Why is my cat lethargic, not eating, with discharge and a fever?

Hello. You are describing Heidi with an upper respiratory infection. Most of these are viruses & generally run their course in 10-14 days. As long as Heidi is eating & drinking, she may not need to be on any medications. If you have never had her tested for feline leukemia & feline immunodeficiency virus ( & never vaccinated ), this might be something to request that your vet do this. This might change how she is or is not treated now & in the future. Just like with us, keeping her hydrated & eating are the best ways to deal with these infections. Offer her canned foods, broths or stocks & even tuna water. The more hydrated she is, the better she will feel. Any concerns, please see your veterinarian for further treatments. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Shelby most likely has an upper respiratory infection or viral cold. This can cause nasal congestion and poor appetite. I recommended you take a warm cloth and clean her nose as the nasal discharge can clog up the nostrils causing the mouth breathing. Also if you warm up wet food, fish is best, it will make it more appetizing as the heat will enhance the aroma of the food. That should help to,stimulate her appetite. If Shelby isn't better soon please take her in for treatment. As she's tiny I don't want her to be sick long as she doesn't have much body reserves. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Shelby.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Allie! The most common cause for an excessively teary eye is a viral upper respiratory tract infection and they can cause a fever. A fever can cause lethargy and not wanting to eat. Other possibilities are an injury to the eye that is painful. Since he isn't eating and lethargic he needs to be examined by a Vet. Cats shouldn't go longer than 2-3 days with out eating as they can get very sick from a secondary liver problem. I wish Allie a speedy recovery!

I am sorry to hear about Luna. Since she is lethargic and has a decreased appetite, I would recommend she have an examination by her vet. She may have an upper respiratory infection that requires treatment, and reasons we recommend veterinary care include lethargy, decreased appetite, trouble breathing, coughing. She is exhibiting some of these symptoms now. You can read more about respiratory infections at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951489

Respiratory infections in cats are commonly viral, which means that they have to run their course. Antibiotics can help prevent or treat secondary bacterial infections, but they do not do anything to help with the virus. Supportive care is needed during these times to help Chesney feel better. Consider taking her into a steamy bathroom a few times a day for humidification. Suction her nostrils with a baby bulb syringe if they are really stuffed up. If she isn't eating well consider warming up her food so that she can smell it a little bit easier. Sometimes cats need subcutaneous fluids or IV fluids from the veterinarian to stay well hydrated the first several days of an upper respiratory infection. You may want to consider taking her temperature. Normal for a cat is 100-102. If she is 103 or higher I would encourage you to call your veterinarian to discuss medictions to help with the fever. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

It sounds like Kara may be pretty unwell. There are so many potential causes for her to act this way - it can be very concerning when a cat stops eating, sometimes it is due to a fever. Please take her for a veterinary exam as soon as possible to try to determine what could be wrong. Your vet may suggest tests like blood work and xrays to determine the cause of her illness. They will be able to ask you more questions to narrow down a diagnosis. Hope Kara feels better soon!

If smudge is not eating or drinking I strongly recommend a visit to the veterinarian. He may have an upper respiratory infection or virus, which can cause fever, lethargy and decrease in eating. Depending on what the veterinarian fines smudge may need antibiotics or antiviral medication or other treatment to get him eating and drinking again. Good luck and I hope he's feeling better soon.