Cat body temperature: What's hot and what's not

Updated 16/09/2024

Let’s learn about cat body temperature - understanding a bit more about how our favorite felines work can help us monitor their overall health to keep them living a happy and comfortable life (plus, it can also save you a few future trips to the vet).

Come with us as we find out about body temperature in cats, what’s considered a normal cat body temperature, when to be concerned about feline body temperature, and whether this is something you can check yourself at home.

What is the body temperature of a cat?

The average body temperature of cats should have a temperature range of 101.0 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit or 38.3 to 39.2 degrees Celcius. Over this means your cat has a fever or is overheating, below means they’ve lost too much body heat and could be going into hypothermia.

This means cat body temperature vs human body temperature is dramatically quite varied. If a human had a normal cat body temperature we’d be rushed to hospital with a severe fever which could be life threatening. Whilst if a cat had the average human body temperature reading, it could be a sign they’re going into hypothermia by losing too much heat. Nature is a bamboozler!

How do cats regulate their body temperature?

Fun fact: Cats can regulate their body temp through their paw pads. While dogs aren’t able to sweat and rely on panting, kitties actually have pores on their paws that help to cool them down, like human palms. This is why your cat will often choose to sit on stone or cool surfaces in summer. This is also why they like to hang out inside plant pots - the dirt is nice a cooling on their toe beans. Speaking of dirt, kitties will also roll around in dusty patches of soil to help regulate their temperature and cool themselves down.

On the flip side, to warm themselves up, a cat’s paws have an amazing ability to find the warmest spots in their home. As well as running hot, they can also lose body heat very easily, so they’re always keen to keep toasty. Ever seen a cat sitting on the most random bit of floor and not their nice new $600 cat bed? Most likely there’s a hot water pipe under there. Or they hate the bed and they’re punishing you, it could also be both!

How can I find out my cat’s body temperature?

So, there are two ways to check a cat’s body temperature - by putting a digital thermometer gently into the top of their ear canal or you can insert a thermometer into their butt. Yeah… which one would you choose?

Joking aside, if you’ve never checked a cat's body temp before, always ask your vet to show you how to do this before you try it at home. Similarly, ask them what type of digital thermometer they would recommend using.

While most people would choose to go the ear canal route, it isn’t always accurate and your kitty is more likely to refuse this treatment. If your vet is happy for you to try, gently restrain your cat in a comfortable but firm hug, very slowly insert the thermometer at a 90o angle, and only put the small silver bit at the end in, no more, or else you could hurt your kitty. Accurate readings take about 30 seconds to 2 minutes to come through, depending on your piece of equipment.

For the more curious pet people, your vet will recommend a pediatric rectal thermometer to be inserted into their back end. This is by far the most accurate way to tell a cat’s body temperature for reasons we think you probably know why. Again, softly but firmly restrain your cat, carefully lift their tail, and insert the silver end of the thermometer for the same amount of time. Remember to use a cat-safe lubricant, like petroleum jelly, on the thermometer before inserting it.

Keeping an eye on a kitty’s overall health is always important, but an easy way to is by monitoring your cat through their body temperature. Don’t worry you should only do this once a month or if you’re worried about a change in your cat’s behavior. Doing this every week (or every day) could be distressing for your kitty.

Signs of high cat body temperature

If your cat has a fever or is overheating, they can display a few symptoms that you should look out for, before you take a body temperature check:

• Your cat is unusually sluggish or lethargic
• Excessive panting / panting like a dog
• Shivering
• Loss of appetite
• Refusing to drink water
• Sweaty paw pads
• Their gums are dark red
• They feel physically hot to the touch
• Vomiting or diarrhea 

If you notice any of the behaviors above, you must take your cat straight to your vet. Cats are great at masking how unwell they are, so any change in your cat should be taken seriously. It’s always better to be safe and have a quick check-up than wait. Even if you think they’re simply overheating from a hot day, they could still be dehydrated which your vet can deal with quickly.

Meet our veterinary expert, Liam

This article has been checked by veterinarian Dr Liam Bullock BVSc (Hons) MRCVS.

As a small animal vet, Liam has spent time working in both first-opinion and referral-level practices. After gaining a strong affinity for educating owners about their pets, Liam decided to dedicate some of his non-clinical time to tutoring students, who were preparing for exams or struggling at school. By combining a passion for teaching others, and a keen interest in raising awareness about animal health issues, Liam decided to begin writing veterinary content. This now also allows him to raise awareness of important animal health issues outside of the consultation room.

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