My kitten has a high fever from URI. Should I be trying to lower it?

Cats commonly suffer from infectious upper respiratory tract infections and as long as they are bright and alert, eating at least half their normal food and symptoms last no longer than 10-14days I would not be overly concerned. Antibiotics are generally not required unless a severe secondary bacterial infection develops in which case they would appear unwell, green/yellow nasal or eye discharge and sneezing would be expected to develop

You can try warming the food or mixing in a teaspoon of baby food into it. This could stimulate her appetite. You can also take her temperature to check for fever. Use a rectal thermometer and sterile lube. Normal temp is between 37 C and 39 C (100 F- 102.5 F). Anything above that is considered a fever and should be addressed by your veterinarian.

Poor Lucy. It is always sad when our babies are sick and not feeling well. I have attached a handout below that discusses upper respiratory infections in kittens. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=613 These infections can be viral or bacterial. Sometimes an infection will start as a viral infection then develop a secondary bacterial infection. Cats normally are warmer than humans and have a normal body temperature of 100-102.5 degrees. If Lucy has a fever of over 103, I would recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian if you have not already. If her infection is viral, she may just need some time and supportive care to make her feel better. I like taking kittens into a humid bathroom for 5-10 minutes (after you have showered) to help loosen their congestion. And make sure she keeps eating. Cats need to be able to smell their food, so you may need to feed her some smelly canned food to keep her eating. If Lucy develops yellow or green nasal discharge, is very lethargic or will not eat, I would recommend having her evaluated by your veterinarian. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Lucy feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

As long as Maybel is eating and drinking, she will be fine to wait until Monday. I can give you some home remedies to try as well to see if that helps her, and these will work well in conjunction with medications from the vet. Please keep in mind that these home remedies should not be a substitute for seeing the vet, and I would have her seen on Monday. First, you can try starting her on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If she's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing her into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. I hope this helps and Maybel feels better soon!

I'm sorry to hear that Jane isn't feeling well. Upper respiratory infections are quite common in kittens. There is nothing over the counter that would be safe for you to give her. Most of these infections will resolve on their own similar to the common cold in people. I would ensure that she is eating and drinking normally and that her eyes and nose are kept clean. You can use strong-smelling foods and warm her food to entice her to eat. If she stops eating, becomes lethargic or symptoms are not improving within a week or two she should be seen by a veterinarian.

If the fever persists longer than 12hours, she becomes weak or refuses water for longer than 4hours you should return to your vet. Do not give any human or other medications to such a young kitten but keep her in a cool, well ventilated area with easy access to fresh water and soft food. Most cases resolve uneventfully without additional treatment

Without a full history and physical it is impossible to guess exactly what the cause of her fever is. Antibiotics will only help to treat bacterial infection but will not help with viral infections. Blood tests for FELV/FIV and feline herpes virus may help to identify underlying causes. I would continue with the lysine, a high quality kitten food and probiotics until test results come back