My cat has trouble swallowing and a weak meow. What could be wrong?

It could simply be that swallowing the dry food is a little rougher on her throat and she is tender and thus not meowing as forcefully. Potentially she could have something going on that is causing the signs such as an infection or mass in the throat, however I doubt it is anything too serious. It would be best to have her examined by a vet to ensure there is nothing further going on.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Ollie. Upper respiratory infections (URI) in cats is extremely common. Kittens get infected from their mothers who start shedding the viruses thus infecting the kittens. Many cats live their whole lives carrying these viruses. They will occasionally develop signs of upper respiratory infections during times of stress at any point in time. We vaccinate for a few of these upper respiratory viruses but we still see many many cases. The vaccines should provide some protection and usually adult cats develop very mild signs. Signs of URIs- loss of voice or harsh sounding meows, sneezing, runny eyes/nose, fever/lethargy, decreased appetite, etc. Treating these infections can range from very simple to very complex cases that take weeks to months to improve. Possible treatment involves monitoring only or more in-depth treatment with antibiotics, antiviral medicines, a good deworming program and vaccination program, eye drops/eye ointments, nose drops, a nutritional supplement called L-lysine added to the food may help, and probiotics are all things to try. If Ollie continues to act normal (eats, drinks, goes to the bathroom and doesn't develop more signs or a worsening of the signs present), you can just monitor him. Hopefully, the change in the voice is self-limiting, but if not have your vet evaluate him. Good luck with Ollie.

Melvin could be suffering with a sore throat. It might be secondary to a virus. I would recommend a vet check up and in the meantime to offer moist food. Fish flavours are often popular amongst cat, slightly warmed up would be even better for him. If declining normal cat food, he might be interested in some tuna in water, no salt/oil.

Hi there. Thank you for using PetCoach! Great question! Most likely Toby has a mild upper respiratory infection. Sometimes all you notice is a hoarse meow or a change in the sound of the meow and nothing else (like sneezing, ocular discharge, etc). I would suggest you give him a lysine supplement to help boost his immune system. https://www.amazon.in/Optixcare-L-Lysine-Chews-60-count/dp/B00F410QHW/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1516116386&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=lsyine If this doesn't help or he gets worse then I would recommend you get Toby to your vet for an exam. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

I wouldn't be concerned if this is how he has always sounded. Upper respiratory infections are very common in young kittens and sometimes swelling can affect the vocal folds - it's possible that he had some scar tissue formed. It's also possible that this is how he was born. If he does have trouble swallowing or breathing, or if he regurgitates or vomits you should see your vet.

I would feed her soft canned food until you are able to get her evaluated by your veterinarian. She could have an injury, an abscess, or even a tumor that could be inhibiting her swallowing. Watch her breathing closely as it is possible that what is inhibiting the swallowing may progress to inhibiting breathing. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

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.