Cat Lost Voice

Cat Lost Voice Article and solutions from vets and home remedies as well as cat lost voice products.  The following are snippets taken from several websites in regards to cat owners questions and the vets answers.

The article below is taken from this link: http://www.cathospitalofchicago.com/ask-boo/my-cat-lost-his-voice

-There is a reasonable likelihood that your new kitten brought an upper respiratory virus into your home. Upper respiratory viruses are especially common in kittens, and they are potentially contagious to other cats. Upper respiratory viruses are often associated with loss of voice. Loss of voice can also be associated with more serious problems, such as throat cancer, but that is less likely in younger cats, and in cats that seem to be doing well other than a hoarse voice or loss of voice.

The good news is that if the loss of voice is related to an upper respiratory virus from your new kitten, it should resolve with time. As with any virus, it needs to run its course, and your kitty should then be able to once again meow like any other ordinary cat.  Above article taken from this link: http://www.cathospitalofchicago.com/ask-boo/my-cat-lost-his-voice

-The following article was taken from this link: http://www.catchannel.com/experts/arnold_plotnick/cat-lost-voice.aspx

CatChannel veterinary expert, Arnold Plotnick, DVM, explains that it can be difficult to determine the cause of a change in a cat’s voice.

Q: I have a question which several veterinarians could not answer for me. My cat Sylvester seems to have lost his voice. What would be the cause of this? Could an illness be involved?

A: Loss or change of voice is one of those vague problems that drive vets crazy.  In most cases that I’ve encountered, I could not attribute the voice change to any particular cause.  In some instances, however, the cause is readily apparent. The most common cause I’ve seen is a viral upper respiratory infection, with the herpes virus and/or the feline calicivirus being the main culprit. Most viral upper respitory infections result in runny eyes, snotty nose and lots of sneezing. Occasionally they’re result in laryngitis — a “sore throat” — and a hoarse or lost voice.

I’ve seen cats with oral tumors involving the throat or the vocal cords that resulted in a voice change or loss. Finally, there is a condition called laryngeal paralysis, in which the nerve that controls the vocal folds becomes damaged, causing the larynx not to open properly, resulting in a change of voice. This is much more common in dogs than cats. Interestingly, I diagnosed my first case of this about four days ago.

Even though most cases are due to upper respiratory infections, which are fairly benign, a change in voice should be evaluated by your veterinarian. He or she might want to sedate the cat and perform a thorough oral exam, looking at the back of the throat, and even trying to pass an endotracheal tube down the trachea to see if there is a mass or other obstruction. X-rays may be necessary to look for masses that are in the trachea or in the neck that cannot be detected simply by feel.

Above article taken from this link: http://www.catchannel.com/experts/arnold_plotnick/cat-lost-voice.aspx

Following article taken from this link: http://www.justanswer.com/veterinary/2atd8-female-cat-lost-voice-purr-when.html

Loss of meow is actually not all that uncommon. The major causes are:
1. Laryngeal mass/ foreign body- given the age and previous signs I think this is the most common here. I would sedate/ anesthetize her and do a good laryngeal exam. Especially if you’re in an area where fox tails are as these could definitely get impaled around the larynx causing the signs. Laryngeal masses are more common in older cats.

2. Hyperthyroidism– this is more common in older cats so probably not the cause here

3. Unknown- many times the thyroid profile and laryngeal exam are normal and no treatment is done and we find that the majority of these cases will have the voice come back in a couple weeks. Why it happened, we never know but it doesn’t seem to stress out the cat as much as the owner.

Above article taken from this link: http://www.justanswer.com/veterinary/2atd8-female-cat-lost-voice-purr-when.html

The following information taken from this link: http://www.grandmashomeremedies.com/10-home-remedies-for-upper-respiratory-infection-in-cats-qa/

HOME REMEDIES FOR UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION IN CATS

1. Home vaporizer/humidifier – Since dry air can make your cat’s symptoms worse, using a vaporizer or humidifier at home will somehow make your cat more comfortable. A vaporizer improves humidification at home and helps by keeping your cat’s nasal passages moist.

2. Steam – Placing your cat on a warm, dry surface in a steamy bathroom for 10 to 15 minutes several times daily also helps relieve nasal congestion. [1]

3. Warm environment – If the weather is cold, be sure to keep your cat extra warm. The ideal room temperature is 70 degrees. Giving your cat a hot water bottle to snuggle up to can help prevent them from having chills. [2]

4. Decongest – Your cat’s nose should be routinely cleaned with a soft, damp cloth to clear the nasal passages and remove the infectious secretions. [3]

5. Smelly, all-meat baby food – Since your cat’s sense of smell and overall appetite are affected, it may require special treatment to combat malnutrition. Tempt your pet with highly palatable all-meat baby food or “smelly” foods, like sardines or tuna fish.

6. Water – Access to clean water is important in infected cats to avoid dehydration.

7. Liquid diets – If your cat refuses to eat and drink plain water, try giving your pet liquid diets especially formulated for cats and kittens. Clinicare, Hill’s a/d, and Eukanuba Maximum-Calorie are some products that you can try. The consistency of these products is ideal for feeding through a syringe or a feeding tube, and they contain extra calories, which is appropriate for sick cats. [4]

8. Lysine – Supplement your cat’s diet with Lysine, an amino acid that helps strengthen the immune system and keep the virus in check.

9. Selenium – Selenium has natural antibacterial properties. Adding 25 mg of selenium to your cat’s food may be beneficial if your pet is suffering from bacterial URI.

10. Vitamins A and E – Vitamins A and E, when added to your cat’s food, may help boost their immune status. Simply use a needle to open the capsules and squeeze to their food. [5]

The above information taken from this link: http://www.grandmashomeremedies.com/10-home-remedies-for-upper-respiratory-infection-in-cats-qa/

These are sites for home remedy solutions & ideas:

http://www.grandmashomeremedies.com/category/animal-health/cats-health/

http://www.nativeremedies.com/petalive/products.html?pet_type=45

http://www.ehow.com/list_6402212_cures-cat-laryngitis.html

http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/cats4.html

As always, use at your own discretion.  These are simply suggestions.  I am not a doctor nor do I wish to be.

Best of luck with anything you try.  Please share your comments, suggestions with us here and on facebook and all of the other social media forums we are on.