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Science has found explanations for the majority of cat illnesses, but cats have a reputation for their mysterious nature for a reason. While cats generally experience fevers due to injury, illness or infections, there's another type of fever that has no medical explanation. This guide will tell explain what's known about cats and unidentified fever origins.

UFOs

For cats, anything above 102.5F is considered a fever, and they'll normally only develop one to fight bacteria, viruses or microbes that are making them sick. However, in some instances, cats will have fevers without any outward signs of illness or injury. Veterinarians will generally perform physical examinations and blood tests to determine if there's a hidden invader or illness that doesn't have obvious symptoms other than a fever. Even if the blood test can't determine what illness your cat has, it can detect your cat's levels of white blood cells. White blood cells are one of your cat's defense mechanisms, and the number of them will rise if your cat is fighting an infection.

However, cats sometimes have fevers for no apparent reason whatsoever. It's not known why cats have these fevers: it may be that their immune reactions are misbehaving, or there may be a problem that isn't scientifically detectable yet. In any case, if your veterinarian determines that your cat has a fever of unidentified origins, all you can do is treat the fever and its side effects.

Treatment

Depending on the severity, fevers can be treated medicinally or through physical pallatives. If your cat's fever is 106F or above, permanent physical damage can occur, so your vet may try these emergency treatments:

• Fever Reducers - Some pain relievers are safe for cats and can help to bring their fevers down. However, you should never try to medicate your cat with human-grade medications, as the dosage is too high and some over-the-counter drugs are deadly for cats.
• IV Liquids - Your vet may choose to help keep your cat hydrated through an IV. Depending on your cat's needs, a simple saline solution or a solution with vital nutrients may be used. These IVs can also help to bring down high temperatures somewhat.

If their fever is in a safe range, your vet may decide that physical pallative treatment is sufficient. These methods may include:

• Cold Packs - Making a comfortable bed with refrigerated cold packs can help to bring down your cat's temperature.
• Swabbing Pads With Alcohol - The only part of your cat's body that can sweat is the pads on their feet. Swabbing their pads with alcohol speeds up evaporation and can help to cool them down.

Aftercare  

Once the fever is controlled, it will generally disappear on its own. Sometimes cats develop UFOs again in the future, but others will only experience this phenomenon once. In any case, it's important to know how to take your cat's temperature so you can detect fevers quickly and effectively. Your vet may also have tips on what behaviors to keep an eye out for.

Nobody wants their cat to experience a UFO, but unfortunately, there's not much you can do to prevent it. Just remember animal hospitals are equipped to help reduce the fever whether there's a known origin or not, and you should never wait to get your cat help if they have a fever. Click here for more information.