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Aside from the assortment of Coughs (Another lesson entirely) there are a group of basic ailments that a young medicine cat must be taught to cope with.
Index of Common Conditions, Ailments, & Symptoms
- Abrasion: The removal of a layer of skin (and sometimes flesh) from an area of the body
- Bruise: Muscle damage that does not break the skin
- Coughs: Assorted respiratory complaints
- Fleas: Small bugs that cause a cat to itch through biting
- Laceration: A tear in the skin of a cat, revealing or damaging the muscle
- Worms: An intestinal problem caused by parasitic worms
Explanations & Treatment
Abrasion
Explanation: A scraping away of layers of the skin and flesh of the cat.
Overview of Treatment: Keep the abrasion clean and, if needed, have the cat rest the wound. Application of herbs may be needed to prevent infection.
Bruises
Explanation: Damage the muscle that does not break the skin of the cat. Typically of a darker shade than surrounding skin and painful when touched.
Overview of Treatment: Severe bruises might require the cat to rest so that the muscle can recover and heal from the blunt source damage. Treatment with herbs is only required in the most terrible of cases in which permanent damage is at risk (such as cats struck by monsters).
Coughs
Explanation: Coughs are a common illness with a range of severity. Because cough treatment is a mainstay of a Medicine Cat’s practice it should be taught from the beginning so that the young MCA is fully familiar and competent when delivering treatment.
Overview of Treatment: See targeted training document.
Fleas
Explanation: Stubborn insects that cause sores in a cat if left untreated. These sores can easily become infected and, should the infection reach the blood of the cat, lead to the cats death.
Overview of Treatment: Fleas are complex and difficult to treat due to their nature. A cat will need to be kept exceptionally clean while being isolated from close contact with other cats to prevent infection of those cats. A mixture of garlic, tansy, basil and mint is used to drive the insects away through application to the coat. Flea infestations can take a half moon to cure.
Laceration
Explanation: A tear in the skin (and possibly muscle) of a cat that results in a cut or tear. Most frequently they are acquired during battle, but might also be derived from the environment.
Overview of Treatment: The bleeding should be stopped (using Kit’s Ear or Mouse Fluff only if required) and then proper preventatives for infection (such as Goldenrod or Comfrey) should be employed to ensure the wound does not turn septic.
Worms
Explanation: Worms are a gut-residing parasite that can lead to the death of a cat (though wasting away) if left untreated. The condition is communicative between cats through feces, so cats infected should be urged to use a private dirt-place that can be thoroughly buried when the infection is over.
Overview of Treatment: A course of tansy and thyme will cure most infections within a quarter moon.