☯Description
- Medicine cats are Clan cats who treat diseases and injuries, and who receive directions and guidance from StarClan.[2] They have their own den in their Clan's camp, where they sleep, store herbs, and treat wounded or sick cats.[4] Medicine cats are not allowed to take mates or have kits.[5] They are expected to stand apart from Clan rivalries.[6] Medicine cats have a special way of getting their full name,[7] 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.[8] They are deeply respected by their Clanmates and few cats dare to argue with them.[9]
Tasks
Some of a medicine cat's tasks are:
- Knowing all of the herbs and store a supply of them in their den[10]
- Treating wounded and sick cats[11]
- Assisting queens while they are pregnant with kits, giving birth, or nursing them[12]
- Check up regularly on the health of Clan cats, (especially queens, elders, and kits)[13]
- Visiting the Moonstone/Moonpool at every half-moon to seek guidance from StarClan[14]
- Interpreting prophecies and omens and sharing them with the Clan leader[15]
- Upon the death of the Clan leader, accompany the deputy to the Moonstone or Moonpool to be appointed as the new leader[16]
- Training an apprentice as the Clan's next medicine cat[17]
- Bearing the knowledge of basic battle training in case they need them[18]
- Visiting their ancestors when in a crisis that requires direct communication with StarClan.[19]
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.[20] They are introduced to StarClan as a medicine cat apprentice at the first half moon after they gain apprenticeship.[21] They earn their name at the Moonstone or Moonpool after successfully completing their training,[22] assuming full responsibilities even while their mentor is still alive.[3] While there are usually two medicine cats at most, this is not always the case, and there may even be three at one time.[23] 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.[24] The apprentice has to gather herbs, get water, or do other useful things.[25] They are expected to watch carefully when their mentor is treating a cat, so that when the time comes, they can do it, too.[26]
- It is also revealed in Night Whispers that ShadowClan trains their medicine cats to fight like warriors,[27] and ThunderClan medicine cats occasionally train their apprentices some fighting moves, such as Cinderpelt training Leafpaw.[28]
- Featherwhisker was also taught to hunt for prey even though it didn't follow the basic duties.[29] Leafpool was also capable of catching prey,[30] suggesting that medicine cats are at least taught the basics of hunting.