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Post by Bree on Dec 22, 2010 22:58:52 GMT -5
-:Medicine Cat Rules and Job Description:-
The Medicine Cat serves the Clan as both their spiritual leader and the Healer, making them akin to the idea of a 'Medicine Doctor' in a tribal society. In addition to their responsibilities to their Clan, they have responsibilities to one another and CelestialClan. They carry out their responsibilities to CelestialClan once every half moon, meeting together to discuss matters privately and share dreams with CelestialClan.
As a Medicine Cat, they gather herbs and dispense them as an apothecary would. They handle diagnosis and treatment of both illness and injury for all the cats in the Clan.
In their role as spiritual leader, they teach the code, interpret omen and prophecy, and generally serve the Clan as a conduit between the earthly cats and their ghostly counterparts.
As a Medicine Cat, a cat is not allowed to have a mate or kittens.
-:Medicine Cat Apprentice Job Description:-
This is the cat that is being trained to follow in the paw-steps of the Medicine Cat. They learn healing and spiritual lore from the Medicine Cat. Medicine Cat Apprentices' remain apprenticed even when fully trained so long as the current Medicine Cat is still practicing the arts. Frequently, a Medicine Cat Apprentice whom has full training will be given an adult name (paw replaced with another ending) even though they are technically still an Apprentice.
At the time the old Medicine Cat either dies or steps down, the Medicine Cat Apprentice becomes a full Medicine Cat, somewhat like the Leader/Deputy.
-:Tasks:-
-Know all the herbs and store a supply of them in their den.
-Treat wounded and sick cats.
-Assist queens giving birth to kittens.
-Check up regularly on the health of Colony cats, especially Nursing Queens, Elders and kittens.
-Visit the Clans' sacred place (such as the Celestial Pool) at every half moon to seek guidance from CelestialClan.
-Interpret prophecies and omens and share them with the Clan Leader.
-Upon the death of the Clan Leader, accompany the Deputy to the Celestial Pool, to be appointed as the new Leader.
-Train an Apprentice as the Clan's next Medicine Cat.
-:Education:-
Kittens who wish to become Medicine Cats are given to the Clans current Medicine Cat at the age of six moons, and earn their name at the Celestial Pool after successfully completing their training. When Medicine Cat Apprentices receive their name, though, they are not a full Medicine Cat until their mentor retires from their position or dies.
-:Injuries:-
-Wounds-
Wounds are injuries when the skin and the muscles beneath are torn, cut or punctured. They may put a cat's life in danger due to blood loss, infections, or the damage of the organs.
Minor wounds heal on their own in no time, but severe wounds must be treated by a Medicine Cat. This treatment includes cleaning it thoroughly with the tongue, stopping the bleeding with cobwebs, and applying poultices to prevent infection and help it to heal. Herbs used include goldenrod, marigold, burdock root or, in the case of rat bites, wild garlic. If the wound becomes infected, chervil or horsetail is used as well. The pain can be eased with poppy seeds or willow bark.
-Sprains-
Sprains are injuries to ligaments of a joint, caused by being stretched beyond their normal capacity and possibly torn. It causes severe pain and decreased ability to move the joint. The cat must rest for several days.
-Joint Dislocation-
Joint dislocation is the displacement of a bone from its normal joint. Medicine Cats treat this condition by pulling the limb until the bone gets back into its joint.
-Broken Bones-
A broken bone is usually the result of an accident, such as falling down from a high place, or being hit by a monster. Cats most often break their legs, and while Medicine Cats try to bind the bone with cobwebs, the injury usually results in the cat remaining crippled for the rest of his or her life.
A more severe injury is when a cat breaks his or her backbone, this resulting in the cat being unable to feel or move parts of his or her body.
-:Disease:-
-Whitecough and Greencough-
Both are chest infections, caused by bacteria. Whitecough is a mild form, but if untreated, it can develop in the much more severe greencough. Cats usually catch it during leaf-fall and leaf-bare, and sometimes it develops into large-scale epidemics. The disease claimed the lives of several cats.
Medicine cats treat it using catmint. If fevers accompany the cough, tansy or borage is used as well.
-Poisoning-
Poisoning is the ingestion of a substance that causes harm to the body, such as:
Eating or drinking poisonous substances. Usually kits do this, being curious and unaware of the danger. Eating poisoned prey, crowfood, drinking tainted water, inhaling too much smoke from a fire, being bitten by a venomous animal normal always result in death.
If only a small quantity of poison is ingested, the cat gets at most a bellyache, but larger amounts can cause the death of the cat, as listed above. Medicine Cats treat it with yarrow or nettle leaves. Mild bellyaches are treated with juniper or watermint.
-Rat-Borne Infections-
The cats sometimes fall victims to infections carried by rats, although they do not have a specific name for it. An ancient ShadowClan medicine cat, Pebbleheart, realized that rats were a source of disease. As ShadowClan cats sometimes ate food from the Carrionplace in The Forest, they were prone to catch this disease. Burdock root is used to stop infection from rat bites.
-Blindness and Deafness-
A cat may lose his or her eyesight or hearing due to old age, accidents, infections, or birth defects. These conditions usually end their career as a warrior, as they cannot hunt or fight efficiently, and must retire as elders. Kits born with defects usually die young, except if they have special skills compensating it.
-Joint Aches-
A condition usually associated with elders, the joints gradually degenerating with age, causing pain and difficulty to move. Damp environments can cause the appearance of this condition, so apprentices must make sure that the moss they gather for bedding is completely dry. It is usually treated using daisy or ragwort poultices.
-Toothache-
A toothache is caused by a cracked tooth, cavities, or an infection in the mouth. Alder bark is used to soothe the pain.
-Fever-
Fever is an abnormally high temperature of the body. It is not a disease in itself, but it usually signs the presence of an infection, such as greencough or an infected wound. If needed, it can be treated with feverfew, borage or lavender.
-Cracked Pads-
The paw pads may crack while walking long distances on hard surfaces, or due to cold weather. Elders are especially prone to this condition. It is treated with a poultice of coltsfoot or yarrow.
-Other Diseases-
Several other diseases were mentioned in the books, however, the cats do not have names for it. Examples include a painful lump in the stomach, most likely a tumor.
-:Herbs:-
Juniper Berries:
Stomach aches and coughs. Chew, swallow, and soon you'll be better. Horrible taste. Blue berries.
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Broom:
Good for broken legs and wounds. Chew into poultice and spit onto wound. Will sting.
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Marigold leaves:
Good for infected wounds. Chew into paste and spit onto the infected wound. Will sting.
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Chervil Root:
Bellyaches. Eat.
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Chervil Leaves:
For infected wounds and preventing infected wounds. Chew into paste and press the paste on the wound. It will sting.
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Burdock Root:
Rat bites or other infected wounds. Press on wound. Will sting.
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Alder-bark:
Toothaches. Eat.
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Yarrow:
Used to make cats vomit if eaten. Only give it to cats that ate something poisonous. Sometimes when cats are really sick yarrow is used to make the patient vomit out the sickness. That only works sometimes.
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Fever-few:
Helps chills, fevers, coughs, and headaches. Eat. Has bitter smell and taste.
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Lavender:
Helps chills, fevers, and coughs. Eat. Smells sweet. Light green leaves.
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Catnip(Catmint):
Whitecough, greencough, or black cough. Soft leaves with irresistible smell and taste. Eat.
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Goldenrod poultice:
Aching joints. Rub onto spot that aches.
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Poppy seeds:
One of the most basic remedies. Eases pain and soothes the heart. Eat, but not too much at a time. Poppy seeds also help you fall asleep.
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Mousebile:
The name says it all. It's a mouses bile. A little green sack that comes out of the mouse. Press on ticks. Soon they'll drop off. Warning! Do NOT eat mousebile or you'll have that horrible taste in your mouth for days! to carry around, put mousebile in a big leaf and wrap up the leaf, and you can carry. Be sure to wash your paws when done. In a stream of course!!!!
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Ragwort leaves and juniper berries poultice: aching joints. Don't eat!!!
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Chamomile:
Eat. Used for soothing cats in distress. Tastes good.
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Traveling herbs:
One type is to give you strength. The other is to help you from feeling hungry. Eat before going on a long journey.
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Cobwebs:
The most basic remedy. Used to stop bleeding. Press and hold cobwebs on wound until bleeding stops.
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Horsetail:
Infected wounds. Apply horsetail juice on the wound. It will sting.
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Coltsfoot:
Helps with breathing. Eat.
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Watermint:
The best cure for bellyaches. Eat. Has a really good minty taste, you'll know when you eat it.
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Comfery:
Small dark green leaved plant that blooms white, purple, or pale yellow flowers. Used for healing injuries and broken bones quicker.
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Celandine:
Good for soothing irritated eyes. Eat. Small medium shaded leaves with yellow flowers.
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-:Poisonous Plant Guide:-
Deathberries: One of these berries will kill any cat without Medicine Cat treatment right away. If a cat its them (most likely a dopey kit), then scoop all the berry leftovers out of their mouth. Then force them to swallow yarrow. The cat will vomit out most of the poison, but not all of it. They will be very sick for the next few days. Has dark green leaves and scarlet berries. Otherwise known as 'yew'.
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Nightshade:
Has dark green leaves. There is three types of nightshade. Black nightshade is the most common. It has dark purple berries. Another kind has lighter red berries. Use yarrow as treatment just as deathberries. Grows well in wet places.
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Ragwort:
Even though ragwort is used for medicinal uses, it is highly poisonous, as it often gets cows and horses very sick. Use yarrow right away. Juniper also helps afterward.
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Stinging nettle:
Only one part of the plant is poisonous. The part that isn't poisonous is used for medicinal uses. This plant has sharp nettles that get snagged in your fur. If the nettles break the skin you will have a horrible itch for a few hours, maybe longer. Carefully remove nettles with teeth.
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Poison Oak and Ivy:
Poison plants that give horrible rashes to those who brush against them.
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