Common cat diseases

How Can I Tell If My Cat Has A Temperature

Max. D Gray
By Max. D Gray. Updated: January 16, 2017
How Can I Tell If My Cat Has A Temperature

When your pet is apathetic and listless it is normal to think it is sick, the problem lies in determining exactly what is wrong with it so you can help. One of the most common questions that owners ask is:how can I tell if my cat has a temperature?, On OneHowTo.com we describe the main symptoms of this condition.

You may also be interested in: How to Tell if My Cat has Rabies

Steps to follow:

1

You can tell if your cat has a temperature if you think about some of the main symptoms your pet may experience; for example, you notice that they are restless and anxious. These symptoms can also mean some other diseases in cats, so it is important that you examine your pet to determine whether or not it has a temperature.

2

The first place you can focus on to determine if your cat has a temperature is the nose. Cats, as dogs, should always have a damp nose, but when the animal has a temperature it will have a warm, dry nose.

How Can I Tell If My Cat Has A Temperature - Step 2
3

Another way you can know if your cat is suffering from a temperature is to focus on its breathing; if you notice that it is accelerated and feel that its heartbeats are also faster than normal, it is likely that your cat has a temperature.

4

The attitude and vitality of your cat is also affected when it has a temperature: you will notice that your pet is visibly shaken and apathetic, lying down most of the time, with heavy and irritated eyes.

How Can I Tell If My Cat Has A Temperature - Step 4
5

The most accurate way to know if your cat has a temperature is to take its temperature. For this you must put a thermometer in its rectum, in the case of adult cats the usual temperature is 38ºC (100ºF) to 39ºC (102ºF) and in kittens it is 39.5°C (103ºF). If your cat's temperature is over this it has a temperature.

It is possible that your cat will not like this action, so maybe you should ask for help from someone in your family to help you to hold it still while you take its temperature.

6

If your cat has a fever do not give it any medication without first consulting your veterinarian and determining the origin of the temperature rise. It is important that a specialist diagnose the cause of the temperature and, thus, can administer the appropriate treatment.

How Can I Tell If My Cat Has A Temperature - Step 6
7

It is also important to know the common diseases of cats , those which it is likely to suffer from at least once in its life. These are listed for you on OneHowTo.com:

  • Allergy: A cat can suffer, like humans, from any allergies
  • Bronchopneumonia: the inflammation of the bronchi
  • Flu: It is also common that, depending on the time of year, your cat catches the flu
  • Conjunctivitis: Ocular infections may also arise in the eyes of cats
  • Cataracts: Cats can suffer this disease and if not caught in time, it can turn into blindness
  • Gastrointestinal problems: By eating something bad or catching a virus of this type, a cat may suffer from vomiting and diarrhoea
  • Otitis: Ear infections are also common in cats

In this OneHowTo.com article you will find more detailed information about how to tell if your cat is sick.

8

If your cat indeed has a temperature it is important that you consider some special care to help reduce the temperature . It is important to keep it well hydrated, to give shelter in a warm place in the house (with heating, with a warm blanket...); you can also put wet compresses on its body to help reduce fever.

If you see that your cat does not improve, it is important to take it to a veterinarian so that it can diagnose your cat.

At OneHowTo we show you some tricks to reduce your cat's fever.

How Can I Tell If My Cat Has A Temperature - Step 8

If you want to read similar articles to How Can I Tell If My Cat Has A Temperature, we recommend you visit our Pets category.

Write a comment
What did you think of this article?
2 comments
Rating:
Carol Simpson
Thank you, so much. I know my kitty, Cleo Raggedy Anne, has a fever. She's also sneezing and I remember that respiratory troubles are very serious in cats. My husband has a bad cold and fears that he passed it on to her.
Hazel
My cat is sick n am worried
OneHowTo Editor
If you don't know exactly what your cat has it's best you take it to the vet as soon as possible! Best of luck
1 of 5
How Can I Tell If My Cat Has A Temperature