Herbs and Treatments

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

## A-Z

### 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.