Most of us love cats and it is one of the most widely domesticated animals on date. But just like any other living being on this planet, they are also prone to the common diseases such as fevers, upset stomach, infections and gastric issues.
High temperatures
The best way to check if your cat is suffering from fever is to check his/her temperature. It generally ranges within the span of 100.4 Fahrenheit to 102.5 Fahrenheit. You can easily check on the temperature using a thermometer. In case the temperature ranges higher than that, there are chances that he is ill and you need to take steps to keep it under control. When a cat runs high fever, he will show symptoms including shivering, loss of appetite, lethargy and a reduced tendency to keep him groomed. Similar to us, the temperature in cats gets a hike when their immune system takes toll to battle any pathogen and deal with a disease.
The rise in temperature may be caused due to the infections brought in by fungus, virus or bacteria. Injuries are also known to give a spike to the temperatures. Tumors and certain other diseases such as lupus can also be responsible for rising the temperature in cats. It might be difficult to state the exact temperatures if you cannot use a thermometer. It is best recommended to consult a vet when your cat shows any of the common signs of fever, especially when they refuse to eat or drink anything for more than two days at a stretch.
Below mentioned are a few signs that you can check on if your cat is suffering from a fever on not.
Common fever signs in cats
Nose
In case you do not have a thermometer to check the temperature of your cat, you can consider checking out his nose. If he is all fit and fine, it is mostly moist and cool. If you have owned a cat long enough then you have already noticed it, especially when he nudges the nose around you to pick them up or when they are hungry. But when they are sick, it is common for the noses to dry up and appear warm, especially in cases of fever. But dehydration can also be a reason that can lead to dry nose in cats. The best way to confirm if it is a sign of fever is to lift some fur and skin from the back of your cat. If it is fever, it will quickly snap back to its place. If he is just dehydrated, then it will not be snapping back to its place any time soon.
Hot ears
A common way to check on humans for fever is to check the temperature on their forehead. Cats also have a similar technique but it is not their forehead that you need to check. You need to check the inner side of their ear. Try to put in a finger inside their ear and feel how hot it is. If they are all fit and fine, you will feel the warmth. But when they are suffering from fever, it is going to be a lot hotter than that. Well, same process different place.
Warm back
Similar to checking his ears, you can also check his back to feel the temperature. If you pat him, then you already know how warm it can feel. If he is suffering from fever, it is just going to be hotter. But you need to confirm that he was not sleeping in a sunny spot that he just loves or have not been in front of the vents of a furnace that may have caused the rise in temperature. In case you feel that the back is hotter in normal conditions, you should consult a vet for better diagnosis.
He has stopped grooming himself
Cats have a natural inclination to keep themselves groomed at all times. But when he is suffering from fever, he loses an interest in it. He slows down his activities and just don’t give a damn to the things going on around him, pretty similar to humans. If he has stopped grooming himself, you should consider checking his temperature.
Fast breathes and shivers
Is he panting or running out of breath? Or is he just breathing quickly? All these are signs that he may be suffering from fever. They also shiver due to the rise in temperatures just like us.
When you see any of the signs mentioned above, it is best to consult your vet to confirm his health status. A medicine in time can spare him the fever spikes. With no way to let us know exactly how they feel, it is our responsibility to keep a check on them, especially for their health. Just owning a cat is not enough if you cannot take care of it. It is only when you do all things you can to care for him that you become his rightful owner.
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