My cat's meow is suddenly quiet. Is it serious or should I wait?

I would wait it out at this point in time because he is eating and drinking normally, using the litter, and acting normally otherwise. He might have a respiratory infection, and losing his voice is the only sign. I would keep an eye on him for the next 72 hours. If he still has no voice at that point, then I would take him into the vet for an exam. Should he develop other signs in these 72 hours, such as stopping eating and drinking, then I would take him into the vet sooner. Hopefully, his voice will return on it's own.

If your cat is otherwise happy, healthy, and eating, drinking, and acting normally, I would not be too concerned. If however your cat is not acting like herself she may have an upper respiratory infection or something going on. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

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.

I'd keep an eye on Charlie for now. If his meow stays different over the next 48 hours or he develops other signs like lethargy, sneezing, coughing, nasal discharge, or a loss of appetite, then I'd have him seen by a vet.

I think it is ok to wait, and monitor T closely for the next 24-48 hours. Certain viruses can cause a change in a cat's voice and as long as there are no other signs, supportive care is really the only course of treatment in many cases. Make sure she continues eating well, that she does not become more lethargic, and that new signs such as eye or nose discharge do not occur. If you notice any of these signs, I would contact your veterinarian. I hope T is feeling better very soon.

No reason to think otherwise at this point in time if Sgt. Katherine Pepper (LOVE her name!) is acting normally. If other symptoms do appear like ones you mentioned above or her meow does not come back in 48 hours, then have her seen by a vet. I hope this helps!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Brooks. If he's lost his voice and cannot meow, that can be a sign of a medical illness such as a respiratory infection. I would be concerned this could be the case, and I would have him seen by a vet in the morning. Best of luck, I hope this helps!