Diseases and injuries

Whitecough is described as a mild chest cough. It is caused by fungi growing in the forest, it spreads quickly during Leaf-Bare, and if left untreated, it can turn into the much more severe Greencough. Kitten cough is mentioned in passing by Runningnose in the Original series.

Basic Information

 * When Fevers occur with whitecough, medicine cats use tansy or borage for the fever. Catmint is used when the whitecough becomes more severe, and turns into greencough. Cloudspots, the ancient ThunderClan medicine cat, found out that catmint (also referred to by Twolegs as catnip), was the best cure for the chest infection. Many cats have been affected by greencough, including Bluestar, Millie, and the other cats in Long Shadows, when the Firestar came up with the idea to move the sick cats to the abandoned Twoleg nest.


 * Greencough is an epidemic that is described as an infected cough caused by fungi in the Warriors series. Greencough usually develops from a case of whitecough left untreated or poorly treated. The best remedy for this disease is catmint (catnip), which is found near Twoleg Nests or places where Twolegs used to live.

Fire and Ice

 * Bluestar (ThunderClan) - loses one of her lives.
 * Brindleface's two unnamed kits (ThunderClan) - both die

Sunset

 * Heavystep (RiverClan) - supposedly dies but is mentioned in later books in the allegiances. It is likely that Erin Hunter made a mistake.

The Sight

 * Poppypaw (now Poppyfrost) (ThunderClan) - recovers - nearly joins StarClan but Jaypaw brings her back.
 * Ferncloud (ThunderClan) - recovers
 * Mousefur (ThunderClan) - recovers
 * Molepaw (ThunderClan) - dies (before The Sight)
 * Kestrelpaw (now Kestrelflight) (WindClan) - recovers
 * Unknown Elder (ShadowClan) - dies (it is stated that a ShadowClan elder died, but the name is never mentioned).

Note: On page 323, Leafpool says "There is greencough in all of the Clans". Because specific names were not mentioned, this list is limited to the cats that were confirmed by name.

Long Shadows
Note: Nearly half the cats in ThunderClan get infected in a greencough outbreak. Because of this, some cats might not be listed.
 * Firestar (ThunderClan) - lost one of his lives.
 * Millie (ThunderClan) - recovers.
 * Briarkit (ThunderClan) - recovers.
 * Honeyfern (ThunderClan) - recovers.
 * Poppyfrost (ThunderClan) - recovers.
 * Rosekit (ThunderClan) - recovers.
 * Thornclaw (ThunderClan) – recovers.
 * Longtail (ThunderClan) - recovers.
 * Dustpelt (ThunderClan) - recovers
 * Cloudtail (ThunderClan) - recovers
 * Brightheart (ThunderClan) - recovers
 * Spiderleg (ThunderClan) - recovers (unknown until confirmed in Sunrise)
 * Heavystep (RiverClan) - dies even though he had already died of grencough in Sunset. Even after supposedly dying twice, he is still listed in the allegiances.

Sunrise

 * Spiderleg (ThunderClan) – recovers (started coughing in Long Shadows, but it wasn’t confirmed as greencough until later).

Bluestar's Prophecy

 * Poppydawn - dies (Note: In Bluestar's Prophecy, the part that says that she dies is from Code of the Clans)
 * Featherwhisker (ThunderClan) - dies

Secrets of the Clans

 * Lizardstripe (ShadowClan) - dies

Code of the Clans

 * Snowstar (ShadowClan) - loses last life.
 * Brightwhisker (ShadowClan) - dies before she can travel to the Highstones to get her nine lives.
 * Poppydawn (ThunderClan) - dies