Herbs and Treatments

Mainly used by medicine cats, herbs and treatments can help heal cats of their wounds and illnesses.

Alder
Usage: Chewing alder bark eases toothache; alder leaves with morning dew can attract fleas from a nest and be disposed of.

Location: Along rivers, ponds, marshes, wet woodland, and streams.

Description: Dark fissured bark, often covered in lichen, with rounded leaves and green/yellow catkins.

Beech
Usage: Beech leaves can be applied to hot swellings and bound with cobwebs; beech leaves can also be made into a poultice to relieve swellings.

Location: Grows in woods and near Highstones.

Description: Smooth, grey bark with reddish-brown beech nuts.

Bird-claw
Usage: The plant can be chewed up into a poultice and pressed against inflamed skin, bound by cobweb. The flowers can be used as a mild sedative.

Location: Found in short grassland.

Season: newleaf to greenleaf

Description: Red-and-yellow flowers, typically reddish when budding. The petals are round, with 3-6 flowers growing into a head. When blooming, they look like a bird's foot.
 * known as bird's-foot-trefoil to Twolegs

Birch
Usage: Sap can be used to feed a cat struggling to chew by collecting it with moss; leaves can become a poultice to ease pain in the lower back pressing against the stomach.

Location: Dry woodlands, downs, and heaths.

Description: White bark becomes black and rugged at the base, with smooth twigs and dark warts, and triangular leaves.

Dawn's-tongue
Usage: Ground stem rarely used to treat bellyache; the crushed leaves rubbed over a scratch or spot can sooth them; wet-and-dried leaves can soothe sore pads.

Location: Under bracken, near bluebells.

Season: late newleaf

Description: Dark pink petals drooping down like a cat's tongue.
 * known as wild gladiolus to Twolegs

Lousewort
Usage: A bitter-tasting herb that can be used with travelling herbs (by RiverClan and ShadowClan); root poultice can be applied to swellings and sore muscles, or swallowed to reduce swelling.

Location: Grows in damp open grassland and bog.

Season: newleaf to early greenleaf

Description: Pale pink flowers that look like they come straight out of the ground.

Orchid
Usage: The roots can be chewed up and given to sick cats to soothe bellyache if other herbs are unavailable.

Location: Some varieties found in grassland, others in bog.

Season: newleaf to mid-greenleaf

Description: White, pink, or purple flowers with spots.

Sun-spike
Usage: Used by WindClan in burial rituals for young cats - "may you continue to bask in the sun".

Location: Low heathland and around bogs.

Season: newleaf to early greenleaf

Description: Small spiny shrub with yellow flowers spiking out.
 * known as petty whin to Twolegs

Sundew
Usage: Rarely used, the plant can be dug up and chewed into juice to be dripped into a cat's mouth, giving strength or easing coughs.

Location: Bogs and fen.

Season: greenleaf

Description: Red plants with harmless spikes and dew-like tips.

Tormentil
Usage: Roots chewed up and swallowed to ease mild pains, toothache, and diarrhea; the root can also be applied as a poultice to cuts.

Location: Grassland, heathland, and moorland.

Season: newleaf to greenleaf

Description: Four-petalled yellow flowers.