Herpes in Cats

Question
Hi! My adult longhair cat has herpes. She often has discharge from the eyes and sneezes too. I think she may also have some allergies to dust or pollen. One of my biggest concerns is FeLV. I've had cats in the past with it. She has tested negative and is currently UTD on all vaccinations, including FeLV. I guess my real question is she has some ear warmth. It is fairly persistent, but it seems to be more prevalent when she is asleep or lying down. Is this normal? I know it can be a sign of a fever. But her nose usually seems to be moist. I'm scared to check her temperature for fear I might hurt her. Is it easy? I also noticed some dark wax in her ear and told my vet today about it. She also seems to be shaking her head. I though this may have something to do with the ear warmth. She is a very special cat and I just can't imagine losing her to FeLV. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Answer
While no vaccine is 100%, if she doesn't go outside and isn't exposed to other cats, her chances of getting FELV are pretty slim as long as you keep her vaccinated.

They can get it by hissing at each other through a screen door if enough droplets from the other cat become airborne, so chase off any other cats you see.

It sounds like she could have ear mites, but if she isn't scratching them it could be just overactive glands in her ears. I have one cat like that myself.

If you are concerned about her feeling warm then you should have your vet look her over. Indoor cats can still pick up things and if she has herpes, she might be feeling miserable or have an upper respiratory infection on top of it.

I would take her in if this were my cat. By the way, it's not easy to take a cats temperature rectally by yourself. I doubt if you'd hurt her but she would probably hurt you!