Medicine cat

Medicine cats are members of a Clan who treat diseases and injuries. They also receive and interpret omens and prophecies from StarClan. They are highly respected by all the Clans.
==Description==
:Medicine cats are Clan cats who treat diseases and injuries, and who receive directions and guidance from StarClan. They have their own den in their Clan's camp, where they sleep, store herbs, and treat wounded or sick cats. Medicine cats are not allowed to take mates or have kits. They are expected to stand apart from Clan rivalries. Medicine cats have a special way of getting their full name, including that this ceremony is performed by the apprentice's mentor instead of the Clan leader. The ceremony takes place during the next half-moon meeting at their sacred Moonstone or Moonpool with the other Clans' medicine cats to cheer their new name, instead of right away in their Clan with their own Clanmates to cheer their new name. They are deeply respected by their Clanmates and few cats dare to argue with them.
==Tasks==
Some of a medicine cat's tasks are:
*Knowing all of the herbs and store a supply of them in their den
*Treating wounded and sick cats
*Assisting queens while they are pregnant with kits, giving birth, or nursing them
*Check up regularly on the health of Clan cats, (especially queens, elders, and kits)
*Visiting the Moonstone/Moonpool at every half-moon to seek guidance from StarClan
*Interpreting prophecies and omens and sharing them with the Clan leader
*Upon the death or retirement of the Clan leader, accompany the deputy to the Moonstone or Moonpool to be appointed as the new leader
*Training an apprentice as the Clan's next medicine cat
*Bearing the knowledge of basic battle training in case they need them
*Visiting their ancestors when in a crisis that requires direct communication with StarClan
==Appointment and education==
:Kits who wish to become medicine cats are apprenticed at the age of six moons to the Clan's current medicine cat. They are introduced to StarClan as a medicine cat apprentice at the first half moon after they gain apprenticeship. They earn their name at the Moonstone or Moonpool after successfully completing their training, assuming full responsibilities even while their mentor is still alive. While there are usually two medicine cats at most, this is not always the case, and there may even be three at one time. Most of the time, a medicine cat's training takes longer than normal warrior training.
:When an apprentice, the mentor (or full medicine cat), has them do tasks that prepare them for being a full time medicine cat. They also stay as an apprentice for as long as their mentor is still a medicine cat, even after they receive their full name, unlike warrior apprentices. The apprentice has to gather herbs, get water, or do other useful things. They are expected to watch carefully when their mentor is treating a cat, so that when the time comes, they can do it, too. 
:It is also revealed in Night Whispers that ShadowClan trains their medicine cats to fight like warriors, and ThunderClan medicine cats occasionally train their apprentices some fighting moves, such as Cinderpelt training Leafpaw.
:Featherwhisker was also taught to hunt for prey even though it didn't follow the basic duties. Leafpool was also capable of catching prey, suggesting that medicine cats are at least taught the basics of hunting.
==Special cases==
:Some cats have been known to exchange their life as a warrior to be a medicine cat (for instance; Littlecloud, Hawkheart, Jayfeather, Mudfur, Mothwing, Spottedleaf, or Yellowfang) while some have life-altering experiences that may cause them to take that path (such as, Cinderpelt) but this is considered to be very uncommon.
:Though most medicine cats believe in StarClan, a few rare exceptions (e.g. Mothwing), have become medicine cats despite their lack of belief.
:Medicine cats usually keep their role until they die, with the exception of Goosefeather, Leafpool, and Runningnose. However, Leafpool did return to her medicine cat role after the issue of having kits was settled in the very end of The Last Hope, and she was a ThunderClan medicine cat again instead of a warrior along with her former apprentice, Jayfeather, in Bramblestar's Storm.
:While medicine cats are not permitted to have mates or kits, cats that have previously had and lost a mate may become medicine cats if they choose, even if they still have kits (e.g. Mudfur).Revealed in the Warriors App
==The Tribe of Rushing Water==
:In the Tribe of Rushing Water, the leader and the medicine cat are the same cat, known as the Healer, Stoneteller, or Teller of the Pointed Stones. The leader can receive omens from the Tribe of Endless Hunting, just as Clan medicine cats receive dreams from StarClan.
==History of ranks==
Temporary medicine cats are hidden; please toggle to enable them.
ThunderClan (toggle temporary)	ThunderClan (toggle temporary) 	ThunderClan (toggle temporary) 	ThunderClan (toggle temporary)
Name 	Gained rank in... 	Left rank in... 	Apprentice(s)...
Cloud Spots 	Moth Flight's Vision 	Before "The Medicine Cats Decide" 	Shivering Rose
Prickleface 	Before "The Medicine Cats Decide" 	Before "The Leader Who Sought Peace"	Unknown
Pearnose 	Before "The Leader Who Sought Peace"	Before "The Victorious Clan" 	Fallowpaw, Goosefeather
Kestrelwing 	Before "The Victorious Clan" 	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance 	Unknown
Oatspeckle 	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance 	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance 	Ravenwing
Ravenwing 	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance 	Mapleshade's Vengeance 	None
Cloudberry 	Before Pinestar's Choice 	Goosefeather's Curse 	Goosefeather
Goosefeather 	Goosefeather's Curse 	Bluestar's Prophecy 	Featherwhisker
Featherwhisker 	Bluestar's Prophecy 	Bluestar's Prophecy 	Spottedleaf
Spottedleaf 	Bluestar's Prophecy 	Into the Wild 	None
Yellowfang 	Into the Wild 	Rising Storm 	Runningnose, Cinderpelt, Puddleshine
Cinderpelt 	Rising Storm 	Twilight 	Leafpool
Leafpool 	Twilight 	Squirrelflight's Hope 	Willowshine , Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, Alderheart, Puddleshine
Brightheart 	Leafpool's Wish 	Leafpool's Wish 	None
Jayfeather 	Sunrise 	Veil of Shadows 	Alderheart
Alderheart 	Thunder and Shadow 	Veil of Shadows 	Flipclaw
Flipclaw 	Veil of Shadows 	Veil of Shadows 	None
Jayfeather 	Veil of Shadows 	- 	-
Alderheart 	Veil of Shadows 	- 	-
:
ShadowClan (toggle temporary)	ShadowClan (toggle temporary) 	ShadowClan (toggle temporary) 	ShadowClan (toggle temporary)
Name 	Gained rank in... 	Left rank in... 	Apprentice(s)...
Pebble Heart 	Moth Flight's Vision 	Before "A Sign from StarClan" 	Unknown
Redscar 	Before "A Sign from StarClan" 	Before "The Medicine Cats Decide"	Unknown
Mossheart 	Before "The Medicine Cats Decide"	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Unknown
Molepelt 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance 	Hollowbelly
Sloefur 	Before Mapleshade's Vengeance 	Before Goosefeather's Curse 	Unknown
Redthistle 	Before Goosefeather's Curse 	Before Yellowfang's Secret 	Sagewhisker
Sagewhisker 	Before Yellowfang's Secret 	Yellowfang's Secret 	Yellowfang
Yellowfang 	Yellowfang's Secret 	Into the Wild 	Runningnose, Cinderpelt
Runningnose 	Into the Wild 	Before Firestar's Quest 	Littlecloud
Littlecloud 	Before Firestar's Quest 	Thunder and Shadow 	Flametail
Flametail 	Sunrise 	Night Whispers 	None
Leafpool 	Thunder and Shadow 	Thunder and Shadow 	Puddleshine
Puddleshine 	Thunder and Shadow 	Darkest Night 	None
Puddleshine 	River of Fire 	- 	Shadowsight
Shadowsight 	The Silent Thaw 	- 	-
Mothwing 	Veil of Shadows 	A Light in the Mist 	None
:
WindClan 	WindClan 	WindClan 	WindClan
Name 	Gained rank in... 	Left rank in... 	Apprentice(s)...
Moth Flight 	Moth Flight's Vision 	Before "The Medicine Cats Decide"	Acorn Fur
Swiftfoot 	"The Medicine Cats Decide" 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Unknown
Thrushpelt 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Unknown
Larkwing 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Before Goosefeather's Curse 	Unknown
Chiveclaw 	Before Goosefeather's Curse 	Before Tallstar's Revenge 	Hawkheart
Hawkheart 	Goosefeather's Curse 	Before Into the Wild 	Barkface
Barkface 	Tallstar's Revenge 	Before The Fourth Apprentice 	Kestrelflight
Kestrelflight	Before The Fourth Apprentice	- 	Whistlebreeze
Whistlebreeze	Before River 	- 	-
:
RiverClan (toggle temporary)	RiverClan (toggle temporary) 	RiverClan (toggle temporary) 	RiverClan (toggle temporary)
Name 	Gained rank in... 	Left rank in... 	Apprentice(s)...
Dappled Pelt 	Moth Flight's Vision 	Before "A Night of Listening" 	Unknown
Meadowpelt 	Before "A Night of Listening" 	Before "A Loss for All Clans" 	Unknown
Graywing 	Before "A Loss for All Clans" 	Before "The Medicine Cats Decide"	Unknown
Kinktail 	Before "The Medicine Cats Decide"	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Unknown
Icewhisker 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Before Goosefeather's Curse 	Unknown
Echosnout 	Before Goosefeather's Curse 	Before Yellowfang's Secret 	Cloudberry
Milkfur 	Before Yellowfang's Secret 	Before Crookedstar's Promise 	Brambleberry
Brambleberry 	Before Tallstar's Revenge 	Before Into the Wild 	Mudfur
Mudfur 	Crookedstar's Promise 	Dawn 	Petaldust, Mothwing
Mothwing 	Dawn 	Mistystar's Omen 	Willowshine
Willowshine 	Mistystar's Omen 	The Place of No Stars 	None
Mothwing 	Mistystar's Omen 	Veil of Shadows 	None
Alderheart 	The Place of No Stars 	A Light in the Mist 	None
Mothwing 	River 	- 	Frostpaw, Podlight
Frostpaw 	Before River 	Thunder 	None
Podlight 	Thunder 	Star 	None
Frostdawn 	Star 	- 	-
:
SkyClan (toggle temporary)	SkyClan (toggle temporary) 	SkyClan (toggle temporary) 	SkyClan (toggle temporary)
Name 	Gained rank in... 	Left rank in... 	Apprentice(s)...
Micah 	Moth Flight's Vision 	Moth Flight's Vision 	None
Acorn Fur 	Moth Flight's Vision 	Before "Darkstar's Law" 	Unknown
Twigtail 	Before "Darkstar's Law" 	Before "The Medicine Cats Decide"	Unknown
Quailfeather 	Before "The Medicine Cats Decide"	Before "The Defeated Clan" 	Unknown
Fawnstep 	Before Cloudstar's Journey 	Before Firestar's Quest 	Unknown
Brackenheart 	Before Firestar's Quest 	Before Firestar's Quest 	Unknown
Sandstorm 	Firestar's Quest 	Firestar's Quest 	Echosong
Echosong 	Firestar's Quest 	Hawkwing's Journey 	Frecklewish, Fidgetflake
Leafpool 	Darkest Night 	River of Fire 	None
Frecklewish 	Before After the Flood 	- 	Fidgetflake, Tree , Rootspring
Fidgetflake 	Hawkwing's Journey 	- 	Rootspring
Puddleshine 	Darkest Night 	River of Fire 	None
:
WarriorClan	WarriorClan 	WarriorClan 	WarriorClan
Name 	Gained rank in...	Left rank in...	Apprentice(s)...
Petunia 	Graystripe's Vow 	- 	-
==Trivia==
*It is possible that StarClan has a lot to do with cats being born with the ability to communicate with them, and that they are too wise to have too many talented cats born at once.
*Kate believes there was never an official "rule of two" for medicine cats, meaning there could only be one mentor and apprentice at a time. She suspects they were "just conventions which are adapted to current circumstances". Clans changed their status quo as their needs and attitudes of their members changed.
==See also==
*Medicine
*Diseases and injuries
*Medicine cat ceremony
*List of medicine cats
*List of medicine cat apprentices
==External links==
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==Notes and references==
cs:Léčitelde:Heileres:Curanderofi:Parantajafr:Guérisseurit:Sciamanolt:Vaistytojasnl:Medicijnkatpl:Medykru:Целительuk:Медикітpt-br:Curandeiroko:치료사
Category:Clan hierarchy