Lagomorphs, not rodents.
Another possibility is that tooth decay is causing the swelling and fever. Jake has had teeth removed in the past.
Ah. Yes. Thank you. My brain, ya know.
Yes, well, Jake being an “old” cat, dental problems are common, so finding the cause of his discomfort is a good thing.
Shower has been had, but disappointingly lukewarm. I didn’t leave it long enough, obviously. Anyway, I feel slightly up to the tasks at hand which was the idea behind it, not to mention smelling better. ;o]