My 7-month-old Maine Coon is lethargic with a slight fever. Why?

It sounds like he is getting sick. Without additional clinical signs it is hard to say exactly what is causing his lethargy and decreased appetite but he could be starting with a respiratory virus or a gastrointestinal virus. He could also have parasites that need to be treated. If it continues than he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. Your vet can run lab work to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat. If he is unvaccinated, please discuss a vaccine plan with your vet once he has recovered from this illness.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Lethargy can be caused by a lot of things including an infection, inflammation, among other possibilities. This could also be normal in a kitten as they are not always very active at that age. If you think she is sick it would be best to have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Have a good night!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If he had a fight with another cat he could have suffered an injury that does not appear apparent at this time. However, it would be best to have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to examine him to see if he appears to be painful for example which could be a reason to become lethargic and less interactive. He could also be somewhat traumatized by that encounter which he could potentially eventually get over. However, I still think that he should be evaluated. Good luck and have a good night! Hopefully this is nothing to be concerned about.

Lethargy is a non specific sign and can be related to a variety of health problems. Given his young age could be quite concerning but at the same time he is eating fine and the body temperature is normal. Sometimes they can feel under the weather for a little trauma, because they feel pain somewhere, for a gastrointestinal problem (check for any vomiting or diarrhea). I would monitor Bruno for the next few hours but if he is not improving or any other symptom appears, I would suggest to bring him to the vet for an health check. Good luck! Do not hesitate to post again on the forum or request a consultation if you would like to discuss it any further.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Keanu. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian today as he sounds very sick. Depending on his exam findings, he will likely need bloodwork and fecal testing to determine the cause of his symptoms. Infectious diseases are common in young kittens. Based on these results treatment can be started to help him feel better. I hope this information helps!

This temperature is slightly below normal. Normal temp is 37.7 to 38.8. We can sometimes see the body temp be a bit below normal when their blood circulation is less not as good as it should be — most often we see this this due to heart disease or dehydration. If he is very dumpy and lethargic (which is what I assume you mean by “lifeless”) and recently vomited as well, please take him to your vet. They may recommend blood tests and possibly xrays. Treatment will depend on what they find on exam and any testing.

I would wonder if Princes might have an infection that is causing a fever. She also may have ingested something toxic or have a congenital problem that is just now affecting her. Unfortunately I think the only way you'll be able to determine what might be going on is to have a veterinarian examine Princes and recommend diagnostic tests and treatments. If she has a fever and signs of an infection they can prescribe medication to help.