Have you ever wondered about the ways to know whether your cat has fever? All its body is covered with fur and we cannot feel the heat through its skin. Many people believe that when a cat has fever, we can feel it through its dry and warm nose.
Fever in cats should never be underestimated as it can be a sign of some serious diseases. Get to know the other common diseases of cat too. The only accurate way to check whether your cat has a fever is by taking its temperature.
A normal temperature in cats ranges from 100.4 degrees to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. It is considered a fever when the temperature rises above 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fevers might be helpful to fight diseases while a fever higher than 106 degrees Fahrenheit can damage organs. That’s why you need to contact the vet right away if your cat has high fever.
Fever in cats usually results when the immune system is activated by some conditions, such as bacterial, viral, or fungal infection, tumor, injury from trauma, certain medications, poisoning or toxins, internal injury, various parasites, metabolic disorders, autoimmune disease, environmental causes, endocrine disorders, cancers, and certain diseases.
Diseases that cause a fever in cats can also cause certain behaviors. These behaviors help them survive illness and allow cats to conserve the energy to produce fever. Fevers are mostly the way cats fight diseases by stimulating the immune system and slowing the bacteria and virus growth.
The next thing to understand is the symptoms of fever in
cats. There are some common symptoms of fever in cats:
- Loss of appetite – get some ideas of cat food in yummy recipe of homemade cat food
- Depression
- Lack of energy or activity
- Decreased drinking
- Hiding
- Decreased grooming
- Shivering or rapid breathing or rapid heart rate
- Weakness or lethargy
- Sneezing
- Flushing or reddening of the skin
- Weight loss – it can also be caused by some reasons, read more about causes of sudden weight loss in cats
- Panting
- Dry skin or mouth
- Elevated body temperature
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
When the fever gets severe, the symptoms include:
As you see the last symptom is death. Fever in cats once
again cannot be underestimated. Once you notice your cat showing any symptoms
of fever, bring it to the vet immediately.
The following are the tips of taking a cat’s temperature. The most accurate method for taking a cat’s temperature is by using a pediatric rectal thermometer. Try to use a digital thermometer instead of a glass thermometer as it is safer.
Before you begin checking the temperature, make sure to provide the supplies, such as the thermometer, lubricant (petroleum jelly), alcohol and paper towel to clean the thermometer, and a cat treat. Then, shake the glass thermometer until the mercury is below the 96 degrees line.
Coat the tip of the thermometer with a lubricant. Cradle your cat’s body firmly against you with one arm, then gently lift your cat’s tail and insert the thermometer slowly into the anus. Twist the thermometer to get the muscles to relax.
Once you hear a beep, remove the digital thermometer, and leave it in place for about 2 minutes. Finally, remove and clean the thermometer with alcohol and you can read the temperature.
If your cat shows signs of fever mentioned above for more than 24 hours, then you should make an appointment with your vet immediately. There will be some tests conducted by the vet to determine the source of the fever.
Then, your vet will decide the steps to treat the problem. If it is caused by bacterial infection, then antibiotics may be needed. If it is a severe dehydration, then it will be treated by intravenous or subcutaneous fluids.
Antibiotics can only be given by vet, you can also understand side effects if giving antibiotics to your pet dog. While your cat in the process of recovery, your cat will need plenty of fluids to stay hydrated so make sure the water is always readily available.
You should also apply some dietary changes, which is specially designed by the vet to support the recovery. Provide it with nutritious food or high-calorie liquids.
Checking fever in cats is not as easy as in humans. You need
to be aware of the signs of fever. Fever in cats cannot be underestimated, so
it is important to be aware of these 22 signs of fever in cats.