Medicine cat

Medicine cats are Clan cats who treat diseases and injuries and receive and interpret omens from StarClan. They are highly respected within the Clan.

Description
Medicine cats are Clan cats who treat diseases and injuries, and who receive directions and guidance from StarClan. They have their own den in the Clan camp, where they sleep, store herbs, and treat wounded or sick cats. Medicine cats are not allowed to take mates or have kits, (so that their work will not be disturbed), although, this has happened before (i.e. Leafpool, Yellowfang). They also usually stay outside Clan rivalries. Medicine cats have a special way of getting their full name. For example, Leafpool was named so because she found the Moonpool. They are deeply respected by their Clanmates and no cat dares argue with them. Though most medicine cats believe in StarClan, a few rare exceptions (i.e. Mothwing), have become medicine cats even though they don't believe in StarClan.

Tasks
Some of a medicine cat's tasks are:
 * Knowing all of the herbs and store a supply of them in their den
 * Treating wounded and sick cats
 * Assisting queens that are giving birth to kits
 * Check up regularly on the health of Clan cats, (especially queens, elders, and kits)
 * Visiting the Clans' sacred place (such as the Moonstone or Moonpool) at every half moon to seek guidance from StarClan
 * Interpreting prophecies and omens and sharing them with the Clan leader
 * Upon the death of the Clan leader, accompany the deputy to the Moonstone or Moonpool to be appointed as the new leader
 * Training an apprentice as the Clan's next medicine cat
 * Bearing the knowledge of basic battle training in case of emergencies
 * Checking up on StarClan to see about the future

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. They are introduced to StarClan as a medicine cat apprentice at the first half moon after they gain apprenticeship. They earn their name at the Moonstone or Moonpool after successfully completing their training, assuming full responsibilities even while their mentor is still alive.

When an apprentice, the mentor, or full medicine cat, has them do tasks that lead up to being a full time medicine cat. The apprentice has to gather herbs, get water, or do other useful things. They are expected to watch carefully when their mentor is treating a cat, so that when the time comes, they can do it, too.

It is also revealed in Night Whispers that ShadowClan trains their medicine cats to fight.

Special Cases
Some cats have been known to exchange their warrior training to be a medicine cat (for instance Littlecloud,Hawkheart, Jayfeather, or Mothwing) or life-altering experiences may take them on that path (for instance, Cinderpelt) but this is considered to be very uncommon.

Typically, all medicine cats believe in StarClan, with few exceptions (such as Mothwing).

Medicine cats usually keep their role until they die with the exception of Goosefeather, Leafpool, and Runningnose.

While medicine cats are not permitted to have mates or kits, cats that have previously had and lost a mate may become medicine cats if they choose, even if they still have kits (i.e, Mudfur).

Featherwhisker was also taught to hunt for prey even though it didn't follow the basic duties.

The Tribe of Rushing Water
In the Tribe of Rushing Water, the leader and the medicine cat are the same cat, known as The Healer, Stoneteller, or Teller of the Pointed Stones. The leader can receive omens from the Tribe of Endless Hunting, just as Clan medicine cats receive dreams from StarClan.