“Cats respond very well to medicinal plants!” – Interview with veterinarian Dr. med. vet. Dorina Lux

"Even though our furry friends are often very picky about what they eat or not, many of them voluntarily consume medicinal plants when they are ill and show rapid and significant improvement. However, as cats are pure carnivores and have a completely different metabolism than dogs, for example, it is very important to stick to cat-specific dosages." Veterinarian Dr. med. vet. Dorina Lux , author of the compact guide " Green Home Medicine Cabinet for Cats ", sees native medicinal plants - both from a health and ecological point of view - as an efficient and recommendable way to treat and alleviate the complaints and illnesses of sensitive four-legged friends in a safe and natural way. 

After the “Green Medicine Cabinet” for dogs, now comes the one for cats. What inspired you to write these two guides?

Dr. med. vet. Dorina Lux: Many of our modern medicines are based on active ingredients that were discovered in medicinal plants and isolated from them. Unfortunately, the knowledge of medicinal plants themselves as effective therapeutic agents has been increasingly lost in recent decades. Yet we can discover plenty of medicinal plants in our own gardens and on walks and use them successfully on our pets. Especially in view of the delivery difficulties that have repeatedly arisen for many medicines since the beginning of the corona pandemic, domestic medicinal plants are a real alternative.

What are the differences between our two favorite pets?

Dr. med. vet. Dorina Lux: Unlike dogs, cats are pure carnivores and there are therefore major differences in their metabolism. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, cats respond very well to medicinal plants. However, it is important to stick to cat-specific dosages, which can differ considerably from other animal species.

Because of their sensitive nature, cats play a special role in veterinary medicine. What does this mean and what illnesses result from it?

Dr. med. vet. Dorina Lux: Cats need hunting or other species-specific activities and contact with other cats; pure house or apartment cats also often need two always clean litter boxes per individual. If these needs are not met, cats can develop problems and symptoms such as stress-related hair loss or chronic urinary tract infections. Cats also sometimes react to changes in their environment with stress-related illnesses.

Recent behavioral studies have shown that cats are not pure loners, but are also capable of forming packs and making friends. Where does the stereotype of cats as lone hunters come from?

Dr. med. vet. Dorina Lux: The cliché of the cat as a lone hunter comes from the European wildcat, which, according to current knowledge, really does seem to be a loner. However, the behavior of a domesticated species changes significantly over the course of millennia. And we now know that domesticated house cats are also capable of forming packs. One example is friendships between male cats: older male cats seek out a young one as an "apprentice" and teach him to hunt. These two male cats often travel together for years.

Like the previous volume, the new compact guide also looks at the possibilities for treatment with gentle natural remedies. What are the advantages of using native medicinal plants?

Dr. med. vet. Dorina Lux: Medicinal plants often have the advantage over chemically produced medicines that they have fewer side effects. For example, the pain-relieving substance salicylic acid from willow bark is only produced in the body and therefore has no negative effects on the intestinal mucosa. Native medicinal plants - in the sense of medicinal plants that grow in our climate - have the advantage that they are more ecologically sensible. They do not have to be transported over long distances, so their use is less energy-intensive and more climate-neutral. The use of medicinal plants in fresh or dried form, as well as the easy preparation of extracts, also uses less energy than the production of most medicines and protects our environment. 

Can you give an example of a typical cat disease and its treatment?

Dr. med. vet. Dorina Lux: A very common cat disease is the aforementioned chronic or chronically recurring stress-related cystitis in cats. In this case, the frequency, length and intensity of the illness phases can be significantly reduced by administering nettles.

Every cat owner has probably despaired at least once over their cat's demanding sense of taste. What experiences have you had with administering medicinal herbs to cats, and what should you pay particular attention to?

Dr. med. vet. Dorina Lux: When sick, the sense of taste changes in all mammal species studied, including cats, leading to an increased tolerance to bitter substances. Many cats eat medicinal herbs voluntarily when sick without any major problems. Wild animals sometimes even seek them out on purpose. For cats that are not affected by this, liquid preparations can be used instead and given in the mouth using a small syringe. In the "Green Medicine Cabinet", cat owners can find out which illnesses they can successfully treat in their cat themselves and in which cases they should seek the advice of a vet or animal health practitioner.

Book tip:
Dr. med. vet. Dorina Lux: Green home medicine cabinet for cats . Using native medicinal plants safely. Compact guide . Mankau Verlag, 1st edition June 2022, paperback, color, 11.5 x 16.5 cm, 158 pages, 12.00 euros (D) / 12.40 euros (A), ISBN 978-3-86374-655-1

Link recommendations:
More information about the compact guide “Green medicine cabinet for cats”
To the reading sample in PDF format
More about author Dr. med. vet. Dorina Lux
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