An Unofficial Complex Medicine Cat Guide.

Techniques & Diagnosis Process.

Techniques!

(Ways other than herbs to help with the recovery or general health.)

Gently nipping or poking a cat's spine is done to see if the backbone is broken. Can also be done on the tail or legs to see if they are broken as well.

Licking a cat's fur is done to help clean wounds, calm a cat in shock or grieving, or warm an extremely cold cat. Normally kits' fur is licked the wrong way at birth to help them start to breathe and warm them.

Herbs such as mint and lavender are placed on the dead before burial to hide their death-scent.

Using honey, plants such as berries or mint, or prey's blood can be used to make herbs easier to eat.

Holding a swelling wound in cold water helps soothe and heal the swelling. Cats can also soothe scraped pads by soaking them in water.

Soaking moss in water should be used to cool feverish cats or provide for those who are too weak to get their water.

Telling a cat to yowl, wail, or yell loudly can sometimes clear their lungs and chest of mucus.

Patting a descended belly while your ear is pressed up against it can determine if a patient is pregnant, has worms, or is bloated, depending on the sound and feel of the belly. The belly will be hard and sound like distant rushing water if pregnant, will sound dull and have a painful give to it if it is worms, and will sound bubbly if bloated.

Swimming is great therapy for cats with weak muscles or bones. Also helps elders with inflamed joints or muscles.

When removing a burr or torn claw, do not pull directly upwards but instead at an angle. This limits pain and makes it slightly easier to remove.

If any herbs are wet, leave them in the sun to dry. It is best not to harvest herbs in the morning or right after a lot of rain. Wet herbs will rot.

Never completely deplete a herb where it grows so it can grow more later unless the clan is truly desperate and/or you are positive there is another supply somewhere.

Berries that are poisonous such as holly and yew berries can be used to kill predators, but can also be used to kill a suffering cat ONLY if they ask for them and you know there is not much else you can do to treat them.

It's not always best to gather fresh herbs directly when the stock of one gets low. Leaving camp too often in search of herbs is inadvisable. Instead, try to plan herb-gathering trips when three or so piles are getting low. Never wait too long, however.

Never give a pregnant cat more than three herbs during their kitting or poppy seeds (as they may become too sedated or sleepy to push). Some herbs and herb combinations will cause them to bleed more or prolong the kitting. Choose which herbs you give to a kitting queen wisely, or give none if it is not truly necessary.

Using an ointment or juice you can learn to deeply massage muscles to rid stiffness, help with soreness, calm, and bond with the cat outside of sharing tongues. You apply the liquid as needed, before applying pressure with your paws and following the muscle lines, working out knows and tenseness.

Cats love to groom themselves and each other, out of instinct and need. Medicine cats use this every day to bond with the cats they serve, but it can also be used to clean blood or the cat's pelt. Often referred to as sharing tongues.

Diagnosis Process!

Listen to your patient's complaint.

Examine the physical state of your patient.

Remember the patient's symptoms and complaints.

Analyze which symptoms are the most noticeable.

Ask your patient about other suspected complaints.

Determine a course of treatment for the complaints that stand out the most.

Follow up with your patient after the treatment to guarantee that the treatment is a success.

Adjust treatment methods if necessary.