Each cat is an individual. Some cats meow and thus try to communicate with us for various reasons ( this way they demand, order, complain, ask). However, it is known that there are cats that have reduced their vocalization and meowing to a minimum.
If a cat is playful and interested in her environment, drinks water, and takes food normally but does not meow or does it very rarely, then being quiet is most likely in her nature and should be considered normal. But the sudden loss of the cat’s voice and meowing habit in combination with other clinical signs such as depression, loss of appetite, lethargy, shortness of breath indicates certain health disorders and requires a visit to the vet.
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Why Does My Cat Have No Voice?
If you are sure that your kitten is not quite by nature but you really think that something is wrong with her since she has stopped meowing, let’s search for a cause.
There are a number of factors and even serious illnesses that can cause your cat to stop meowing. For your feline, the loss of her voice is a real shock and she needs help to cope with it. T
he most common reason for a cat to become mute is damage to the throat, esophagus, or upper respiratory tract. No wonder, because cats, like children, like to explore everything and are easily injured by sharp fish or chicken bones, pieces of wire, or even parts of toys.
Sometimes cats lose their voice due to a lack of water. Remember that clean, fresh water should always be available to your cat. Sometimes the absence of meowing can be one of the symptoms of the disease.
For example, ear infections. More serious viral diseases can also lead to voice loss. Of course, in this case, the affected cat must show other symptoms of the disease: for example, weakness, cough, fever, and so on. Typically, the common cold, as in humans, produces mucus that accumulates and makes it difficult to produce sound.
Sometimes a cat can lose its voice if it has been in a room for a longer period of time with a hard smell, such as the smell of cigarettes, solvents, varnishes, or paints. An experienced veterinarian will be able to determine the true cause of the problem and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Don’t forget that some cat breeds like Siamese are more vocal and louder than others. On the other hand, there is a list of cat breeds that are silent by nature.
Also, note that young kittens usually meow more than adult cats. So don’t worry if you notice that your adult cat is meowing far less now than she used it when she was a baby.
What To Do If My Cat Can’t Meow?
Keep the rooms well ventilated, pay attention to the water in your cat’s bowl, needs to be fresh and clean. Check the cat’s throat if you can; look for mechanical damage, blockage, and inflammation. If you spot any of these, visit a vet. Sometimes, in case of swelling of the throat, over-the-counter antihistamines can help, for example, “Benadryl” or “Claritin”. Of course, you need to dose them depending on the cat’s body weight.
If your feline friend still has problems with meowing the best solution is to consult a professional vet who will thoroughly examine your pet and determine the right therapy.
If your cat has recently given birth and got for example three kittens, one of them doesn’t make any sound, this could be the indicator that something is wrong with that little one. But if he/she is moving, drinks mother’s milk then most probably he/she will be fine. On the other hand, if the baby cat is too weak, cold, doesn’t move much, and doesn’t make any sound, consider this situation as urgent as the kitten may die.
How To Encourage My Cat To Meow?
If everything is all right with your cat in terms of physical health, there are some steps you can take to encourage your feline to meow more. But be reasonable – the cats that are quiet by nature will not become loud and vocal only because you would like them to. Still, you can try to make your cat more talkative.
First of all, talk to your cat, like you would be talking to your friend. Speak to her by watching in her direction. Of course, you cannot expect the cat to respond but with time, she might become more vocal than she used to be.
Some people even buy CDs with the different sounds of cats meowing. You can try to play a CD or video recording of cats meowing. Some cats’ parents believe that the cat needs a small stimulus to start meowing more.
Why Does My Cat Squeak but Not Meow?
There is a number of reasons and situations in which the cat squeaks but cannot meow.
The major ”culprit” is voice chords. If your cat squeaks but cannot meow there is a great chance that something is wrong with her vocal cords. They might be damaged or she was born with the defect.
The problem with vocal cords may occur if they developed inadequately. For example, if you let your kids holding the very young kitten, any unintentional rough grasp may have an impact on the cat’s vocal cords development.
Infected vocal cords may also affect a cat’s ability to produce ”the meow” sound. Also, some diseases like hyperthyroidism or upper respiratory infection may disable the cat to meow allowing her to produce the squeaking sound only.
We mentioned earlier in this article that lack of water or dehydration in cats may cause a voice loss. Did you know that even hunger can provoke the same? If the cat is treated improperly if she is left without food, she might not be able to meow but only to squeak.
Exhausted or weak cats won’t be able to meow either.
If you adopt a feral cat, don’t be surprised if she only squeaks as most probably she has never learned how to meow.
The Conclusion
Some cats meow more than others. It’s important to know that cats don’t meow at each other. They use these sounds to communicate with us. If your cat is playful, eats and drinks well, doesn’t have any signs of illness then maybe you should accept that you have a less talkative cat.
If your, until recently, loud and vocal cat, suddenly behaves really weird and doesn’t make any sounds you should observe her. Look for some other clinical signs of illness, check her throat, see if she has some inflammation or blockage. Make sure she always has enough food and fresh water, and don’t let your small kids handle the young cat she can end up injured which may affect her vocal cords development.
