A Guide to Physical Injuries and Mutations

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A Guide to Physical Injuries and Mutations Posted Aug 21, 2021 23:15:52 GMT

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A GUIDE TO PHYSICAL INJURIES AND MUTATIONS

Cats, feral cats in particular, are prone to being injured and developing many ailments over their lifetime. This can affect a number of areas, such as how they move, walk, speak, interact, etc. Some of them can have little to no special impact, or completely debilitate a cat's ability to function normally - especially as it pertains to becoming a warrior or survival within a clan.

In terms of what makes a injury different from a mutation, the following rule of thumb can be followed:

-- A Mutation is something that a cat is genetically predisposed to - they will have it from birth, even if it is a condition that does not affect them until later in life.
-- An Injury is something that a cat receives during their lifetime, usually due to an incident involving their surroundings; it has nothing to do with genetics.

On WITS, we have combined talking about these conditions as sometimes a injury can mimic a mutation, just as much as an injury can cause a previously undiagnosed mutation to come to the forefront. We have chosen to categorize our mutations thusly:

-- Minor mutations and injuries are conditions that will have little to no influence as to how a cat is able to function in the wild; but will still require an item in order to be used on a character if the event is not assigned randomly through adopting a cat in a litter or through roleplay as deemed appropriate by Staff. Examples may include: special fur textures, acne, two-colored eyes, etc.
-- Major mutations and injuries are conditions that will have a significant influence as to how a cat is able to function in the wild, or is incredibly rare. It requires an item in order for these mutations to be played out, and significant staff discussion as to whether it is something a cat can be affected by during roleplay and still remain a warrior. In only very special circumstances will cats be able to function as full warriors - and even with the item use, discretion is advised. Examples include: blindness, deafness, missing limbs, etc.
-- Deadly mutations and injuries mean that your cat is doomed to an early grave - they are a subsect of major injuries that require an item as well as immediate discussion with staff if you wish to play them out. Please note: ANY condition from this part of our list is considered deadly; your cat will not be able to exist for more than a few moons once the onset of this injury or mutation makes itself known. Examples include: full or partial paralysis, immunodeficiency diseases, heart conditions.

Staff would like to also make it clear that there are some conditions that do not require prior to character creation, such as scarring or things like long/short fur, etc, so long as they do not have a significant effect on the cat or might cause some sort of 'ultra-unique effect'.

Effect Vs. Affect

When considering making a character with a certain mutation/injury as part of their plot, consider the following:

-- Is the mutation/injury the one defining aspect of my character/the only reason I am making this character?
-- Is it so that they can seem special and different right from the get go?
-- Will everyone I plan to roleplay with be comfortable with the portrayal of all these real-world conditions, and am I okay that this may put some people off roleplaying with me depending on the severity of the condition?
-- Are there no other defining personality or characteristic choices that make my character unique other than their mutation or disability?

Please consider your answer to these questions, and what you are doing - aka give it a bit more thought. Some mutations will have no effect whatsoever on the cat you are playing - others are not going to care if they have curled ears or a stubby tail; but blindness should not be the one unique thing about the character you are playing.

Plus, keep in mind that many of the more serious conditions - such as twisted limbs, loss of senses, etc, will GREATLY affect whether or not they will be able to function as a warrior. It's not that a leader will not think your cat can cut it, it's that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few - so while your young blind cat may dream of being a warrior, the liklihood is that putting them into training is a great risk for their mentor and the rest of their clan; and the liklihood is that they will be put into some sort of lesser job or retirement. Not that this is a bad option at all! They can lead to turmoil and interesting plot lines - but if your heart is set on a creating a character with major disabilities, be aware that it will greatly affect what it is they are allowed to do in a roleplay, and in some cases their very survival. Staff and clan leaders are not trying to say this as a dissuasion or a punishment; simply a request and concern over realism vs. fantastical elements.

Yes, some blind cats in the Warrior books have lived full and healthy lives; but not as warriors. Jayfeather was placed as Medicine Cat because he had extrasensory abilities - but it is highly unlikely your blind cat will have the same. It is more likely that, like Longtail, they will be prematurely retired.

Last Edit: Aug 22, 2021 1:00:25 GMT by Broadfae

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A Guide to Physical Injuries and Mutations Posted Aug 21, 2021 23:24:32 GMT

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BANNED MUTATIONS AND INJURIES

Bans occur when something is deemed too sensitive, dangerous, or counts as potential body horror. While we want to give our role-players a chance to work to their heart's content and be as creative as possible, these topics can be seen as touchy and/or too descriptive or have a possibility to affect multiple cats without their consent, therefore will not ever be mentioned or discussed in roleplay. Do not ask the staff if there are exceptions to these rules; there will not be.

HIV | Feline Aids: It is a disease which, while sadly a large factor in the lives of actual feral cat colonies, we do not wat to touch here - mostly due to the fact that it is both an unavoidable death sentence for any character and has the potential to be passed on easily to other members' characters who would not, could not avoid it. It is something that we are not allowing to be played out or used as a plot point for any characters on-site.
Hybridism: The breeding of domestic cat species with their wilder cousins is something staff would like to avoid on site - meaning the bobcat, lynx or wildcat half-bloods as well as serval cats are not allowed to be created as characters at this time. There are plenty of cat breeds that have not touched any wild blood in them - we prefer that you use them as your muses.
Rabies: Again, while a foaming disease has been mentioned in the books, we are not talking about it here: it is a condition which is a death sentence, and the potential for it being used to infect other player's cats against their consent is possible.
Janus: This happens when a kit is born with two faces; usually they don't live long, but some survive into early adolescence. They can have two distinct sets of features. They WILL NOT be accepted on this site as playable characters: any cats born with this condition will immediately die within hours.
Multi-Limbed: Cats born with a double set of front or back limbs, or even just two tails - this is considered body horror by the staff and the cats who would be affected by this in the wild would not live long anyways, and therefore will not be accepted as playable characters.
Conjoined: Essentially, either when two cats are born connected in some way. A variety of maladies can effect a conjoined cat, which will kill them off almost instantly. Living conjoined cats WILL NOT be accepted on this site as playable characters.
Cyclops: Cats born with not two eyes, but one central eye. These cats will usually die within hours of being born, and WILL NOT be accepted on the site as playable characters.
Cancer / Alzheimer's / Dementia: Please note; while you can play out certain aspects of these conditions (an older cat forgetting things at a rapid pace, a mysterious illness that might cause a visible lump), what is banned is the mention of these specific words being specifically used to determine what is wrong. There are other terms you can use to explain the conditions away (see: Lumps and Senility specifically), but for the sake of them being incredibly touchy, real-world subjects, we would prefer for our member base to stay away from mentioning them outright.

Last Edit: Aug 22, 2021 1:33:57 GMT by Broadfae

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A Guide to Physical Injuries and Mutations Posted Aug 21, 2021 23:42:13 GMT

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MINOR MUTATIONS AND INJURIES

A minor injury or mutation is something that will nominally affect a cat throughout their daily life - it is most often cosmetic, or is something that a cat can live with with minimal impact on their daily life. A minor injury can be contracted in one of three ways:

-- Purchased through a minor injury/mutation item (for characters being created with this condition at the start).
-- Adopted from a litter who's roll randomly landed it with a minor injury/mutation at birth.
-- Roleplayed out in threads (in the way of injury-induced disabilities or illnesses that come on over time)

*Please note that while this would also include minor scarring such as scratches, torn fur, etc, we are not including this in the list as we feel that a few scars on a cat who lives and fights in the wild is generally a given.*

Full Body Mutations/Injury

Full-bodied mutations are incredibly rare, and as the name implies generally affects the entire body of a cat in some form.

Vitiligo: While a character can be born with it, it will not appear until a cat is older. Fur in splotchy, spotted, random patterns will lose all pigmentation.
Erythrism: A congenital condition of abnormal redness in an animal's fur, plumage, or skin.
Leucism: A condition in which there is partial loss of pigmentation in an animal—which causes white, pale, or patchy coloration of the skin, hair, feathers, scales or cuticle, but not the eyes.
Melanism: The increased development of the dark-colored pigment melanin in the skin or hair; causing a cat and their skin and patterns to appear solidly black, even if there are no black cats in their direct lineage.
Tremors: Uncontrollable shaking of one or more limbs; as if the cat is constantly cold. Not necessarily life threatening, but will certainly make activities like hunting difficult. *Please note: Severe tremors (shaking that would make it difficult for a cat to hunt or fight) would be considered a MAJOR condition, and will be determined at the discretion of a Staff Member if give to a character being created from scratch.*

Eye/Sight Mutations/Injury

Eye mutations are rare, but no less dangerous – cat's born with certain eye mutations may be prone to blindness.

Nystagmus: Involuntary side to side movements of the eyes. It will not effect a cat too much, other than being uncomfortable and give them the feeling of being shifty and perhaps cause cats' eye irritation. Can be a symptom of another disease, or a condition in its' own right.
Heterochromatic: Cats with two different colored eyes; either with the color split down the middle, or both eyes completely different colors.
Strabismus: Cross-eyed or squinting eyes; they may have some vision problems, but it does not effect or stop them from becoming a warrior.
Iris Malformation: Involves the idea of the iris of one or both eyes being split, malformed, or appear to look like they are split or whatever - has absolutely no effect on the sight; purely cosmetic.
Photophobic: Intolerance of bright lights (usually due to having blue eyes). It means they have reduced vision in low light conditions.
Colorblindness: It doesn't really affect a cat or stop them from being a warrior, save that they are unable to tell certain colors or mix up certain conditions.

Muzzle/Nose Mutations/Injury

Muzzle and Nose mutations may cause problems with eating and speaking, or make a cat prone to respiratory diseases.

Long Muzzle: Muzzle is more pronounced than usual.
Jowls: Sort of like a flattened face, but the cheeks are more pronounced; droopy.
Hyperosmia: Is an increased olfactory acuity (heightened sense of smell), usually caused by a lower threshold for odor.
Anosmia: The loss of the sense of smell, either total or partial. It may be caused by head injury, infection, or blockage of the nose; but in the case of a mutation or birth defect, this cat will be unable to smell from birth. Not necessarily detrimental to a warrior, but will make things like hunting much harder.
Hyposmia: A reduced ability to smell and to detect odors. Related to anosmia, but not quite as serious. Will make things like tracking and hunting for a warrior much harder.

Teeth Mutations/Injuries

Teeth mutations effect how well a cat can talk and eat – as well as add or hinder their way of fighting with others.

Saber-Toothed Overbite: A cat who's canines protrude out of the upper jaw and down below the bottom of the muzzle, giving them a vicious appearance. Can effect eating and speaking to some degree.
Saber-Toothed Underbite: A cat who's canines protrude out of the lower jaw and over the upper muzzle, giving them a vicious appearance. Can effect eating and speaking to some degree.
Snaggle-Teeth: The teeth grow crooked in the mouth, leading to in some serious cases a problem with shutting the mouth fully.

Claw/Foot Mutations/Injuries

Claw mutations may effect the way a cat can walk, run, or climb – hindering their abilities to fight or flee.

Shortened Claws: The claws are shorter than average. Risk of over-extension and paw-strain.
Lengthened Claws: The claws are unable to be fully retracted; always out. May cause them to become worn quickly.
Brittle Claws: Claws easily break against materials, making them incredibly ineffective for use in defense and hunting.
Polydactyl: A cat with six toes.
Webbed Feet: A fine stretch of skin between the toes - which might be beneficial for those living in swampy areas or areas with high water content.

Leg Mutations/Injuries

Leg mutations can also effect the way a cat can walk, run, or climb – hindering their abilities to fight or flee.

Long (Stilted) Legs: The opposite of short legs – legs are incredibly long and the cat has a tall appearance.
Lopsided: The front legs are longer than the back legs, or vice versa. Can make climbing awkward.
Twisted: One or more of the legs are twisted at an odd angle – may but not always causes pain in the twisted limb. **Please note, depending on the severity this could be considered a major condition if given to a cat being created from scratch.**
Bow-Legged: Cat's legs are turned out slightly; giving their walk a sort of waddling appearance.
Dysmetria: High stepping gait. Can be a symptom of another condition, or a disability in its own right. Does not necessarily mean a warrior will be retired, but will make life difficult.
Ataxia: Uncoordinated walking – a musculature disorder in which they are unable to move properly. It can be a symptom of other mutations, but can also be a condition all on its own. Cats with ataxia can survive for several years, but it is rare that they will be able to climb any sort of ranks, or be skillful as a warrior.

Tail Mutations/Injuries

Tail mutations may not seem like they would effect a cat much, but they do; a different tail can effect the way a cat balances, as well as certain ways they can communicate with others.

Stumpy: A shortened tail – half the cat's body or less. Less expressive.
Flat to Back: A tail that curves up and along the spine; typically can't go very far from the cat's body.
Aerial Curved: A long tale that curves up into the air naturally rather than out behind them.
Kinked: Long tail with one or more kinks along it's length – permanent angles bent into the length of the tail.

Fur Mutations/Injuries

A difference in fur length and type is important for a wild cat – the shorter the fur, the worse they feel the cold and horrible weather.

Rex: The fur is more velvety-feeling than others; not quite hairless, but not as long as a short-haired cat; somewhere in between. Can handle warm seasons well, but don't do well in cold climates.
LaPerm: The hair is tightly curled, more woolly that furry; good at keeping out all but the coldest of furs, but mostly prone to tangling.
Wirehair: The hair feels more like bristles than fur; prickly and unpleasant to touch. They tend to be unable to handle wet weather well.
Acne: A problem seen in cats primarily involving the formation of blackheads accompanied by inflammation on the cat's chin and surrounding areas that can cause lesions, alopecia, and crusty sores. In many cases symptoms are mild and the disease does not require treatment. Can be lived with, of course.
Alopecia: A common problem for felines. Cat hair loss can be partial or complete, and the patterns can varied or symmetrical. The skin surrounding the area of hair loss can appear normal, or it can have redness, bumps, scabs and skin loss. Can be easily lived with so long as a warrior does not live in colder regions.

Ear/Hearing Mutations/Injuries

Ear mutations don't really effect the way a cat can hear – but certain ear differences may effect the probability of ear infections, which can lead to deafness.

Large (Oversized) Ears: Ears that seem almost too big for a cats' head; usually seen with oriental and Siamese breeds.
Folded Ears: Usually seen with a particular breed, but can be seen at birth as well. The ears are folded over at birth, giving the cat a 'floppy' appearance. Usually in this situation it is bother ears that are affected; folded almost like a lop-eared dog's.
Flat-Tipped Ears: Seen at birth – the cat has regular ears, but they end at a flat edge rather than a triangular point.
Small Ears: Similar to curled ears, but while they are curved and curled they also seem smaller compared to the rest of the cat's body. Known mostly as a 'mouse-eared' condition.
Soft Cartilage: A condition that doesn't always show itself from birth, but is usually connected to them throughout life. The pointed parts of the ear are unable to be held up due to a weakened cartilage, resulting in one or both of the ears flopping downwards rather than pointing up.
Curled Ears: Usually seen with a particular breed, but can be a birth defect as well. The ears are curled outwards; fluted or shell-like rather than triangular.

Internal Mutations/Injuries

These conditions or mutations will not have a physical picture or symptom that is visible to the naked eye, but will nonetheless affect the cat.

Infertility: Does not exactly cause the cat's quality of life to go down, but causes them to be unable to either sire or carry young. Could also be because of alterations made by humans, meaning a trip to the cutter.
Allergies: A condition inherited by birth, with multiple symptoms and triggers. A cat can have seasonal allergies, reactions to certain foods, or to natural stimulants. This can result in a variety of symptoms, from hair loss, rashes, shortness of breath and swelling of the throat (severe) itchy and running eyes and blocked sinuses. Allergies is definitely something a warrior can live with; it may just make life miserable for a while.

Last Edit: Aug 23, 2021 14:35:18 GMT by Broadfae

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A Guide to Physical Injuries and Mutations Posted Aug 21, 2021 23:48:23 GMT

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MAJOR MUTATIONS AND INJURIES

A Major injury or mutation is something that will greatly affect a cat throughout their daily life - often having a large impact on their daily life or whether or not they are able to fulfill their lives as a warrior or within the clans. Factors such as what clan, their age, an discretion of staff will determine what and if these major disabilities can be coped with by a warrior and not result in retirement or a severe impediment to their warrior duties. They can be assigned in one of three ways:

-- Purchased through a major injury/mutation item (for characters being created with this condition at the start).
-- Adopted from a litter who's roll randomly landed it with a major injury/mutation at birth.
-- Roleplayed out in threads (in the way of injury-induced disabilities or illnesses that come on over time)

*Please note that some injuries, depending on the severity of their impact, CAN be considered Minor - but this is at staff discretion and must be discussed beforehand.*

Full Body Mutations/Injuries

Full-bodied mutations are incredibly rare, and as the name implies generally affects the entire body of a cat in some form.

Chimera: The embryo is split, so that part of the cat is a solid colour, and the other side different. One of the only full body mutation that isn't an immediate death sentence.
Dwarfism: Cats with shortened, squished up limbs. Can live for a while, but are usually felled as dwarfism comes with a variety of other health concerns.
Tremors: Uncontrollable shaking of one or more limbs; as if the cat is constantly cold. Not necessarily life threatening, but will certainly make activities like hunting difficult. Uncontrollable, full-bodied tremors will mean that a cat cannot be a warrior - to be determined at a clan leader and staff discretion.
Albinism: Albinism is a genetic condition in which there is a complete lack of color or pigmentation. An albino cat’s coat may appear to be white, but closer inspection, particularly of the eyes and skin, reveals a series of differences. The eyes of a true albino cat are limited to a very pale blue, or may appear pinkish or pinkish-blue. They are light-sensitive, and prone to burning in the sun – but other than that, can live perfectly happy, healthy lives as a warrior.
Osteochondrodysplasia: General term for a disorder of the development of bone and cartilage. These bone and cartilage abnormalities lead to severe and painful arthritis. A cat can function with this condition, but they will have bouts of pain that will need to be seen to by a Medicine Cat and may cause early retirement.
Seizure Disorders: Can be caused by multiple things, but in truth has similar effects and appearances: random triggers can cause a cat to seize uncontrollably, having no control of their muscles or body, and becoming seriously ill afterwards. Will usually be the cause of death for those cats who suffer from it; but they are also known to live full lives with the watchful eye of a Medicine Cat and extreme determination.
Lumps: Visible lumps, ranging in size, that develop in any area of a cat's body, possibly making it difficult to move or giving them an unsightly appearance. It can sometimes be the symptom of an underlying condition which will lead to their death, but can occasionally be something a cat can live with. (*Please see banned section for clarification if you would like to make a character with this condition*)
Cerebellar Hypoplasia: A neurological condition in which the cerebellum is not completely developed or is smaller than it should be, affecting a cat's movement and thought processing. Non-painful, but a cat with this condition will likely not be able to be made a warrior.

Eye/Sight Mutations/Injuries

Eye mutations are rare, but no less dangerous – cat's born with certain eye mutations may be prone to blindness.

Entropion: A condition in which the eyelid is rolled inward against the eyeball, typically caused by muscle spasm or by inflammation or scarring, as well as vision problems and eye irritation.
Pop-Eyed: The eyes don't seem to fit in the skull, popping out ever so slightly. Cat's with popped eyes are more prone to blindness.
One-Eyed: Different from Cyclops; one eye may be fine, but the other socket has skin growing over the empty space, or having lost an eye through injury and is unable to see to that side of their body. Will of course be blind on the one side, but can otherwise live a normal life. Depending on if they were born with this condition or received it in battle, as well as their age, will determine whether or not they will be able to remain and function as a warrior - up to the clan leader's discretion. This is reference strictly to cats who are created with this condition.
Cataracts: Born with a glaze or a sheen to one or both eyes that cause them to appear clouded and can affect the vision in a variety of ways; can also develop with age. Depending on if they were born with this condition or received it in battle, as well as their age, will determine whether or not they will be able to remain and function as a warrior - up to the clan leader's discretion. This is reference strictly cats who are created with this condition.
Blindness: Born with the inability to see, or to see only slight, smoky edges of things. Cats who have this condition may have trouble being true warriors, unless they fight to develop other skills. The ability to cope with this condition depends on the age and adaptiveness of the cat - the older the cat is, the more likely it will be that they will just be retired. It also depends entirely upon the choice of their clans' leader whether or not they are allowed to function as full warriors.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy: Term used to describe a group of genetic disorders that result in degeneration and atrophy (loss or wasting) of the retina – the light-sensitive layer of cells at the back of the eye. This can lead to a progressive decline in the quality of vision and in some cases can lead to blindness. Cats who have this traditional will essentially grow prematurely blind; forcing them into early retirement.

Muzzle/Nose Mutations/Injuries

Muzzle and Nose mutations may cause problems with eating and speaking, or make a cat prone to respiratory diseases.

Brachycephalic Airway Symptom: Affected cats have difficulty breathing due to a very narrow external opening of the nose, narrow nasal passages, and/or due to a relatively long soft palate. Essentially, these cats will snort and have severe breathing problems, leading to shortness of breath and gasping for air, as well as making them prone to respiratory illnesses. This does not necessarily mean a cat will be unable to function as a warrior, but it will make their lives difficult.
Cleft Palate: An opening or split in the roof of the mouth that occurs when the tissue doesn't fuse together during development in the womb; exposing the upper teeth and causing issues with biting and eating.
Feline Asthma: This causes a cat to have shortness of breath and tightness in their chest for a variety of reasons; either due to seasonal allergies, stress, or intense exercise. A cat with this condition can technically remain a warrior, but they will need to have constant monitoring by a Medicine Cat.
Broken/Crooked Jaw: As a result of injury or mutation, the jaw hangs crooked - can lead to excessive drooling, inability to eat properly, and strange sounding words.

Claw/Foot Mutations/Injuries

Claw mutations may effect the way a cat can walk, run, or climb – hindering their abilities to fight or flee.

Soft-Pads: Usually caused by infection or severe nerve damage in the feet area, or in the case of kittypets, a trip to the Cutter; leaving a cat without claws, or at least without the ability to extend them. Essentially, they cannot fight with their paws.
Club-Footed: Lower to the ground, where the joint of the leg meets the paw; paw is twisted inwards. Sometimes painful, but usually just awkward.
Syndactylism: Causes a reduction in the number of toes on a cat, giving it a so called “lobster-claw” appearance.

Leg Mutations/Injuries

Leg mutations can also effect the way a cat can walk, run, or climb – hindering their abilities to fight or flee.

Twisted: One or more of the legs are twisted at an odd angle – may but not always causes pain in the twisted limb. When it does cause pain, or affects running or hunting, that is when it is considered a major mutation or injury.
Shortened (Munchkin) Legs: Legs are incredibly short, the cat's belly can be touching the ground. Usually results in cat's with longer bodies as well.
Patellar Luxation: Usually affecting the hind legs. Essentially, the 'knee cap' becomes unaffixed, and results in limping, hopping, or hind limb collapse. Signs may be episodic – a cat can show symptoms only sometimes – or permanent. Does not necessarily mean they will be unable to be a warrior if the signs are episodic and the limping is minor, but will require constant monitoring by a Medicine Cat.
Broken Limbs/Dislocations: Very hard to set in real life with just a Medicine cat to treat, can lead to the full loss of the leg or permanent weakness at it's very best, greatly hindering a cat's ability to function as a warrior at their full strength.
Hip Dysplasia: Again, affecting the hind legs. An abnormality of the development of the hip joint(s). If these joints fail to form properly there may be increased laxity and abnormal movement of the joint, and over time this can result in the development of degeneration of the joint and painful osteoarthritis. A cat will often have a slumped or drooping hind end in this case. And while they can technically be made warriors, their career will be short.
Missing Limbs: Either born or through injury, a cat who is missing half or more of one of their legs. If 2 or more legs are missing, this will result in immediate retirement regardless. The ability to cope with this condition depends on the age and adaptiveness of the cat - the older the cat is, the more likely it will be that they will just be retire. It also depends entirely upon the choice of their clans' leader whether or not they are allowed to function as full warriors.

Tail Mutations/Injuries

Tail mutations may not seem like they would effect a cat much, but they do; a different tail can effect the way a cat balances, as well as certain ways they can communicate with others.

Corkscrew: A curl that tightly curls back in on itself – like a pig's tail.
Split Tail: Like a double tail, but the tail is split partway down the middle. No need to amputate, but can cause a cat to be clumsier than some.
Rump: The tail appears to be missing entirely; essentially ends at the rump with nothing else.
Bobtail: Tail that is less than a third the length of a cat's body; a short little bob, like a bobcats.

Fur Mutations/Injuries

A difference in fur length and type is important for a wild cat – the shorter the fur, the worse they feel the cold and horrible weather.

Sphynx (Hairless): A cat who has no fur; usually wrinkly and unable to keep in body heat. Cats who are hairless do not make out well in the wild, as both extreme cold and extreme heat is hard for them to deal with.
Lykoi: A fine mix between sphynx and wire-haired; fur is sparse, and what is there is incredibly bristly. Can handle colder weather a little better than sphynxes, but they too don't tend to thrive well in the wild.

Ear/Hearing Mutations/Injuries

Ear mutations don't really effect the way a cat can hear – but certain ear differences may effect the probability of ear infections, which can lead to deafness.

Deafness: A cat born deaf will be unable to hear dangerous sounds; however, a deaf cat will also likely be unable to communicate with others, as they cannot understand or hear language. The ability to cope with this condition depends on the age and adaptiveness of the cat - the older the cat is, the more likely it will be that they will just be retired if deafness affects them. It also depends entirely upon the choice of their clans' leader whether or not they are allowed to function as full warriors.
'Double Pinnae' Ears: Better known as a 'four eared cat'. With this mutation, the cat's ears appear to be doubled; usually a smaller, vestigial pair of ears in front, with the larger working ears behind it. In no way does it effect how well a cat can hear.

Internal Mutations/Injuries

These conditions or mutations will not have a physical picture or symptom that is visible to the naked eye, but will nonetheless affect the cat.

Congenital Analgesia: Congenital insensitivity to pain also known as congenital analgesia, is one or more rare conditions in which a person cannot feel (and has never felt) physical pain. This will not stop a warrior from becoming an adult, but will be dangerous as they cannot understand or incorporate the feeling of pain with others.
Anemia: A lack of certain materials needed in blood vessels, causing a cat to become easily weakened, lose their appetite, and become lethargic. Does not necessarily mean a cat must retire, as they can live with this condition, but must remain under close supervision of a Medicine Cat.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A cat may appear fine for the first 4 or 5 moons with this condition, before being betrayed by muscle tremors, muscular weakness, instability and abnormal posture. An affected cat remains mentally normal, as the disease is not painful or fatal, but it is disabling and affected cats will be immediately retired.
Hemophilia: A rare disorder in which blood doesn't clot normally because it lacks sufficient blood-clotting proteins (clotting factors). If you have hemophilia, you may bleed for a longer time after an injury than you would if your blood clotted normally. This means that a cat may survive and be a warrior, but any injury could possibly prove fatal.
Hypokalaemic Polymyopathy: Low blood potassium. It can be something that a cat inherits, or caused by severe illness. When inherited, one of the most obvious signs is generalized muscle weakness, which can be mild or severe. Sometimes a cat suffering an episode will be unable to even stand up. This condition, when effecting a cat, will not cause them to be retired but will require the very strict involvement of a Medicine Cat to monitor.
Gangliosidosis: Affected cats lack an enzyme required to metabolize certain lipids (fats) which means that they accumulate within cells in the body. May eventually lead to Ataxia, tremors, dysmetria, Nystagmus and enlargement of the liver. May also lead to eye clouding and eventual blindness. Affected cats will likely be made to retire early.

Last Edit: Aug 23, 2021 14:36:48 GMT by Broadfae

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A Guide to Physical Injuries and Mutations Posted Aug 21, 2021 23:54:20 GMT

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DEADLY MUTATIONS AND INJURIES

A Deadly injury or mutation is something that will essentially mean that the death of the cat affected is imminent - often having a large impact on their daily life or whether or not they are able to fulfill their lives as a warrior or within the clans and killing them off within moons, not years. Factors such as what clan, their age, an discretion of staff do not matter here - the cat is doomed to die, and it is something that will spell the end for their careers as warriors immediately, although they can still be playable for a few months afterwards. Deadly mutations and injuries can be received in the following three ways:

-- Purchased through a major injury/mutation item (for characters being created with this condition at the start) (The character being created will not be able to grow older than 25 Moons).
-- Adopted from a litter who's roll randomly landed it with a major injury/mutation at birth. (The character being born will not be able to grow older than 25 Moons).
-- Roleplayed out in threads (in the way of injury-induced disabilities or illnesses that come on over time). (The character will not be able to survive longer than one year (12 Moons) past the time the injury is received in roleplay).

*Please note that these injuries and mutations will always result in the death of the cat; no exceptions.*

Full Body Mutations/Injuries

Full-bodied mutations are incredibly rare, and as the name implies generally affects the entire body of a cat in some form.

Spinal Chord Injury: Anything that happens to a cat's back or neck, causing partial or full paralysis. They may survive for a few moons, but will not live any longer than 6-10 Moons at most, even with the help of their clanmates. This condition will require immediate retirement, as well.
Heart Murmur: A cat with a hart murmur could go most of their life without much issue; only to die quite suddenly in their young adult life. Murmurs usually cause an irregular heartbeat, where stress or sudden frights could cause it to beat out of rhythm or stop altogether.
Myopathy: Often appears during the 6-12 moon mark. Muscle weakness in the head and neck, with protruding shoulder blades. Their head often will begin to permanently tilt to the side, and will sometimes result in periods where they are unable to eat at certain periods of times; often leading to them being prone to choking and death due to respiratory illness.
Lumps: Visible lumps, ranging in size, that develop in any area of a cat's body, possibly making it difficult to move or giving them an unsightly appearance. It can sometimes be the symptom of an underlying condition which will lead to their death, but can occasionally be something a cat can live with. This is in reference as to where the lump is located, how large it is, and/or how many.
Hydrocephalus: The buildup of fluid in the cavities (ventricles) deep within the brain. The excess fluid increases the size of the ventricles and puts pressure on the brain, enlarging the head. If seen in kittypets, can occasionally be corrected with seizure disorders and some intelligence delay; but is essentially fatal for feral cats. Kits are lucky to live to apprenticeship age, but none have been known to live past that.
Head Defect: Duplication of the upper jaw and incomplete formation of the skull. The defect is incompatible with life – which means a cat who suffers from this disease will likely only live for a few months.
Spina Bifida: A birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don't form properly. It falls under the broader category of neural tube defects. A cat will be unable to walk and will not be able to become a warrior, usually dying as a kit.

Internal Mutations/Injuries

These conditions or mutations will not have a physical picture or symptom that is visible to the naked eye, but will nonetheless affect the cat.

Stroke: A condition that comes from an internal attack on the character, brought on by a seizing in the brain, loss of motor functions and speech, as well as other internal conditions. A cat who has a stroke, and survives, will almost always be immediately retired; they will not be able to function as a warrior after such an affliction, but could gain some quality of life back through rigorous help of their clanmates.
Cardiomyopathy: Also known as heart disease. It means that a cat may suffer from shortness of breath, chest pains, and problems with circulation in times of high stress. A warrior cat with cardiomyopathy will likely not live to see 18 moons; but on very rare occasions can survive longer if their condition is recognized and they are allowed to retire and live a slightly easier life. Still, living into old age in anything but a kittypet is incredibly, INCREDIBLY rare.
Glycogen Storage Disease: Usually causes stillbirths, but sometimes they will appear normal until 5 moons of age. At this point, they will begin to suffer from muscle weakness. By 8 moons, they will have severe muscular weakness, atrophy and contraction, and an inability to use their limbs; and so will be forced into retirement. They will likely die before reaching 16 moons.
Alpha–Mannosidosis: Means a buildup of sugar molecules in a number of organs including the brain, kidney and liver. Symptoms include: Ataxia (uncoordinated walking), tremors, bizarre behavior, liver enlargement, growth retardation and premature death. Cats born with this mutation will not live long after 18 moons, usually dying while they are an apprentice or young warrior.
Mucopolysaccharidosis: Symptoms of this will appear within 4 to 5 moons. This mutation causes a reduced growth rate, skeletal deformities, enlarged liver, clouded eyes and some behavioral slowness. It is not a immediate death sentence for a cat- but do to the fact that they are likely going to make poor choices and will be a liability to their fellow cats, will likely not live long as warriors, suffering either accident or being retired early.
Diabetes: Either an absence of abundance of blood sugars that must be carefully monitored and controlled. This can be dealt with by a Medicine cat, but a cat suffering from Diabetes may suffer blackouts, nerve trembling, and are at a higher risk of other maladies. Therefore, cats born with diabetes do not generally live to see an older age in the wild, falling to their disease sometime before their 25th moon.
Senility: A condition that is a hereditary mutation, but will only appear when a cat reaches senior status. Usually, they will live a full, healthy life, and become elders – only for this mutation to rear it's ugly head. Will cause them to become confused about time, place, make them unable to recognize familiar faces, effect their moods and emotions, and bodily control. It is eventually fatal, as either they will act out in a way that causes their deaths during an episode, or they will simply lose motor function and pass away relatively peacefully. *Please see banned section for clarification if you would like to make a character with this condition*

Last Edit: Aug 22, 2021 0:15:30 GMT by Broadfae

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