Related: 6 Cat Meow Sounds and What They Mean A new app, MeowTalk , will translate your cat’s vocabulary – namely meows, but also purrs and hissing – into human words. Vocal strain from non-stop meowing or chronic cough could be to blame. If you've ever noticed how a kitten's meow is really shrill and high-pitched when a older cat's meow is deep and low-pitched. Cats use meows to let us know when they want us to open a door for them, feed them, play with them, pick them up, give them a treat, scratch … A meow is one of the most common and recognizable features of a cat. Oftentimes, excessive meowing or yowling can be one of the first signs of a disease. I think the meow depends on the breed, more than the sex of the cat - typically Oriental breeds have lower-pitched meows than European and North American breeds. In reality, cats have a deeply nuanced system of communicating with each other and with the humans in their lives. Cats can often have longer and more expressive meows that are classified more as ‘yowls.’ Yowls can often indicate underlying medical issues such as hyperthyroid disease or dementia. While usually harmless and will only last a few days, this could alter the sound your cat makes while it recovers from surgery. Most cat owners can tell the difference between a “let’s play” meow, an “I’m hungry” meow, and a “well, hello” meow. It’s his meow — a raspy, baritone, reproachful mrow that you can experience for yourself, if your eardrums dare, in the video above (he’s cat No. Naturally, as a cat’s voice box weakens, its owner will likely notice some kind of change in sound. And because they struggle to hear, their meow might become more plaintive as they feel more distressed by their deteriorating functions. Laryngeal paralysis is caused by poor nerve function or by damage to the structures of the larynx. Common reasons why your cat experiences voice changes. This can affect a cat’s vocal cords and stop a cat from producing sound. Your cat will swallow more often and gag as it tries to cope with the pain. If an animal’s white blood cells attack the nerves, the sound it makes will be affected as the nerve function becomes weaker and more diminished. Update: She had the same soft high pitched meow the first 2 1/2 years of her life and now she has a louder, lower meow. This system is 100% guaranteed to work for you. Hope that makes sense. Cats with hyperthyroidism will usually develop a bulging mass on the front of their neck. Laryngitis, which is an inflammation of the larynx, is one of the most common causes of a cat’s changing meow. This can cause a cat to lose its voice. Everyone wants to know what their cat is telling them. The second is because damage has been sustained to the throat or larynx. Brachycephalic and flat-faced cats, like Persians, are more prone to upper respiratory infections because of their facial structure. VCA Animal Hospitals: Feline Calicivirus Infection, American College of Veterinary Surgeons: Laryngeal Paralysis. Cats with calicivirus may exhibit a number of symptoms, such as nasal congestion, sneezing and discharge from the eyes and nose. Gagging can be a serious cause for concern. Cat has a crazy deep meow. It also indicates that cats figure out that we much prefer the sweeter, higher sounds of the meow to the more guttural utterances of an adult cat. Veterinarian's Assistant: I'll do all I can to help. Whether cats have sustained injuries of the nerve or develop a disorder that causes the muscle to waste away, a cat’s meow will either change or stop. These are some other common issues that can lead to a change in a cat’s meow: Hyperthyroidism is another term to describe an overactive thyroid gland. In otherwise healthy cats, though, the only way … There are many reasons why your cat’s meow might change from a chirpy, high-pitched sound to a hoarser tone. They’re described in the National Center or Biotechnology Information as a high-pitched sound with a rise of the tone near the end of the vocalization. Have you taken his temperature? Cats have two vocal cords, which are also known as the larynx. Because laryngitis is painful for your cat, it can encourage your pet to gag in an attempt to eliminate the pain. If your cat is prone to fighting with other animals, it’s more likely to develop a painful abscess that can become enlarged and interfere with the vocal cord function. In my experience, yes, tomcats' voices are deeper, perhaps because of the higher level of testosterone (just like teenage boys going through puberty who can no longer sing soprano). "In more than 20 years as a house-call veterinarian, I’ve heard every kind of meow you can imagine," Levy says. If your cat has swallowed something that has become stuck in its throat, it will gag to try and remove the object from its body. 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