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Ideas - Cat with high temperature, not eating, but . .

For the past two weeks, my old cat Nigel has been NQR. He moved into the house in late September, after being a barn kitty for the past two years (he showed up here, I don’t know his age), and started to lose weight steadily. But he was still eating fine, and so I took him to the vet and got him wormed (which had already happened when he got his vaccinations in June, but we did tapeworm this time as well).

Two weeks ago, he stopped eating anything. Off to the vet. He had a high temp (about 103), but bloodwork was not indicative of anything - slightly elevated kidney levels, but nothing else that would indicate a raging infection or where to start looking. Loaded him up on steroids and antibiotics, and he came home and started to act better and eat better. Still extremely picky about his food, though - mostly licking gravy off the canned, and wanting something one time, and dissing it the next.

Monday - crashed again. Back to the vet on Tuesday (yes, broke quarantine, but the vet does contactless drop-off). Temp was back up in the 103-04 range. He stayed overnight, got loaded up on more antibiotics and steroids. I also insisted on a histoplasmosis test, as I own another cat who had extremely similar symptoms who had it. Today, however, he is sitting all hunched up, not eating, clearly not feeling well. I am going to call the vet again in a bit and see if they want him back there for a checkup.

Question is - if the histo test comes back negative, what else should we look at? He is FIV/FeLV negative. I thought perhaps a deep-seated abscess that can’t break open due to the antibiotics, but that doesn’t explain the weight loss. I’m at a loss as to what to test for next. I’m not sure when we’ll know the histo results - hopefully within a day or two, but I thought I’d pick brains in the meantime, just in case.

Have you looked at his urine? Kidney values + infection somewhere makes me think kidney infection. They can be very persistent. A culture can help with finding the right antibiotic.

Dental radiographs might also be worth a shot? Older cat, some unknown history…it’s amazing what can be hiding in the mouth.

Good luck, hope you’re able to find an answer soon!

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I thought of those - I will suggest running the urinalysis (though they had to collect a urine sample for the histo test, so surely they’d have noticed something off about it -?). I’ve also considered tooth issues - a deep underlying abscess in a tooth, maybe. I think I will have to take him to the nearest teaching hospital for dental radiographs, but if the histo comes back negative, that’s definitely on the list, too. Thanks! He is just laying on my bed being miserable. I’m to take him back out in a little bit for fluids and a check-up. Histo test won’t be back for a few more days yet, they said.

Pancreatitis maybe? I don’t remember Thomas having a fever with it, but he wouldn’t eat a thing and was on antibiotics a long time before he felt better. I remember crying trying to hand feed a piece of kibble. He was a chow hound and when he quit eating I knew it was bad.

I hope you get some answers for Nigel and that he feels better soon!

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I will suggest that as well! I know they were going to give him fluids and maybe go ahead and start him on the antifungals as a precaution, but pancreatitis is a definite possibility, too.

I’m thinking pancreatitis as well. I had a cat go thru the high fever and refusal to eat a few years ago and they never really got a fix on it, despite extensive blood tests. I was literally opening every can of food til she ate something.

Jingling for Mr Nigel!!! Hope he feels better soon and you gets some answers.

***edited to clarify

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Thanks - he is home now, and they started him on the antifungal even though we don’t have the lab results back yet. I remember that Mick started feeling better right away on them, so I’m hopeful this will help. What can be done for pancreatitis? I’ve never had a cat with that, so not sure what is done to treat it.

I found this. Very informative.

spec-fpl-treatment-for-feline-pancreatitis.pdf (idexx.com)

Thanks! That was helpful. Sounds like that will be the next thing we look at.

Just got a call from my vet - I was right! Histoplasmosis. Nigel started on the antifungal meds yesterday as a precaution. Results say it’s in his lungs, so we figured it out not a moment too soon.

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WOW! Poor kitty. I am glad you have a diagnosis and hope Mr Nigel will feel better soon. His Hammy needs him. :smile:

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I hope Nigel is all better soon. I’m glad you found out what it was. I’d never heard of it before. Any chance Hammie has it too?

That’s what the vet wonders. Myself, because it was SO sudden, and he’s had no other symptoms, I think he has either meningitis or encephalitis.

Histoplasmosis is a relatively rare thing in Kansas - it’s a fungus that’s carried by birds. When cats ingest it, it can invade the system. Sometimes cats have it for a long time and are never affected. I’ve had two with it - one of them was the first domestic animal (I think the very first animal, period) in Kansas ever diagnosed with it. That’s been about 8 years ago, and the vet said Nigel is the 11th cat he’s had test positive for it.

We had a kitty develop a 105.5 temp and stopped eating. He was strictly indoors but I was fearful of FIP as I have dealt with it before. His coronovirus titer was sky high so I thought crap, here we go. They gave him an antipyretic and an antibiotic and within 2-3 days, he was fine. I still have PTSD from my FIP kitten.

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How is Nigel?

How are YOU - you must be tired running kitty hospice.

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Very tired! Nigel ate well all weekend and yesterday, but today has eaten nothing. He drank a little milk - his favorite - but not all that was offered. He’ll have to go back tomorrow. The vet said he might need his dose tweaked a little, so that and an appetite stimulant will probably be in the works. Even Ham didn’t want milk, which is unusual. He did eat a little tonight, so we’ll see what he does overnight.

chicken baby food…no cat can resist
Good luck!!!

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How’s Nigel doing? I hope he’s feeling better.

I wish he was. He went back Friday for an appetite stimulant and some subQ fluids. He also had a temp of about 103 - which he’s had now for about 4 weeks, no matter what we do it won’t go away. We keep hoping that as the anti-fungals start working, he’ll start to eat more and that temp will drop. But he’s been on it for a week, and so far I think he’s actually getting worse. He ate a bit yesterday, but nothing yet today. He goes back tomorrow for more subQs and a check-up.

I’m so sorry to hear that.

Many jingles for Nigel and you! You must be worried sick.

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