Triage Body Temperature as a Predictor of Outcome in Cats

In the Literature

Pontiero A, Bulgarelli C, Ciuffoli E, et al. Triage body temperature predicts outcome in cats at emergency department admission: a retrospective study of 1440 cases (January 2018 to December 2021). J Feline Med Surg. 2025;27(1):1098612X241291295. doi:10.1177/1098612X241291295

The Research …

Body temperature is a vital triage parameter in the emergency setting. In humans, body temperature is used as a tool in the emergency room to prioritize therapeutic intervention; low body temperature values have been associated with increased odds of mortality and high risk for hospital admission.^1,2 Prevalence and prognostic significance of body temperature has not yet been evaluated in cats presented to the emergency clinic.

This large, single-center, retrospective study aimed to identify the potential of body temperature taken during triage as a predictor for mortality in cats referred to an emergency clinic and to evaluate the association between body temperature taken at triage and risk for admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and mortality. Cats with body temperature recorded at presentation and outcome were eligible for inclusion (n = 1,440). Hypothermia (<100°F [<37.8°C]) and hyperthermia (>103.5°F [>39.7°C]) were based on the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria published for cats.³ Hypothermic cats were further classified based on the degree of hypothermia.

Hypothermia was common on admission (510 cats, 35.4%); hyperthermia was infrequent (81 cats, 5.6%). Median temperature of nonsurviving cats (95.7°F [35.4°C]) was lower than surviving cats (100.7°F [38.2°C]), and the severity of hypothermia increased the risk for nonsurvival. Hypotension and decreased heart rate were also associated with a higher mortality risk.

These results support the prognostic importance of obtaining a body temperature on triage examination and confirm that hypothermia suggests altered body homeostasis and severe systemic compromise.³

… The Takeaways

Key pearls to put into practice:

• In patients presented for emergency, body temperature should be obtained during triage and monitored closely. Hypothermia is a strong predictor of mortality and may indicate severe systemic disturbance (eg, shock, SIRS, sepsis, congestive heart failure, acute kidney injury, trauma). Early identification of hypothermia can guide treatment decisions.

• Hypothermic cats presented for emergency should be actively rewarmed with appropriate warming strategies, as hypothermia has a strong association with mortality and should be addressed promptly.

• Hypothermia may help predict the need for hospitalization. In this study, low body temperature during triage was associated with a high rate of ICU admission and mortality.