Cat (Potion)

“*Cat is one of the potions witchers use most often. After imbibing it, the witcher is able to see in total darkness and will avoid being surprised by any nocturnal creatures. The potion allows its user to see both living creatures and those made of inanimate matter, even through walls.*”
―Fragment from the book "Weapons of the witcher", recovered from the library of Kaer Seren by Jalast during the reconstruction of the Griffin fortress.

## Information

### Ingredients

**Base Level*** 1 Berbercane fruit
* 1 Bottle of Water essence

**Enhanced Solution**

* 1 Bottle of Cat
* 1 Unit of Alcohest
* 5 Berbercane fruits
* 1 Cortinarius mushroom
* 3 Bottles of Water essence

**Superior Solution**

* 1 Bottle of Enhanced Cat
* 1 Bottle of White Gull
* 4 Berbercane fruits
* 4 Cortinarius mushrooms
* 1 Moleyarrow
* 1 Allspice
* 1 unit of Aether

### Contraeffect (s)

Temporary Visual Disturbances
Heightened Sensitivity to Light
Mild Dizziness or Disorientation
Nausea or Upset Stomach
Increased Heart Rate
Dry Mouth
Short-Term Insomnia

### Duration

10 - 30 minutes ( depends on the version )

Following the First Conjunction of the Spheres, the mages working with witchers would develop this potion specifically for use in battling the monsters found in dark subterranean lairs and caves without even a shred of light. Its counterpart is the potion of Arlliwiau.

## Brewing and Alchemical Ingredient Explanation

The method for preparing the Cat potion is as follows for the base level potion:

1. Begin by mashing one Berbercane fruit with a mortar and pestle, removing the seed.
2. Add the crushed fruit to a pot with a bottle of water essence and stir until incorporated. Heat to a low boil.
3. Once the mixture has simmered for a few minutes, strain out anything solid and set the liquid aside. (Obviously potions should not be chunky so solids are drained out for the next step.)
4. In a separate pot, pour the Dwarven Spirit and bring it to a simmer. (This will burn off some of the alcohol from the Spirit)
5. Add the strained liquid from step 3 to the Dwarven spirit, and simmer the mixture for a few minutes.
6. Bottle the potion and allow it to cool before using.

## Effects

The Cat potion, aptly named for its feline inspiration, serves a vital purpose when consumed by a witcher. Ingesting this elixir enables a witcher to navigate in complete darkness. While witchers, akin to other beings with vertical pupils, possess heightened vision in low-light conditions compared to humans, this capability falls short in situations of total darkness. The Cat potion addresses this limitation by empowering witchers with the ability to see in environments completely devoid of light, like caves or mines, to cite two examples.

The potion have low toxicity, a deliberate choice to enable the witcher to use it in tandem with other elixirs that enhance their capabilities. However, the drawback lies in its limited duration, with the improved version lasting only about three minutes.

## Contraeffects/Side Effects

Some of the potential side effects of consuming Cat potion are:

* **Temporary Visual Disturbances**: Witchers may experience temporary blurriness or distortion in their vision as their eyes adjust to the potion's effects.
* **Heightened Sensitivity to Light**: The enhanced vision provided by the Cat potion may make the witcher more sensitive to bright light, causing discomfort.
* **Mild Dizziness or Disorientation**: The rapid adjustment of the witcher's senses to the potion's effects could lead to temporary dizziness or disorientation.
* **Nausea or Upset Stomach**: The potion's ingredients may cause mild gastrointestinal discomfort in some witchers a few hours after it has disappeared from the body.
* **Increased Heart Rate**: The heightened sensory perception may be accompanied by a temporary increase in heart rate.
* **Dry Mouth**: The potion may induce a sensation of dryness in the mouth a few hours after it has disappeared from the body, prompting witchers to stay hydrated.
* **Short-Term Insomnia**: If used at night, the stimulating nature of the potion might disrupt sleep patterns, leading to short-term insomnia.

## Notes

* For a more in-universe and not so "gameplay mechanics" version, the information given by The Witcher 1 has been used to elaborate the article.