim, Cloudmouth can have no symptoms until two weeks to a year after the contamination. Characteristics of this disease include a distinct fear of water, inability to swallow, sleep, drink, or eat, mania, foaming at the mouth (to which the disease is named), paranoia, rage, and, three days to a week after symptoms show, always results in death. There is no treatment as of now. Infected cats should be heavily and carefully sedated and sadly left to die outside of clan territory for the safety of the rest of the clan. If cleared by the clan leader, feeding deathberries to cats with Cloudmouth may be a dire action to take. Those suspected to be infected that still have their sanity should always be asked if they want this option.
Part 2
BellyacheCauses: Eating rotten food, eating too much food, indigestion
Symptoms: Pain, soreness, cramps
Treatment: Watermint, chervil, juniper, hawthorn berries, lovage, honeysuckle, cat’s claw
Additional Information: Bellyaches and cramps are very common and normally easy to treat. In some cases, you won’t even need herbs to cure it, just a long rest and a drink of fresh water. Watermint is the best cure for bellyaches.
FeverCauses: Falling into a lake/stream, fighting off other sickness
Symptoms: High temperature, dizziness, nausea
Treatment: Borage, Culver’s root, feverfew, willow
Additional Information: Left unattended, fevers can grow nasty, especially in kits and elders. Feverfew is the best cure.
VomitingCauses: Eating too much, eating rotting food, eating poisonous things
Symptoms: Bellyache, fever
Treatment: Willow
Additional Information: To induce vomiting to get rid of poison, use yarrow. After vomiting, do not eat or drink anything but water for the next couple hours.
Sprains, Strains, and Broken BonesCauses: Tripping, running hard, getting hit by a falling rock/tree branch, getting hit on the Thunderpath
Symptoms: Limping, severe leg pain
Treatment: Comfrey, rushes, elder leaves, broom
Additional Information: Recovery time and exercises is needed to fully heal after a broken bone. The same goes for sprains and strains, but they are less severe.
Journey PreparationCauses: N/A
Symptoms: N/A
Treatment: Burnet, chamomile, daisy, sorrel
Additional Information: Strengthening herbs are often used when leaving on a long trip or doing strenuous activities.
CoughingCauses: cold weather, fever, infection from other cats
Symptoms: Coughing, sore throat and nose, inflammation, fever
Treatment: Catmint, tansy, chickweed, coltsfoot, feverfew, ivy, poppy head, pawpaw, hedgehog buds, vervain
Additional Information: Catmint is the best cure for greencough, which can evolve into whitecough and blackcough. Be careful to keep any infected cats away from others, as coughs can spread easily around a Clan’s camp.
Stiff JointsCauses: Cold weather, age, immobile condition
Symptoms: Limping, walking slowly, joint pain
Treatment: Daisy, fennel, ragwort, devil’s claw
Additional Information: Elders are usually inflicted with stiff joints during the winter, and a badly injured warrior that has been lying in the medicine den for a while may stiffen up.
HeadachesCauses: Sharp smells, exhaustion, loud noises
Symptoms: Dizziness, pain, irritable attitude
Treatment: Lavender, pennyroyal
Additional Information: Herbs are rarely needed to treat headaches; usually some peace and quiet, fresh water, and sunshine will do.
ExhaustionCauses: Strenuous activity, long walks, dehydration, extreme hunger, staying awake for a long time
Symptoms: Stumbling, slurred speech, panting or gasping for breath
Treatment: Lotus, skullcap, witch hazel, lamb’s ear, juniper, ragwort
Additional Information: Sometimes, exhaustion can be cured with traveling herbs or food and water.
Anxiety/StressCauses: Death of a loved one, traumatizing experience
Symptoms: Blank gaze, slurred speech, stumbling, getting hysterical
Treatment: Thyme, dandelion, hornbeam, lavender, poppy seeds, ginger, passionflower, nutmeg
Additional Information: Left untreated, mental shock can lead to depression. Often, dangerous experiences or a cat’s death can induce anxiety. Some herbs and a nice, long sleep can help boost a cat’s spirits.
RestlessnessCauses: Stress, pain, nightmares
Symptoms: Tiredness, waking up multiple times in the night, irritableness
Treatment: Poppy seeds, bramble twigs, primrose, valerian, frankincense
Additional Information: Herbs can also be given to a hysterical or mentally shocked cat to help them have a long, restful sleep.
Physical WoundsCauses: Fighting, sharp branches or stones, strenuous activity
Symptoms: Cuts, bleeding, pain
Treatment: Cobwebs, marigold, horsetail, goldenrod, echinacea, mallow, lettuce, oak leaves, chervil, burdock root, garlic, goose grass, gumweed, bindweed
Additional Information: A poultice of herbs to stop infection should be applied first. Then the wound should be sealed and checked regularly until fully healed.
PoisoningCauses: Rotten food, too much food, poisonous plants, dangerous Twoleg items
Symptoms: Belly cramps, vomiting, discomfort
Treatment: Yarrow, rosinweed, snakeroot, tormentil, ash tree, wintergreen
Additional Information: Yarrow is the most effective cure for poison, inducing vomiting to get the poison out of a cat’s body. Eating some herbs can cause deadly poisoning, so watch out.
Eye injuriesCauses: Fighting, sharp branches/leaves, flying debris
Symptoms: Blurriness of vision, pain, irritation, itchiness
Treatment: Celandine, rosemary, willow bark
Additional Information: Left untreated, eye injuries could get infected and eventually cause blindness, so make sure to give proper care to a cat with an injured eye. If a cat loses an eye, there is nothing a medicine cat can do.
Swelling/InflammationCauses: Skin irritation, sunburn, skin diseases
Symptoms: Rashes, swollen skin, tender skin
Treatment: Alder, cobnuts, nettle, cinquefoil, columbine, poplar buds, oak bark, cold water
Additional Information: Burns of any kind can cause swelling, as well as skin diseases. Sometimes, simply pressing a wad of soaked moss against swollen skin can bring down the swelling until herbs are available.
Bee stingsCauses: Disturbing a beehive
Symptoms: Small, swollen lump, stinger stuck in skin, irritation, itchiness
Treatment: Blackberry leaves
Additional Information: Honey is a useful substance for medicine cats to use. Unfortunately, it is hard to obtain without getting stung. However, beestings aren’t very serious as long as the sting is pulled out.
Smoke InhalationCauses: Forest fires, Twoleg fires
Symptoms: Scratchy voice, sore throat
Treatment: Honey, iris petals, hedgehog buds
Additional Information: Inhaling too much smoke can permanently damage the lungs, so smoke inhalation must be treated promptly to avoid further complications.
Soreness/BurnsCauses: Fire, long walks, rashes, skin maladies, dry skin, sun exposure
Symptoms: Red blotches, tender skin, cracked skin, burn scars
Treatment: Dock, lettuce, milkweed, aloe vera, sage root, yarrow
Additional Information: Burns from a fire are the worst kind, having a high risk of infection and leaving a nasty scar. Sunburn is always a possibility, as well as dehydrated skin and cracked pads.
ToothacheCauses: Cavities, dislodged teeth, raw gums, cracked teeth
Symptoms: Pain, discomfort, soreness
Treatment: Alder, alfalfa, wormwood, clove
Additional Information: To ease pain when chewing, prey can be mashed into a pulp that only needs to be chewed a little bit before swallowing. Teeth with cracks or cavities, or teeth that have come loose from a forceful blow, can be pulled.
Ticks/FleasCauses: Living near or traveling through bogs or moist areas, catching them from other cats’ pelts, traveling through long grass
Symptoms: Itchiness, small bugs in pelt
Treatment: Mouse bile
Additional Information: After using mouse bile, wash your paws thoroughly in running water afterwards. Do not ingest! To avoid getting a tick problem in the camp, immediately treat any cat that you see scratching. Elders and kits must be checked often.
Rat bitesCauses: Hunting rats, living near or traveling in Twoleg alleys, traveling through a place with lots of carrion
Symptoms: Bleeding, infection
Treatment: Burdock root, garlic
Additional Information: Other herbs to cure infection aren’t very effective with rat bites. Only burdock root and wild garlic can properly prevent infection. Rat bites are dangerous and must be kept sealed. A fresh poultice of herbs every day until the bite heals is recommended.
