My cat lost his meow and sounds raspy. Is it a health concern?

Voice change can be caused by many things. Cats do not get colds like people do. Most cats are exposed to several upper respiratory viruses over their lifetime that can flare up occasionally causing sneezing, runny eyes or nose, and occasionally voice change. A change can also occur with anything going on with the larynx (voice box) including trauma, masses (benign or malignant), nerve or muscle disorders, etc. Additionally some cats who have asthma or heartworm disease may manifest this with a voice change. So, if your kitty is exhibiting any other symptoms and/or is not feeling well the best plan would be to have your family vet examine her. If upper respiratory virus related and she is otherwise normal it may run its course in a few days to a week. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a chronic pharingitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hello. Jax may have a mild upper respiratory infection. As long as he is eating & drinking well, has no significant discharge from the eyes or nose, he really does not need treatment or medications. If it continues past a week or so, or seems to be worsening, please see your veterinarian. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If she is still eating and drinking and not coughing, then she may just have a mild laryngitis. I would watch her closely and it will likely heal on its own. Allergies during the changing of season can cause this as well. You can contact your vet for the appropriate dose of children's Benadryl for her to help speed her healing. I hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Nacho is having issues. A decrease in vocalization can be due to a variety of reasons, including an upper respiratory infection, a growth in the back of the throat, tracheal irritation, or another underlying issue. I would recommend having him evaluated by your regular veterinarian to determine what the underlying cause may be, and to determine a treatment plan if needed. Good luck!

It could just be her attitude, or she could be sick. Upper respiratory infections, nerve issues, polyps or masses in the throat, and hyperthyroidism could cause lethargy and a change in "voice." If you are concerned about Melo being seing, then I would recommend that you have her examined by a vet. They can do a thorough exam and discuss diagnostics or treatment if there is concern.

Your cat may have laryngitis, which is an inflammation of the larynx or "voice box". Signs of laryngitis include hoarseness and/or loss of voice. The most common causes of laryngitis are excessive vocalization and chronic[ coughing](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/coughing). Both put strain on the vocal cords. Laryngitis can also be due to other underlying medical conditions such as throat infections, [allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/feline-allergies/), tonsillitis, [pneumonia](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/pneumonia-1/), tracheobronchitis, foreign bodies and rarely tumors. Since it has been three days since your cat's symptoms began, I recommend having him evaluated by your veterinarian to check for throat infections or other sources of irritation of the larynx. You may need to feed a soft, bland diet and keep him as stress free as possible during his treatment and recovery.