It's not uncommon for a cat to catch a fever when their body is busy fighting off an invading bacteria or virus. Unfortunately, many pet parents don't know a lot about cat fevers, let alone what to do when your cat develops one or how to check to see if they even have one. If you're not sure about cat fevers yourself, here's what you should know about separating the myths and realities.
Nose and Ears
One of the most common suggestions from pet parents is to check your cat for a fever by feeling their nose or ears. The theory is that the nose and ears will be hotter when a cat has a fever. However, this isn't actually a reliable way of checking for a fever.
Cats' ears and noses can become warm or hot for a variety of reasons. Simply touching them can give you a false positive, or you may not detect a fever when they actually have one.
They'll Get Over It
Another common misconception is that if a cat gets a fever, they'll beat it on their own. There is some underlying logic in this thought, because a fever is the body's way of killing an infection that it's obtained. But just like with humans, a fever can be helpful or extremely dangerous. If a cat's fever is allowed to last for too long or rises to unsafe levels, it can be catastrophic for a cat's health and, in severe cases, may kill.
The Only Way to Tell
There's only one reliable way to know if your cat has a fever; it's by taking a cat's temperature. It's not necessarily the easiest thing to do, but all pet parents should know how to do it.
To take a cat's temperature, you need a thermometer - preferably one that you won't use on humans afterward. To check your kitty's temp, you'll need to put a little petroleum jelly on the end of the thermometer and then slide it into the cat's rectum. It only needs to go in as far as the temperature-reading tip, so don't be too aggressive with it. You'll likely need a second person to hold on to your cat to ensure that they don't wiggle away.
Once the temperature has been taken, take a look. Cats have a normal body temperature of 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything above about 104 degrees constitutes a fever. If your cat has a temperature above 104, immediately contact an animal hospital for advice. They'll likely want you to bring in your cat right away.
To learn more, contact an animal care hospital.