Home Remedies to Treat a Cat with Fever

Many people believe that a cat has a fever if it's nose is warm or dry, since several people believe that a healthy cat's nose is always wet or damp. But a cat's fever isn't accurately measured like that. Actually, it's not easy to tell if a cat has a fever just by touching and feeling the warmth of their body.

To accurately tell if your cat has a fever, they should exhibit most of the following signs and symptoms.

Signs and symptoms of a cat with fever

• anal temperature is more than 39 degree Celsius
• decreased appetite, or not eating much as they used to
• depression, or not being playful
• lethargic, or sleepier than usual
• doesn't drink that much water
• doesn't groom even after eating or drinking
• rapid breathing
• shivering or cold

Take note that a cat doesn't have fever if they have an anal temperature of 38 to 39 degree Celsius. A cat's temperature is different from the normal temperature of a human.

Teary eyes? I haven't included teary eyes as one of the signs and symptoms of a cat with fever. I have researched several sources on the web, but teary eyes doesn't show up on their list of signs and symptoms. Usually, a cat with teary eyes has colds instead.

RELATED: Home Remedies for Cat Cold

How to check the temperature of a cat

1. Grab a digital thermometer. You can use a human digital thermometer, one with a beeping sound.
2. Lubricate the tip with petroleum jelly, or any lubricant that won't irritate a cat's anus.
3. Restrain your cat, lift it's tail, and gently insert the tip of the thermometer, about an inch to your pet cat's anus.
4. Switch the thermometer on so that it will read your cat's temperature.
5. If you heard the beep sound, pull out the thermometer gently, and check your cat's temperature.

How to treat a cat's fever?

If your cat's temperature is above 39 degree Celsius, you can try the following home remedies for your cat to have a speedy recovery.

1. Help your cat feel cooler. 

You can do this by:

• Providing adequate ventilation. You can turn your fan on or open your house's windows while your cat is resting.
• Let your cat rest on a tiled floor or a glass table. This helps your cat's heat transfer to the cool surface.
• Pat your cat's body with a wet towel. Especially on their tummy, armpits/legpits or groin area. This also helps them feel cooler.

2. Give your pet cat with lots of fluid.

If your cat is unable to drink or feel too lazy to drink because of their bad condition, help them drink by introducing the water through a needleless syringe or dropper. Be careful though on cat scratch and bites.

You can also give them a homemade oresol solution - a kind of drink or electrolyte solution given to human children or pediatric patients when they are dehydrated.

To make an oresol, all you need is:

• 1 liter of water
• 6 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Then mix them.


As for milk, you can also hydrate your cats with milk as long as they are lactose-free. Or better yet, give them commercial cat milk.

RELATED: Lactose Free Human Milk Brands That Can Be Given To Cats

And remember to place bowls of water everywhere in your house where your cat usually goes, so that they can easily access drinking water.

3. Make sure your pet cat eats.

Instead of kibbles or dry food, giving your pet cat with wet food may boost their appetite, since wet food has a stronger smell than dry food.

Also, giving your pet cat with wet food can also help hydrate your cat.


Your pet cat's fever will generally be gone within a day if you give them these basic home care. But when your cat is still weak and sickly for more than 24 hours, seeing a vet is already necessary.


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