Why Do Cats' Voices Become Hoarse? Hoarseness and Laryngitis in Cats

Cats make sounds in different shapes and tones. They usually use these sounds to express their different needs. Cats prefer to meow to communicate with humans. A cat's meowing can be focused on showing friendship, making a request, questioning a situation, indicating a need, showing anger, or simply chatting. Since cats have their own unique vocal structure, it is quite easy to recognize their voices or understand any difference in their voices.

Cats' voices generally don't change much. Their meows are usually high-pitched. The meow starts at a low pitch and gradually rises. The meow is usually a few seconds long. In some cases, however, cats' voices become hoarse or muffled.

In a hoarse meow, the pure meow tone is lost. Instead, a weak sound is produced. The cat's mouth opens normally, but the sound coming from the mouth is different. Instead of the usual musical meow, a hoarse and rough sound is produced. Sometimes the meow may be very faint, or the cat may try to meow but cannot produce a sound. This change can also affect the cat's purring.

What Causes Hoarseness in Cats? Most cats suffer from a hoarse meow at some point in their lives. The most common cause of a hoarse cat's meow is inflammation in the larynx, or voice box, a delicate structure that houses the vocal cords. Like humans, cats' larynxes are located in the middle of the throat. When the larynx becomes inflamed, its delicate and flexible structure becomes thicker and less elastic. The accumulation of inflammation around the vocal cords results in a hoarse voice. These changes prevent the voice box from producing high-pitched sounds as it used to. The most common cause of a hoarse voice in cats is laryngitis. Laryngitis can develop in cats due to various reasons. The main causes of laryngitis are:

Most cats suffer from a hoarse meow at some point in their lives. The most common cause of a cat's hoarse voice is inflammation in the larynx or voice box, a delicate structure that houses the vocal cords. Like humans, cats' larynx is located in the middle of the throat. When the larynx becomes inflamed, its delicate and flexible structure becomes thicker and less elastic. The accumulation of inflammation around the vocal cords results in a hoarse voice. These changes prevent the voice box from producing high-pitched sounds as it used to.

Laryngitis is the most common cause of hoarse voices in cats. Laryngitis can develop in cats due to various reasons. The main causes of laryngitis are:

• Viral respiratory tract infections such as feline calicivirus, feline herpes virus, or upper respiratory tract infections,
• Airway irritation due to inhaling smoke or dust,
• Travma,
• Excessive meowing can be listed as causes of laryngitis.

However, the causes of laryngitis are not limited to these. Although not common, there are more serious causes of laryngitis. Among the rare causes of laryngitis are;

• Nazofaringiyal polip,
• Masses developing in and around the larynx, including abscesses, tumors, and other tissues,
• Obstruction caused by foreign bodies such as plant leaves around the larynx,
• Laryngeal paralysis resulting from the laryngeal muscles not functioning as before,
• Hyperthyroidism are included.

Symptoms of Laryngitis in Cats

Symptoms of laryngitis are easily noticeable. Changes in the cat's voice are easily distinguishable. The most common symptoms of laryngitis include;

• Muffled meowing,
• No sound at all when meowing,
• Difficulty swallowing,
• Changes in purring sound,
• In laryngitis caused by upper respiratory tract infections, other symptoms such as eye discharge, sneezing, or coughing that develop due to the infection are also present.

Diagnosis of Laryngitis in Cats

If your cat has no symptoms other than hoarseness, the condition is not very serious and may resolve on its own within a few days. Unless there are changes in your cat's eating and drinking habits, daily routine, or behavior, you may not need to consult a veterinarian. Hoarseness in cats due to laryngitis is expected to resolve spontaneously within 1-2 weeks, similar to how it resolves in humans. However, if the condition persists longer, there may be a serious underlying problem causing the hoarseness, and the cat may need to be examined by a veterinarian. During diagnosis, the cat's medical history is taken first. This is followed by a physical examination of the respiratory tract. The chest, heart, and lungs are listened to with a stethoscope, the mouth is checked, and the temperature is measured. Blood tests may be necessary to obtain more information about the cat's current health status. Since viruses such as FeLV and FIV can severely affect the cat's immune system and lead to different symptoms, testing for these viruses is not necessary in cats with only hoarseness.

During diagnosis, the cat's medical history is taken first. Then, the respiratory system is physically examined. The chest, heart, and lungs are listened to with a stethoscope, the mouth is checked, and the temperature is measured. Blood tests may be necessary to obtain more information about the cat's current health status. Since viruses like FeLV and FIV seriously affect the cat's immune system and lead to different symptoms, testing for these viruses is not necessary in cats with only hoarseness.

For a detailed visualization of the throat area, advanced imaging methods such as X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography, or MRI can be used.

Treatment of Laryngitis in Cats

Unless there is a change in your cat's appetite, general activity, and habits, treatment is not needed. As the laryngitis heals, the cat's voice will also begin to return to normal. However, if there are other symptoms besides hoarseness, or if hoarseness is a symptom of another disease, there are some treatment methods that can be applied. Treatment methods vary depending on the cause of the hoarseness.

• Removal of foreign objects if present,
• Surgical removal of masses such as polyps in the airway,
• Buhar tedavisi,
• Conditions such as tumors or abscesses can be treated with a detailed treatment plan to alleviate hoarseness.