Post by Blackstar on Jan 22, 2012 23:34:36 GMT -5
Chest Infections
Whitecough and greencough are the most common chest infections known to the Clan cats. Whitecough is the milder 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. It can be fatal for elders and kits and it has claimed the lives of several cats.
Poisoning
Poisoning is the ingestion of a substance that causes harm to the body, such as:
Eating or drinking poisonous substances or plants such as deathberries. Usually kits do this, being curious and unaware of the danger
Eating poisoned or rotten prey or drinking tainted water
Inhaling too much smoke from a fire
Being bitten by a venomous animal
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.
Loss of Sensory Perception
A cat may lose his or her eyesight or hearing due to old age, accidents and 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, unless they have special skills compensating it, like in Jayfeather's case. Kits that are white with blue eyes have a higher chance of being born deaf, like Snowkit.
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.
Chill
Chills are mostly associated with cold weather or being submerged in cold water. Although this condition is mild and is not a disease, it has claimed the life of Mosskit and Hollykit. Kits and elders are more at risk of dying when they get a chill. Licking a cat's fur the wrong way gets the blood flowing again. A poultice of lavender, catmint and feverfew is also a good remedy.
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. Dock leaf poultices are also used to cool cracked pads.
Other Diseases
Several other diseases were mentioned in the books, however, the cats do not have names for it. Examples include the conditions of Pebblefur (a painful lump in the stomach, most likely a tumor), or Tawnyspots.
Whitecough and greencough are the most common chest infections known to the Clan cats. Whitecough is the milder 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. It can be fatal for elders and kits and it has claimed the lives of several cats.
Poisoning
Poisoning is the ingestion of a substance that causes harm to the body, such as:
Eating or drinking poisonous substances or plants such as deathberries. Usually kits do this, being curious and unaware of the danger
Eating poisoned or rotten prey or drinking tainted water
Inhaling too much smoke from a fire
Being bitten by a venomous animal
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.
Loss of Sensory Perception
A cat may lose his or her eyesight or hearing due to old age, accidents and 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, unless they have special skills compensating it, like in Jayfeather's case. Kits that are white with blue eyes have a higher chance of being born deaf, like Snowkit.
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.
Chill
Chills are mostly associated with cold weather or being submerged in cold water. Although this condition is mild and is not a disease, it has claimed the life of Mosskit and Hollykit. Kits and elders are more at risk of dying when they get a chill. Licking a cat's fur the wrong way gets the blood flowing again. A poultice of lavender, catmint and feverfew is also a good remedy.
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. Dock leaf poultices are also used to cool cracked pads.
Other Diseases
Several other diseases were mentioned in the books, however, the cats do not have names for it. Examples include the conditions of Pebblefur (a painful lump in the stomach, most likely a tumor), or Tawnyspots.
