Treating a cat's fever

Home Remedies to Reduce my Cat's Fever

Nidhi Nangia
By Nidhi Nangia. Updated: October 7, 2024
Home Remedies to Reduce my Cat's Fever

If your cat is not eating anything, is lethargic, and its ears feel hot to the touch, then it probably has a fever. Whether it is cats or human beings, fever is the body’s normal immune response to recover from any illness or infection. If you notice any of the common symptoms of disease in your cat, you should take it to the vet.

The vet will make an official diagnosis and determine the treatment for your cat's illness; you can complement medical treatment with these home remedies to reduce your cat's fever. Do you want to learn more? Stay with us at oneHOWTO and read on.

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Contents
  1. Symptoms of fever in cats
  2. My cat has a fever: What do I do?
  3. Home remedies for a cat's fever
  4. What if the home remedies do not reduce my cat's fever?

Symptoms of fever in cats

If you're not sure if your cat has a fever, you should check for the following common symptoms:

  • Weakness
  • Dry and hot nose
  • Dull coat
  • Inactivity or lethargy
  • Poor appetite
  • Excessive shedding
  • Shivering
  • Shallow or rapid breathing
  • Withdrawal from other cats
  • Reduced grooming

Other symptoms of diseases that can cause fevers include sneezing, coughing, vomiting, skin swellings and diarrhea.

In order to make sure your cat has a fever, you can take its temperature by inserting the thermometer in its rectum extremely carefully. The normal rectal temperature for cats is between 37.5 and 39º C (99.5 and 102º F). If it is above the normal range, your cat has a fever.

My cat has a fever: What do I do?

To reduce your cat's fever, you should keep your cat in a warm, dry room that is not prone to dampness, cold drafts, excessive heat or frequent temperature changes. The cat's resting place is very important to ensure the fever breaks and its temperature returns back to normal. The cat must be as comfortable as possible, relaxed and calm, so it can make a swift recovery.

Nutrition also plays an important role in recovery and lowering fever: poor nutrition can worsen the cat's health and might even be the cause of your cat's illness to begin with. Pay close attention to the ingredients used in your cat's food while also making sure it's getting the right food for its weight, breed and age.

Home remedies for a cat's fever

Only a vet can determine the causes of your cat's fever and prescribe a medical remedy. Meanwhile, you can help your cat with the following home remedies to reduce a cat's fever.

  • Putting a wet towel over your cat’s body is a highly effective way to lower its fever. Rub the towel on its armpits, abdomen and groin for some time. After half an hour, check if their body temperature has gone down. Of course, remember that you'll need to dry any wet areas in your cat's body afterwards.
  • You can give it a short, cool bath as long as you dry it thoroughly straight away afterwards.
  • The best way to help a cat lower its fever naturally is to keep it hydrated. Give it lots of fluids; you cat should always have fresh, clean water at hand. Keep its water bowl close to its resting place, so that it does not feel too lethargic to move too far for water.You may use a baby syringe to feed fluids to your cat. Encourage it to have lots of water, and if it refuses, prepare a chicken broth.
  • Sage and echinacea are very effective anti-microbial herbs that can help reduce a cat's fever. The recommended dosage is one homeopathic drop per pound of the cat's weight twice a day.
Home Remedies to Reduce my Cat's Fever - Home remedies for a cat's fever

What if the home remedies do not reduce my cat's fever?

If your cat does not respond to any of these home remedies and its condition continues worsening, get professional help from a veterinarian again. If you can’t afford the expenses, ask the vet and local shelters for charity funds; some centers collect them for emergency cases, and some vets do volunteer work.

Home Remedies to Reduce my Cat's Fever - What if the home remedies do not reduce my cat's fever?

If you want to read similar articles to Home Remedies to Reduce my Cat's Fever, we recommend you visit our Pets category.

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Victoria Ann Reyes
Thank you for taking the time to put all this information out for everyone who needs it, it is extremely helpful.
OneHowTo Editor
You're very welcome Victoria, it's why we do it!
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Karen
It was very informative and helpful to me. Thank you very much .
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Home Remedies to Reduce my Cat's Fever