Fever Of Unknown Cause

Our 3-yr old cat, Sammy, was being lethargic and we took him to the emergency vet that is almost an hour away. He had a fever of about 104 deg. They did many tests on him and couldn't find anything wrong with him. They treated his symptoms, sent him to our regular vet the next morning where they took care of him until we picked him up in the late afternoon. Sammy was fine for a week, but then he got lethargic and a high temp again, so we took him to our vet's office (it's actually half a dozen vets there) and they got his temp down and put him on an iv, gave him antibiotics, and fluid replacement and sent us home with him, saying that they couldn't figure out what was causing his symptoms.

Are there REALLY fevers that have an unknown cause?? I thought everything had a cause. I don't know how symptoms can be treated if the cause isn't known. We love Sammy, but we're not rich. The first round cost around $1200, and the second time around $160. We can't do this week after week. I'm dreading every day, thinking that it will happen again. I just don't know what to think. Here I thought that we'd have two healthy cats for a long time yet (he has a sibling who is healthy) and now this happens.

Everything does have a cause, but sometimes vets just can't find the cause. When you can't ask the patient what they specifically are feeling or where it is, it can be hard to trace the culprit. My girl had a few of those "illness of unknown origin" when she was a kitten. Lots of appointments ending in antibiotics, B12, fluids and anti nausea or appetite stimulant with wait and see instructions. It's frustrating but without something to point them in the right direction it's sometimes all they can do.

Another experience, my boy suddenly was refusing to move or eat. Hunched over, yowling in pain and something seriously wrong. I took him to the vet three times in three days; x-rays, blood work, no one could figure it out. One vet thought his arthritis was flaring and x-rays showed advance arthritis to support it (turns out the real culprit made him less able to tolerate the arthritis so he was reacting to it more but not because it was worse). Another thought it could be FIP because it wasn't anything else (that one scared the s*** out of me). Then on the third day I realized he was straining to poop (he's usually outside so not something I normally see and his litter box when confined is in the catio plus he did have pooping the box during that time). Called my regular vet "could he be constipated?" They took another set of x-rays to see his abdomen (he's larger so when they did the leg one it was just the leg) and sure enough constipated. Two enemas, an overnight stay and hydration and he was 100% better. My wallet was about $800 lighter all from something as simple as constipation because he couldn't tell us what was wrong.

All this to say, I understand the frustration. It could be the antibiotic needs to be stronger and longer or a different strain. I follow a foster mom online who had a mom cat who was going through a very similar cycle of the fever coming and going over three weeks. They ended up doing a different antibiotic over a longer period and she finally kicked it.

See if there is anything in these articles that you might want to discuss with your vet (or, perhaps, get a second opinion from a vet in a different vet practice) to ensure all applicable tests have been run, and to talk about long term care of a cat with FUO. I hope something in them will help...

Fever of Unknown Origin for Cats

Fevers in Cats

Kieka said:

Everything does have a cause, but sometimes vets just can't find the cause. When you can't ask the patient what they specifically are feeling or where it is, it can be hard to trace the culprit. My girl had a few of those "illness of unknown origin" when she was a kitten. Lots of appointments ending in antibiotics, B12, fluids and anti nausea or appetite stimulant with wait and see instructions. It's frustrating but without something to point them in the right direction it's sometimes all they can do.

Another experience, my boy suddenly was refusing to move or eat. Hunched over, yowling in pain and something seriously wrong. I took him to the vet three times in three days; x-rays, blood work, no one could figure it out. One vet thought his arthritis was flaring and x-rays showed advance arthritis to support it (turns out the real culprit made him less able to tolerate the arthritis so he was reacting to it more but not because it was worse). Another thought it could be FIP because it wasn't anything else (that one scared the s*** out of me). Then on the third day I realized he was straining to poop (he's usually outside so not something I normally see and his litter box when confined is in the catio plus he did have pooping the box during that time). Called my regular vet "could he be constipated?" They took another set of x-rays to see his abdomen (he's larger so when they did the leg one it was just the leg) and sure enough constipated. Two enemas, an overnight stay and hydration and he was 100% better. My wallet was about $800 lighter all from something as simple as constipation because he couldn't tell us what was wrong.

All this to say, I understand the frustration. It could be the antibiotic needs to be stronger and longer or a different strain. I follow a foster mom online who had a mom cat who was going through a very similar cycle of the fever coming and going over three weeks. They ended up doing a different antibiotic over a longer period and she finally kicked it.

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Kieka, Thank you for relaying your vet experiences that were somewhat similar (being that they didn't know what was causing your kitties' symptoms). I'm glad that you girl finally kicked that illness! And oh my, I know what it feels like to have the wallet lightened because of a vet visit. Wow, hard to believe that animal/pet bills cost so much, but I have it here in black and white in front of me and an still shaking my head how we can't ever seem to get out of debt. My husband and I had agreed before this that these two (Sam & Dean like in Supernatural) would be the last cats for us. It's just too expensive and we need the money for other bills. I love them to pieces but such a worrying my daughter and I do over them, especially Sam! He's the "bad" rambunctious kid of the two brothers. He usually likes to try to get into stuff, which we realized a long time ago, so we either put those things out of reach or don't have something here at all that might harm him. For instance, after all I've read about Easter lilies, if I'd get one as a present from someone, I'd either throw it away or give it to someone who doesn't have any kitties. I just know that Sam would find some way to get at it! When he stayed overnight at the vet's office, he managed to pull his iv thing out of his leg. It didn't come as a surprise at all to us. I say he's too smart for his own good.
So far this week Sam seems to be okay, eating normally (even with his high temps when he has them he still eats). His temp is hanging between 102 and 103. They had both been scheduled for their FIV boosters today, so we took them in to the vet and she said it would be okay to give Sam his shot, so I hope she knows what she's talking about. That temp isn't what I'd call low, but it's not up to 106.5 like it had been either. She's a young vet and we keep getting her whenever we take Sam in. I know that when Sam's temp is high, we don't stand around wishing that we could be getting a different vet for him at that office. When his temp is high, we take him in asap and it just so happens that she's always the one there. I don't know how to request another one of the vets there if nobody is there but this particular young one (she JUST joined the practice). There are about 5 other vets there, but I very seldom see the other ones. I know that through this ordeal she is the only one who has been there.
I don't even know if they gave us a limit of how high to let a fever get if his temp goes up again. I sure don't want Sam having convulsions or anything if his temp would get so high to cause that, and I suppose a cat would be like a human and possibly suffer brain damage from a high fever.
If this happens again, we won't want to be playing this "game" much longer. I sure as heck don't want to have him put to sleep because of a fever, but we can't keep taking him in week after week either. It's kind of like I'm dreading to get up every day for fear Sam will have another fever. I'm just not sure what to do from here on. I see someone else posted Links to things to read on this subject, so hopefully they will help further. Thank you so much for reassuring me. I guess when you're a pet parent it's natural to worry about your baby. I know we sure do.

yomamab said:

I love them to pieces but such a worrying my daughter and I do over them, especially Sam! He's the "bad" rambunctious kid of the two brothers. He usually likes to try to get into stuff, which we realized a long time ago, so we either put those things out of reach or don't have something here at all that might harm him. For instance, after all I've read about Easter lilies, if I'd get one as a present from someone, I'd either throw it away or give it to someone who doesn't have any kitties. I just know that Sam would find some way to get at it! When he stayed overnight at the vet's office, he managed to pull his iv thing out of his leg. It didn't come as a surprise at all to us. I say he's too smart for his own good.

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My Link has a reputation at his vets office. He broke his leg 2.5 years ago and managed to break the rod they put in out within two weeks AND twisted the cast they put on extra secure after that within 72 hours (despite being on crate rest and confined).


If it can go wrong, it will go wrong. If you think its unlikely, it will happen. My vet actually has a photo of him on her phone and brings it out to others to show "her strong stubborn boy". He's been boarded twice (once medical and once due to home fumigation) and both times when I call to check they know exactly which cat I am calling about without having to go back. He's also a charmer (but don't pet him because he will bite) with a huge personality so he talks to the techs when they go in the room. So, yeah, I also completely get the taking extra precautions and too smart for their own good mentality.

Totally worth it though, just look at that face.


But he scares me half to death sometimes. We've had a broken bone (twice the same so should that be plural?), abscesses, mysterious illnesses, constipation, bad reaction to bites (someone like to play with ants ), missing for four days, and just regular routine stuff. Plus he can't eat turkey (while another in our house can't eat chicken) and his CBD for arthritis isn't cheap..... Way off topic but again, I know where you are with loving the troublemakers.

Hopefully Sam's fever does not come back. Keep us updated, please.

FeebysOwner said:

See if there is anything in these articles that you might want to discuss with your vet (or, perhaps, get a second opinion from a vet in a different vet practice) to ensure all applicable tests have been run, and to talk about long term care of a cat with FUO. I hope something in them will help...

Fever of Unknown Origin for Cats

Fevers in Cats

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Thank you so much for the links to the articles on fevers in cats. I will be sure to read them asap. I feel better being informed going into a vet's office. I like them to know that we know what we're talking about, kind of so they don't try to pull one over on us, but I might be way off with my suspicions anyway. I have no reason not to believe the vet's office that we've been taking our cats to for the past two years, but if Sam's fever keeps coming back, I might seek another vet's opinion. Thank you again.

Kieka said:

My Link has a reputation at his vets office. He broke his leg 2.5 years ago and managed to break the rod they put in out within two weeks AND twisted the cast they put on extra secure after that within 72 hours (despite being on crate rest and confined).

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• Kieka
• Mar 28, 2017

If it can go wrong, it will go wrong. If you think its unlikely, it will happen. My vet actually has a photo of him on her phone and brings it out to others to show "her strong stubborn boy". He's been boarded twice (once medical and once due to home fumigation) and both times when I call to check they know exactly which cat I am calling about without having to go back. He's also a charmer (but don't pet him because he will bite) with a huge personality so he talks to the techs when they go in the room. So, yeah, I also completely get the taking extra precautions and too smart for their own good mentality.

Totally worth it though, just look at that face.

Link.JPG

• Kieka
• Oct 25, 2016

But he scares me half to death sometimes. We've had a broken bone (twice the same so should that be plural?), abscesses, mysterious illnesses, constipation, bad reaction to bites (someone like to play with ants ), missing for four days, and just regular routine stuff. Plus he can't eat turkey (while another in our house can't eat chicken) and his CBD for arthritis isn't cheap..... Way off topic but again, I know where you are with loving the troublemakers.

Hopefully Sam's fever does not come back. Keep us updated, please.

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Wow, it sounds like you really have a wild child! Oh, but just like you said, look at that face! Who could get mad at someone so cute! He sure is a charmer just from the looks of him. Link really is beautiful (I guess you can call a boy "beautiful"). Those eyes are simply gorgeous! I love that blue! All of our cats eyes that we've had over the years have either been orange, yellow, or green. I kind of always wished that we could get a blue-eyed cat, but that won't happen now. I've like Ragdolls for a long time too, but not only do I not have the funds for a purebred cat, I'd feel guilty buying one when there are so many kitties in shelters being euthanized. These two that we have are rescues. Our one cats had passed several months earlier and I was longing for one again, so I started checking online and saw one (Dean, Sam's brother) that was pretty close to the buff color that I like. I prefer boy cats and I had set the filter on 'Male' for preference and in the picture next to Dean's was his brother, Sam (we renamed them from their original names). I hated to separate the brothers and besides, that would give them each some company, so I got in touch with the rescue group and my husband and I went to the foster's house two days later to meet the boys. We fell in love with them and the foster brought them to our house a couple days after that and we've loved them and their playfulness ever since.

Our daughter bought an ear thermometer the other day so she wouldn't have to keep putting one in his butt and she really likes it. She's very attentive and checks it every few hours to make sure it's not getting out of hand. Last night she showed me and it was down to 99.2, I think. She said it does that, goes up and down, up and down. It can be normal one time and later on when she goes to check it, it might be say, 101 or 102. How strange! I just hope that it doesn't go way up again. That worries us!

I will post back again in a week to let you know of his progress. I really appreciate your replies and help. It does help to ease my mind. I just can't imagine how lost Dean would be without Sam since he "cries" every time Sam isn't here with him because he's at the vet's. I hope that your boy stays out of trouble so that he can avoid vet visits.

I’m not sure if the ear thermometer will give you the reliable data in cats, so that may be a reason for the changes that you see. Otherwise 99.2 might actually be too low. While 103 is only slightly above the limit.
But my personal opinion about the fever, is that it’s a good thing. Yes, it’s a sign that the organism is dealing with something, but it’s also an indication that the organism is properly working to fight whatever it is to fight with. Personally I’m not a fan of lowering a fever with medication, unless of course it’s more than 105 for prolonged period of time. It’s entirely possible that minor infection could clear by itself in a healthy cat, and the fever would mean that’s what’s happening.
How many times in total did he have this fever? Was it brought down artificially every time?

Also, do you give him any supplements like lysine? Did he ever have any symptoms that would show he has feline herpes (eg. URI)?

IF you are suspecious or even uncomfortable with your vet or the information you're getting start researching other vets in your area. When you get ready to get a second opinion, your vet should be okay with this, if they aren't that's a huge red flag.

If you decide to change vets, go to your vet and ask for a copy of all your cats' records. Don't let them send it to the new vet. Some will only send the list of their vaccinations and nothing else - not much use that and petty. You have a right to a copy of all the records, every single page. They may charge you a copying fee but it should be between $5 - $10. It's a photo copier not a centrifuge.