Do you notice the weird cat? Are you more stopped than usual? Sleeping all the time? Do you eat and drink less? Is your breathing more agitated? These are the typical symptoms of fever in cats, but even if they also have a hot and dry nose (a typical belief), you should assume that your pet’s temperature has risen. The only one that will confirm or deny your suspicions with complete accuracy is the thermometer . So now you know, get a digital one, if you don’t have it yet, and reserve it just for the furry one.
The most accurate method of taking temperature
The method with which the most accurate result is obtained is to take the cat’s temperature rectally . For this you will have to be accompanied by another person. Let one hold the cat (you can cover it with a towel so that it does not scratch you and it is easier for you to immobilize it) and the other insert the tip of the thermometer (previously lubricated with petroleum jelly or lubricant) into the animal’s rectum. The accuracy of this method goes hand in hand with the discomfort that the furry is very likely to feel. Therefore, we will do the maneuver smoothly and we will try to be as calm as possible and in a relaxed atmosphere .
What if it can’t be rectally?
If putting the thermometer rectally is going to be an impossible mission, you can opt for an ear thermometer , which takes the temperature in the ear and will be less uncomfortable for the pet (and for you too, of course). This method is less exact but it is also valid.
You should know that cats have a higher body temperature than humans , so a result of up to 39 degrees Celsius is within normality. It will also be necessary to take into account if the cat has been in the sun or near a heat source such as a radiator. These situations can raise your temperature without meaning you have a fever.
Do you want to know more about fever in cats? Do not miss this photo gallery in which we give you more information about it.
