Just as with humans, a rise in a cat's body temperature indicates a problem, and a thermometer is an essential part of your home care kit. A thermometer with a narrow bulb end is best. To use it, shake the thermometer down until it reads below 96 degrees Fahrenheit / 35 degrees Celsius and cover it halfway with petrolium or K-Y Jelly. Hold the cat's tail, gently insert the thermometer into his rectum, and hold it there for at least a minute. Then remove the thermometer, wipe off the jelly with a tissue, and take the reading. A cat's normal body temperature is about 101 degrees Fahrenheit / 38.5 degrees Celsius. An elevated temperature in a cat is anything over 102 degrees Fahrenheit / 39 degrees Celsius and can indicate a number of conditions - some serious, some not - ranging from simple excitement to infection.
