Hi Amanda, I am trying to formulate an herbal salve for a patient of mine (a cat, I'm a Veterinarian). This cat won't take oral meds, or at least the owner cannot give them. But she can do something topically. Are there herbs that are not appropriate for an oil infusion to be made into a salve? I've gone back through your info and videos. Specifically, this cat has a malignant basal cell tumor that has been surgically removed twice and has grown back each time. I'm looking for topical anticancer herbs to formulate into a salve. Do you have some thoughts on this? I'm not ready to use black salve. Thank you in advance!

Hi Pamela! I'm not an expert in herbal veterinary or cat care, so I can't fully answer this question. I know that we need to be extra careful with topical applications for cats because cats tend to lick them off, so anything you use topically needs to be safe for the cat to consume internally. I don't know which herbs are safe for cats to consume internally. If this were a human, I would suggest a salve made from poke root, with potentially violet leaf and calendula. Poke is the best topical oil for tumors, but it is also a low-dose botanical and can be an emetic in even moderate doses. I truly don't know if poke is safe for cats. I know that there are a few vets among the alumni; they might be a good resource. I've also heard that Juliette de Baircli Levy's books are helpful, though I bet there are newer books that have been published. Good luck, Amanda