Normal temperature in a cat - instructions on how to measure and what to do when the temperature rises and falls

Body temperature is one of the main indicators that indirectly indicates the health of a cat. Its significant deviations from the norm require urgent veterinary attention. From the article you will learn what temperature is considered normal depending on the age of the pet, what diseases lead to its increase and decrease, and how to help your four-legged pet at home.

Content

1. Normal body temperature in cats
2. How to correctly measure a cat's temperature Contact measurement of a cat's temperature step by step

Causes of elevated temperature

If the animal is healthy, body temperature may increase due to non-infectious factors:

1. When using medications. Substances that stimulate thermoregulation centers act on the body.
2. When salt accumulates in the body. If the animal did not have the opportunity to drink after eating too salty food, then the rate of protein breakdown increases and the body overheats.
3. After childbirth and during pregnancy in females. Such hyperthermia is a variant of the norm even at high temperatures. Postpartum lasts no more than 48 hours after lambing, but if longer, you need to consult a doctor.

But most often, hyperthermia and fever accompany infectious diseases of a viral or bacterial nature. If there is a hidden source of inflammation in the body, pronounced heat does not occur, as in acute processes. If a cat has a temperature of +40°C, it continues to rise, reaching critical levels (above +41°C), then you need to contact a veterinarian as soon as possible: not only the disease is dangerous, but also overheating of the body. If the values ​​are constantly elevated by 1-1.5°C from the average norm, the pet will still have to be examined, but its condition is not so dangerous.

You can judge the condition of a cat when it has slight hyperthermia by its behavior. Kittens do not lose their playfulness, appetite, or curiosity if overheating is caused by natural causes. When sick, they become so passive that they do not respond to calls or their favorite toy. Adult, laid-back cats with hyperthermia not caused by disease also retain their habits and respond to the call of the owner. Refusal to eat in combination with fever and fever in any animal is a clear symptom of the disease.

Normal body temperature in cats

In adult male cats, the normal temperature is in the range of 37.7-39.4°C (average 38.6°C). This indicator may vary depending on age and some physiological characteristics, but does not depend on the breed - hairless and long-haired cats normally have the same temperature.

Table - Temperature of cats depending on age and physiological conditions.

In nursing cats, the temperature does not differ from normal healthy animals of their age, and any increase in temperature may indicate mastitis or postpartum complications.

How to measure

The temperature is determined using a children's thermometer in the rectum. An electronic soft tip thermometer is safer to use, but the measurement error is 0.1-0.5℃.

A mercury rectal thermometer shows accurate results, but due to its fragility it is dangerous for the animal. A clinical mercury thermometer is not suitable: its tip is too thick, and the measurement time increases to 5–7 minutes.

Cats cannot tolerate unpleasant manipulations and fiercely resist, so they cannot do without an assistant.

The measurement procedure is as follows:

• the pet is fixed on the table in a standing position or on its side;
• the tip of the thermometer is disinfected with alcohol, lubricated with petroleum jelly or levomekol;
• inserted into the anal passage by 1 cm, in kittens by 0.5 cm;
• the mercury rectal thermometer is held for ~3 minutes, the electronic thermometer is held until the signal;
• After use, wipe the thermometer with alcohol.

How to measure a cat's temperature correctly

You can measure a cat's temperature at home with any thermometer designed for humans - contact (mercury, electronic) or non-contact infrared. The most accurate readings can be obtained using a mercury thermometer, but this method is suitable for animals that are calm about therapeutic and diagnostic manipulations. Readings taken with an infrared thermometer are the least accurate, but non-contact readings are sometimes the only possible way to measure temperature in nervous, restless pets. When using electronic devices, you must carefully study the instructions and strictly follow the instructions.

You can measure your cat's temperature yourself at home.

Contact temperature measurement of a cat step by step

1. Shake the mercury thermometer so that the mercury column drops to the lower value, the electronic one just needs to be turned on. Lubricate the tip with Vaseline.
2. Temperature is measured rectally with the cat lying or standing. To ensure immobility, the cat is secured by the scruff of the neck. To do this, it is better to invite an assistant who will hold the pet. If the animal resists, it is wrapped in a towel, a light blanket, or secured with a special bag.
3. Raise the tail and carefully insert the tip into the anus to a depth of about a centimeter (the anus in cats is located above the vulva, just under the tail). During measurement, you should prevent the cat from trying to sit down - this could cause the tip to break off.
4. The mercury thermometer must be held for at least 3 minutes, the electronic thermometer must be held until the sound signal.
5. Take out the thermometer and record the readings.

After use, the tip of the thermometer should be washed and thoroughly wiped with alcohol to destroy pathogenic flora. If the tip breaks off and remains in the cat’s body, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. Attempting to remove it yourself can lead to severe intestinal injuries.

To measure temperature with an infrared thermometer, the device is brought to the ear from the inside, without touching it, and wait for a sound signal. During measurement, the cat's head must be fixed.

Measuring the cat's temperature with an infrared thermometer

How to lower your temperature yourself

If your cat's temperature rises, you should contact a veterinarian; if you don't have the opportunity, try to bring down the temperature yourself. If you notice a slight change in your pet's temperature, re-measure a little later.

If the thermometer reads 40 degrees, contact your veterinarian.

• Perhaps your pet has overheated, place it in a cool room, provide access to fresh air;
• Lightly dampen the fur or wrap your pet in a damp towel;
• Don't let your body become dehydrated. Give your cat water from a syringe.
• Wet the llama's pads with a solution of water and vinegar, ratio 1 to 3.

Possible causes of hypo- and hyperthermia

Hyperthermia is an increase in body temperature, and hypothermia is a decrease in body temperature. Temperature changes can occur under the influence of cooling or heating of the environment, metabolic reactions in the cat's body. The nervous system is responsible for maintaining normal temperature balance (thermoregulation); central and autonomic disorders can lead to temperature changes.

The main reasons for the rise in temperature

• infectious and inflammatory diseases - panleukopenia, calicivirosis, rhinotracheitis, mastitis, endometritis, cholangitis, pancreatitis, menignitis, abscess and others;
• reaction to vaccination;
• surgery;
• acute poisoning;
• heat damage due to prolonged exposure to the sun, especially in a locked room or car;
• hyperfunction of the thyroid gland (thyrotoxicosis);
• malignant tumor.

Reasons for the decrease in temperature

• hypothermia;
• anemia due to helminth infestation or internal bleeding;
• severe exhaustion;
• thyroid insufficiency (hypothyroidism);
• terminal stage of the disease - cancer, chronic renal failure;
• suffered a serious illness - the temperature may be reduced for several weeks during the recovery period.

With a traumatic brain injury, stroke, or severe stress, body temperature can either increase or decrease.

A cat's temperature is measured rectally using a mercury or electronic thermometer.

For what symptoms should you measure your temperature?

An elevated temperature may be indicated by hot ears, nose, and paw pads at rest, accompanied by dryness of the nose and redness of these areas. Its decrease, on the contrary, is accompanied by their unnatural coldness and pallor. If such changes occur, the temperature should be measured. Other indications for this procedure:

• copious and (or) purulent discharge from the mouth, eyes, ears, nose, anus, vagina, penis, sneezing, coughing are signs of infection;
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea - symptoms of inflammation of the digestive system, helminth infestation, traumatic brain injury, overheating;
• pallor of the skin and mucous membranes – observed in anemia;
• convulsions, tremors (trembling of the paws, head, entire body), loss of consciousness - observed with a strong increase or decrease in temperature for various reasons, neurological or thermal damage;
• loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, apathy or, on the contrary, anxiety, agitation - can accompany most diseases.

Sometimes a veterinarian may prescribe daily temperature measurements to monitor the dynamics of the disease and monitor the effectiveness of treatment.

What to do at high and low temperatures

A temporary slight increase in temperature after vaccination or surgery (including castration of a cat, sterilization of a cat) is a normal reaction of the body and does not require veterinary care. Overheating and mild hypothermia can be dealt with independently. You should contact your veterinarian in the following cases:

• with changes in temperature accompanied by signs of any disease;
• with a sharp increase in temperature after surgery;
• with unexplained temperature fluctuations or a stable, prolonged change in temperature without other signs of illness.

Heatstroke, a decrease in body temperature below 32.2°C and an increase above 40°C require emergency contact with a veterinarian. Animals in this condition require intensive therapy, pain relief with narcotic analgesics - normalization of temperature, even with moderate hypothermia, can be accompanied by painful shock.

A temporary slight increase in temperature after vaccination does not require veterinary treatment. help

Possible reasons for temperature changes

The most common reasons for an animal to have a high fever include:

• infectious diseases provoked by different types of pathogenic microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, protozoa), most often cats are affected by diseases such as pylenocopenia, distemper, calicivirosis, rhinotracheitis, the rabies virus is very dangerous;
• inflammatory or purulent processes (for example, if there is insufficient antiseptic treatment of sutures after operations or wounds, they can fester and become inflamed due to the activity of pathogenic microorganisms);
• parasitic infestations;
• serious stress (when a cat finds itself in unusual and not very pleasant circumstances, this leads to disruptions in the functioning of the thermoregulation mechanism, for example, when traveling in transport, visiting a veterinary clinic, moving, bathing);
• Staying in hot conditions, under the influence of direct sunlight can lead to overheating (kittens and elderly animals are most susceptible to this condition);
• vaccination can provoke a fairly strong increase in temperature, due to the fact that the animal’s body actively produces antibodies to the introduced viral proteins;
• medications that affect the mechanism of thermoregulation and the functioning of the nervous system;
• Sterilization and other surgical interventions can also greatly affect the process of thermoregulation (this is a reaction to anesthesia and medications, as well as severe stress).

In cases where, after surgical interventions or vaccinations, an elevated temperature, especially against the background of other alarming symptoms, persists for 2-3 days, you should show the animal to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Hypothermia in cats can occur for the following reasons:

• prolonged exposure to low-temperature conditions, hypothermia (cats that are in early childhood or old age freeze and become hypothermic most quickly);
• exhaustion (when the cat does not eat enough, she is starving and has severe weakness, all processes in the body slow down, it lacks the resource to produce energy and maintain thermoregulation);
• serious diseases affecting the kidneys, heart, organs of the endocrine system;
• oncology;
• poisoning;
• serious blood loss due to internal or external massive bleeding.

First aid for a cat at home

Normalizing body temperature does not cure the underlying disease, but improves the pet’s general condition and prevents the development of complications. A critical increase in temperature changes leads to damage to vital organs and systems and disruption of their functions. At home, before visiting a doctor, you can only use physical methods to lower or raise the temperature - cooling measures and warming, as appropriate.

It is unacceptable to lower your cat's temperature with medications on your own.

Antipyretic drugs, which are practically safe for humans, can lead to intoxication of the cat’s body, so their use is possible only as prescribed by a veterinarian. It is strictly forbidden to treat a cat with antipyretics and painkillers of the anilide group (paracetamol, Panadol, Tylenol, Efferalgan, acetaminophen and others) - they lead to severe hematopoietic disorders and the death of the animal.

First aid for hyperthermia

Cooling measures are required for cats with temperatures above 39.4-40°C; at lower temperatures they can lead to hypothermia. In case of heat injury, one of the most effective methods of cooling is wetting the fur and then placing the animal under a powerful fan. You can alleviate the condition at elevated temperatures with ice packs - they are applied to the inner surface of the thighs and neck. This method is convenient for emergency transportation of a pet to a veterinarian. If there is no constipation, diarrhea, or acute abdominal pain, cold water enemas will help reduce the temperature. Another way to eliminate hyperthermia is to wet the paw pads with alcohol.

Ice covering the entire body and general cold baths are not recommended. They cause a narrowing of peripheral vessels, which contributes to the flow of “overheated” blood to the internal organs and their further damage.

If the temperature drop is insignificant, it is enough to wrap the cat in a blanket

First aid for hypothermia

For a cat with a slight (up to 32.2°C) decrease in temperature without signs of exhaustion, it is enough to wrap it in a blanket, after drying the wet fur with a towel or hairdryer. If the animal is exhausted or the previous method is ineffective, warm air is blown under the blanket with a hairdryer, and it is better to wrap the animal’s head as well. With a more pronounced decrease in temperature, the animal is covered with bottles of warm water and taken to the clinic.

If a cat that has been exposed to the cold for a long time does not show signs of life, it should be examined by a veterinarian - during an amateurish examination, a living pet in this state is often mistaken for dead. Cats with severe hypothermia should be transported to the clinic carefully, protecting them from shocks - even the slightest mechanical impact can lead to cardiac arrest and death.

In kittens under 3 weeks of age growing up without a mother, their body temperature drops even when kept in a relatively warm room - their body is able to maintain a temperature only 5-7°C above the environment. The nest of such babies should be kept warm at least 29-32°C. The space inside the box can be heated with lamps, hot water bottles wrapped in a towel.

Learning to measure a cat’s temperature and knowing what its changes may be associated with is important for every owner who loves their pet. This will help the doctor quickly determine the diagnosis, adjust treatment in time and maintain the health of the animal.

How to provide first aid to a pet with deviations in body temperature

In any situations involving deviations of your pet's temperature from normal values, you should consult a veterinarian. But the owner needs to be able to provide the cat with the necessary help himself. This can be done at home using folk remedies or drugs purchased at the pharmacy.

At high temperature (hyperthermia)

Before you do anything, you need to correctly measure your pet's body temperature. If it has risen slightly, then you should not knock it down. Such a slight increase indicates that the body’s protective functions have come into play. If the measurement result is lower than or equal to 39.3 degrees, you should simply watch the cat. After an hour, you need to measure the temperature again.

A cat is considered to have a fever if its temperature is 39.4 degrees or higher.

If there is a significant change in temperature (about 40.5o), it is necessary to act immediately to avoid undesirable consequences for the animal. You need to call a doctor and bring down the fever before he arrives.

Folk remedies

You can get rid of high fever using the simplest folk methods. To provide effective assistance:

1. The animal is placed in a cool room.
2. They provide him with access to fresh air into the room by opening the existing doors and windows.
3. Then you need to slightly moisten the animal’s fur or cover its body with gauze, previously soaked in cool water. At the same time, the pet should not be allowed to become hypothermic.
4. Give your pet a cold compress. For this purpose, you need to use a towel (napkin) soaked in cold water. Apply the compress to the cat's neck or groin area; instead of water, you can use pieces of ice.
5. As the tissue heats up, replace the compress with a new (cold) one.
6. Do not allow your pet to become dehydrated and drink plenty of cool water. If you refuse to drink on your own, water should be poured into the pet’s mouth with a medical syringe (without a needle).

   The tip of the syringe without a needle is inserted into the mouth from the side and water is slowly introduced so that the pet has time to swallow it

7. Every hour, lubricate the paw pads with a vinegar or alcohol solution (diluted 1:3 with water).

During this period, your pet should be fed diet food with a liquid consistency, for example, not very fatty chicken broth. If a cat refuses to eat, you should not force feed it. The main thing is that the animal drinks more water.

You can reduce the temperature with the help of medicinal herbs. Veterinary pharmacies sell herbal tinctures.

If you use echinacea tincture, it will help resist infection and destroy the virus that has entered the body. To prepare a working solution, dissolve the tincture in a small amount of water at the rate of: for each kilogram of animal weight, 1 drop of the product per day.

Echinacea tincture helps fight the virus and increases the body's defenses

Pour the prepared liquid into the animal’s mouth with a syringe without a needle. If the cat’s temperature does not subside within 24 hours, you should take him to the veterinarian.

If an animal has a high temperature or fever, it urgently needs to be taken to a veterinary hospital.

Medicines

You should not self-medicate to reduce high fever. Fever-reducing medications intended for humans (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin) should not be given to cats. They can cause allergies and seizures. Only a veterinarian can prescribe the necessary therapy based on an examination of the animal. Treatment will be related to eliminating the cause that caused the cat's temperature to rise.

If the temperature has reached 40 °C and does not drop below, the cat is given 0.5 or a quarter of an Analgin tablet. When the animal has chills, body tremors, and the temperature has exceeded 41 degrees, before the doctor arrives, you can give the pet an intramuscular injection or, using an enema, a syringe without a needle, inject into the anus an anesthetic mixture consisting of 0.05 mg of Analgin (an antipyretic) and 0.01 mg Diphenhydramine (an antiallergic drug) per 1 kg of cat weight.

Analgin solution mixed with Diphenhydramine can be injected into the cat's anus if it is necessary to immediately reduce the fever

Such measures are undesirable and are used only as a last resort. The veterinarian will need to be informed about what medicine and in what dosage was given to the animal.