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Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / November 2007how can you tell a cat has a fever?
Can you tell by there ears being very warm? Or how else? I have this sense that my cat is feeling a little under the weather. She seems more tired than usual, not as perky looking.... cat people know when their cat isn't acting usual. She is eating, drinking water, litterbox as usual. She just isn't right for the past two days. She did have dental work two weeks ago including a tooth being pulled. She has been fine though, and like I said above, she is eating canned and hard food fine. Any thoughts? > Can you tell by there ears being very warm? Or how else? I have this > sense that my cat is feeling a little under the weather. She seems more [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > fine though, and like I said above, she is eating canned and hard food > fine. Any thoughts? What did your vet say? > What did your vet say? Since her dental work 2 weeks ago, and with her being fine until yesterday, I haven't brought her in yet. My mom think she is fine, so right now I am watching how she acts. > Can you tell by there ears being very warm? Or how else? I have this Take her temperature? Ear thermometers work pretty well. > sense that my cat is feeling a little under the weather. She seems more > tired than usual, not as perky looking.... cat people know when their cat > isn't acting usual. She is eating, drinking water, litterbox as usual. She > just isn't right for the past two days. I've learned to trust my gut. Sometimes I've hauled a cat to the vet with nothing more solid than "he usually sleeps here, and now he's sleeping there" observations. I've caught some really potentially Bad Things early enough that they've been relatively easy and cheap to cure that way. Another early sign can be a cat that's just a bit more crabby than usual. Or doesn't want to bother to play with something as long as they usually would. Kay >> Can you tell by there ears being very warm? Or how else? I have this > > Take her temperature? Ear thermometers work pretty well. > > Kay Do you know the normal temperature range for cats? Just curious. Margaret >>> Can you tell by there ears being very warm? Or how else? I have this >> >> Take her temperature? Ear thermometers work pretty well. > > Do you know the normal temperature range for cats? > Just curious. Rectal temps are 100.5 to 102.5 for "normal". Below 100 or above 103 is a "call your vet" signal. I use a fairly instant read (human) ear thermometer on my crew, but it isn't accurate. Nevertheless, I know that with my ear thermometer, normal cats read under 101 on that... but don't take that to mean that is a normal reading for all ear thermometers. Any cat that is acting a little off and has an ear temp above 101 gets a rectal temperature taken, too. One of the things I've done for years for all my animals is "mock vet exams". I look in their eyes and ears (even have my own otoscope, a cheapie that's been very worth it: http://vetotoscope.com/pocket_led_veterinary_otoscope.htm). I handle all paws, palpate bellies, lift tails, shine penlights in eyes, open mouths... just generally get the animal used to such indignities. Over the years my vets have been very good to teach me some basic exam skills, including taking temperatures, looking in ears, and feeling bladders, as well as taking pulse and counting respirations. As a result, I can call in with some basic values for the animal, and my concern, and get a more nuanced response from the vet as to whether it was a "bring her in right now" or a "watch her over night, and if her temp is still up, or the belly seems more tender, I want to see her first thing in the morning" or a "do you feel comfortable just watching her for a couple of days and seeing what develops, if anything?" As a result, I know what values are normal for my animals with my instruments (Kotschka, for instance, runs a couple tenths of a degree warmer than Jinxie does). And when we do go to the vet, the fact that they're being handled in a way that's familiar to them from my "home exams" makes the trip much less stressful for them, me, and the vet. Kay > Can you tell by there ears being very warm? Or how else ........they're hot! I had a cat once that would only crawl in my lap when he was sick and they definitely feel hotter than normal. Acting *not right* is a valid reason to visit the vet if it lasts more than a day. Cats, in particular, are fairly stoic and can be desperately ill and still standing. buglady take out the dog before replying |
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