When your cat is under the weather, it can’t exactly ask for a pain reliever to help them feel better. If your cat is running a fever, it may indicate an underlying health problem that may require urgent treatment. Hence, it is important for us to identify the symptoms and the treatment related to your cat’s fever.
How do you know if they have a fever?
The normal temperature in cats ranges from 38.3 to 39.2°C. Any temperature above 39.2°C can be considered as a fever in cats. Even though fevers can be helpful in fighting infections, a fever above 40°C can be damaging to organs.
Here are some methods you can use to check your cat’s temperature without a thermometer.
#1 Examine Their Nose
Your pet’s nose should be the first area to examine when checking whether they have a fever. Cats, like dogs, should have a moist nose all the time. However, if your cat is sick, their nose will be dry and warm.
#2 Check Whether They Have Hot Ears
Using your fingertips, feel their ears. It will be significantly hotter if they have a fever. To be more precise, place your lips on the tip of your cat’s ears. Gently place the top 1/2 inch of their ear between your lips. Your lips are more sensitive compared to your hands so they will be able to detect temperature variation more easily.
#3 Check Their Breathing
Pay attention to your cat’s respiration. Cats may pant or breathe faster when they have a higher temperature. You might notice heightened heartbeats and accelerated breathing when they have a temperature.
#4 Changes in the frequency of them ‘Speaking’
Some cats may be naturally quiet while some are ‘noisy’. Nevertheless, cats like to express themselves through various sounds. However, when they have a fever, they may become extremely silent. Conversely, some may spend hours meowing and shouting continuously. If you notice any changes in your cat’s ‘speaking’ behaviours, they may have a fever.
#5 They have a Lower Activity Level
Although cats enjoy sleeping for several hours each day, they are generally awake at specific times of the day. Nonetheless, if they have a fever, they will remain in bed with no desire to move a single muscle. You can test them by showing their favourite toy or treats. If they do not make an effort to capture it, they might have a fever.
#6 Hiding
In general, cats prefer to stay in quiet locations such as behind a bed or a table. If they have a fever they would want to visit those areas more. If you notice your cat hiding in places and avoiding human interactions persistently, they may have a fever.
#7 They Do Not Want to Eat Anything
Observing the amount of food left in their dish throughout the day, you can detect whether they lost their appetite. A sick cat will reject even their favourite food. Importantly, check whether they are drinking water. They must be hydrated, even more so if they have a fever. If you notice that they are not drinking water, make an effort to encourage them to drink some.
If you are still confused as to how to check whether your cat has a fever, you can watch this video by Dr. Jones from Veterinary Secrets to understand better.
How To Tell If Your Dog or Cat Has A Fever
Causes of a Fever in Cats
An increase in body temperature above normal is known as hyperthermia. It develops when the set point is increased in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that acts as the body’s thermostat. A fever usually results when the immune system is activated by circumstances like
- Viral illnesses
- Bacteria illnesses
- Tumours
- Fungal illnesses
- Injury from trauma
- Certain medications
How to Care for a Cat with a Fever
If you have discovered that your cat has a fever, you should take care of them right away and look for a remedy. Here are some important things to take note when caring for your cat with a fever.
- Your cat may get dehydrated. Hence, offer them some water. They might not want to drink it but it is important to make sure they get hydrated.
- Allow your cat to relax so that they have energy to tackle whatever that is making them sick.
- Self-medicating is never a good idea. Do not feed human medicine to your cats. Not all medication can help your cat and can even be harmful to them. If you want to treat the fever with medication, it is best to bring them to a vet.
- If your cat has a temperature of more than 40°C or has had a fever for more than 24 hours, you should see a veterinarian right away.
Genie is an animal lover, who enjoys writing on pets and animals stories. She is passionate about learning something new everyday. She enjoys communicating with people and expressing ideas. She have a huge passion in languages and plans to learn more albeit she is already trilingual in English, Mandarin and Japanese.
