How to Tell if a Cat has a Fever – Like humans, our kittens also suffer from colds, flu, and malaise that cause them to have changes in their body temperature in the form of a fever.
Many people believe that when the cat is dry and hot, or if the tongue is warm, it is because of a fever, however, it is necessary to be aware of the differences between cats, dogs, and human nodes.
How To Tell if a Cat is Sick
Cats tend to be quiet animals that sleep up to 18 hours a day, and often lead a quiet life without worry, just play, eat, use the litter box and sleep. Sometimes this can lead us to the misperception that the cat is only sleeping or resting if we do not know his personality, so if he knows the routine and personality of his cat it is possible to perceive promptly when something is not right with him in the first signals.
As cats are born hunters, it is part of their nature as predators do not show when they are ill, as this in nature is seen as a sign of weakness, especially if there are other cats that share the same environment. Because of this, it is important that you keep your cat safe at home, and without access to the street so that you can control and pay attention to your habits and routines.
When a cat is sick, just as we humans, they may present with illness, fatigue, lack of appetite, and these are usually the first signs of some illness that may go unnoticed if the guardian is not accustomed to the behavior of the cat. feline. So, if you notice any change, however small, be alert.
Behavioral changes that may be indicative that the cat’s health does not go well range from urine and feces out of the litter box as well as the smell, color and consistency of them, changes in the cat’s routine, such as an active cat and that sleeping all day, lack of appetite as well as excessive appetite, a different meow, altered respiratory rate, temperature, etc. They are all signs that if they are not investigated further they may become part of a larger problem.
Fever in cats
First, in order to know whether a cat has a fever or not, it is necessary to know what the normal body temperature of a healthy cat is since it is different from that of humans. In cats, the temperature ranges from 38.5 ° to 39.5 ° in general, remembering that this body temperature can suffer small variations according to the period of the day and still on very hot or cold days.
The fever, in fact, is a protection of the body itself in response to an infectious agent, be it a bacterium, fungus or virus, or even a foreign body. And when this infectious agent is out of control, it’s a sign of trouble.
Cat with body tremors
It may also present fevers accompanied by tremors in the body and vomiting, which may be indications of more serious situations such as poisoning, traumatic injuries, diseases such as pancreatitis, lupus, feline leukemia or cancer.
Clinical signs your pet may present with fever are lack of appetite, drowsiness, fatigue, apathy, that is, when the cat does not want to interact with anyone, get up or even play. In cases where the fever is very high, they may still suffer from accelerated breathing in the same way as the acceleration in the heartbeat, and tremors and chills through the body.
How to Measure My Cat’s Temperature
The only way to find out if the cat is actually having a fever is by gauging its rectal temperature by means of a digital thermometer. In this way, the thermometer will be inserted into the rectum of the cat, in the appropriate way and be using the appropriate recommendations so that the temperature is correctly calibrated. In this step-by-step, we teach you how to properly measure your cat’s temperature.
If you are unsure how to perform this procedure at home, but suspect your cat is feverish and if you still have other clinical signs, take it to the vet immediately, as rectal temperature measurement, because it is a bit more delicate, requires both practices.
Hot Ears on Cats
Another option to have at home is the ear thermometer, and there are ear-type thermometers developed especially for cats, given that their ear canal is a little longer, so the stem is longer than the ear thermometer used in humans. Simply insert the stem into the cat’s earcup, wait about 2 minutes, and check the temperature that appears on the display. However, it is important to note that if the cat has otitis, which is an inflammation in the ear, in addition to the cat making it difficult to measure the temperature due to the discomfort caused by otitis, it also causes warm ears in cats and does not necessarily mean that the cat has a fever.
How to Lower Fever to Kittens
Because fever is a natural protection of the body, its cause is directly related to what causes it. Therefore, the fever is a symptom of something more serious, and not the disease itself, and the underlying cause must be treated so that the cat is well.
Never self-medicate your cat, since in addition to the vast majority of anti-thermal agents being toxic to cats, only the specialist will know how to properly diagnose what your cat has in order to prescribe the best treatment. Not to mention that the misuse of medicines can mask the symptoms of the disease, making diagnosis difficult.
During the veterinary treatment, what you can do at home, is to monitor so that the fever does not rise again, and if the animal continues to present other symptoms. If you notice a change in temperature beyond normal contact the veterinarian.
This article is purely informative, in PeritoAnimal.com.br we do not have the capacity to prescribe veterinary treatments nor to make any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you bring your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or malaise.
Read More: How to Tell if My Dog has a Fever
