My cat has hot ears, is vomiting, and won't drink. Home care tips?

I’m so sorry that Bell isn’t feeling well! Lack of appetite, loss of energy, and possible fever can be caused by many conditions including infections, foreign bodies, certain cancers, urinary blockage and others. I recommend having Bell seen by a vet to determine what is going on and receive appropriate treatment. Your vet will begin with a physical exam and likely recommend further diagnostics such as bloodwork and X-rays if needed. Cats who don’t eat can get very sick over several days because of abnormal fat metabolism by their liver, so it is very important to have Bell seen as soon as possible. I hope all is well!

Smokey is a handsome boy, and I'm sorry he's sick! He could have eaten something rotten, could have a foreign body, may have pancreatitis, or could have a GI illness causing his symptoms. It's serious when a cat doesn't eat, as it predisposes them to a fatty liver which is fatal without treatment. Given he's been sick since Friday, he needs veterinary care now. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If Boxer is not improving and is not eating or drinking, I would recommend taking him back to the veterinarian for a recheck and having anti-nausea medications and fluids given to see if this helps further. If he continues to not eat, he may need a feeding tube if his liver becomes affected. I hope this helps! I would avoid giving Calpol as cats are very sensitive to this drug and can develop toxicity quite easily. There are safer fever reducers such as Meloxicam that you can have your veterinarian prescribe for you. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. I would also recommend an antibiotic such as Convenia in case there is a secondary bacterial infection Boxer is fighting.

Unfortunately, without a physical exam and diagnostics it is very difficult to determine what is making your cats sick. The discharge from the ears may be an ear infection (mites, bacterial or fungal), but the vomiting can have many causes. The most serious would be viral infection. Supportive care, such as IV fluids and medication to control vomiting, may be indicated while a diagnosis is sought. This will require a veterinarian. There is very little you can do at home other than to keep the warm and as stress free as possible. Offer a bland diet and a 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte to maintain hydration.

Fever in cats usually indicates there is an infection present. Cats also can get fever from a flea parasite called Mycoplasma, which is treated with an antibiotic. There isn't anything you can do for either of these scenarios at home unfortunately. A vet visit is required to treat for these and hopefully get Snow back to normal. I would ask friends and family if they can assist you with getting Snow to the vet for further care. Here is also a website link with financial assistance if this is the reason why a vet visit isn't feasible for you. Best wishes and take care. http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html Carecredit.com

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Scratch. I think you mean he feels very warm and has a fever, in addition to vomiting. I would advise getting him to your veterinarian as soon as possible if the clinical signs persist, worsen, or other signs develop. Vomiting causes fluid loss and electrolyte loss and can lead to dehydration and weakness. Vomiting can be caused by inflammation, infection, dietary problems (including dietary indiscretion or eating things pets are not supposed to eat, food sensitivities/allergies), ingestion of foreign bodies or exposure to toxins, bacterial overgrowth in the gut, problems in the stomach, intestines, or even problems outside of the intestinal tract/stomach including pancreatitis, kidney/liver problems, metabolic disease (diabetes,etc), endocrine diseases (thyroid or other hormone problems), etc. A thorough history and physical exam with resultant diagnostics such as fecal tests, blood tests, and more imaging studies such as x-rays/ultrasound to try to determine what is going on. Vomiting and a fever would tend to indicate an infection. I would be worried about pancreatitis, kidney/liver/gallbladder problems, etc. Good luck with Scratch. I wish you and him Happy Holidays together.

I strongly recommend getting your cat seen by your vet as soon as possible. Cats can sometimes get fevers with no known origin and it makes them not want to eat. A cat cannot go more than a couple days without eating before they develop liver damage. Your cat may need fluids and supportive care in order to lower his temperature back to normal and support him until his appetite returns.