Cat owners are more often worried about the excessive "talkativeness" of their pets than their silence. However, the apparent dumbness of the pet is alarming, especially when it comes to kittens. If the animal is at a tender age, it will be difficult to find out if the silence is a sign of illness or withdrawal.
Silent from birth
How many cats, so many characters - perhaps you just became the owner of a particularly taciturn kitten. If the baby eats well, plays well, there are no oddities in his behavior - the chances that he simply does not like to communicate with the help of his voice are very high. Perhaps, over time, the kitten will become more sociable and will begin to remind of itself with a loud meow. There are also "dumb" cats that never give voice. If at the same time the health of the animal is not in doubt, then the owners can only put up with it.
Some cat breeds are especially silent - for example, phlegmatic Persians, short-legged munchkins. Many representatives of the Scottish Fold breed, as well as Maine Coons, are taciturn.
If a kitten is picked up on the street, it is possible that he is simply afraid to give a voice, trying not to attract too much attention to himself. If the new owners are gentle and patient, the baby will soon begin to trust them.
It is often possible to notice how cats open their mouths silently - it is believed that these animals are able to communicate with each other in the ultrasonic range, making sounds of such a frequency that humans do not perceive. The kitten, accustomed to communicating with its mother in this way, tries to "talk" with people, until it realizes that it is not being heard.
If you are still worried about the behavior of an overly silent pet, you should check his hearing - deaf cats can either meow loudly, often inappropriately, or not make any sounds at all.
Has the kitten lost its voice?
If the animal stops meowing suddenly, pay attention to its condition. Loss of voice can be a sign of laryngitis - in this case, the kitten becomes lethargic, loses its appetite, and may begin to cough. Often, sick animals lie for a long time with their necks stretched out. If you look into your pet's throat, sores or redness may be noticeable on the mucous membranes of the mouth and pharynx.
Veterinarians classify laryngitis as primary and secondary. Primary laryngitis occurs as a result of hypothermia, if the animal has spent a long time in the cold or drank cold water. Secondary laryngitis is a consequence of a more serious disease, which can be rhinotracheitis, calcivirosis, or even rabies. Therefore, if a kitten shows signs of laryngitis, you should immediately show it to your veterinarian or call a doctor at home.
Sometimes a sudden loss of voice occurs due to the fact that a foreign body is stuck in the kitten's throat - a fish bone, a needle, a part of a toy. In this case, the animal gags, coughs, saliva often flows from the mouth. You should not try to remove the stuck object on your own - kittens have a very narrow pharynx, there is a great danger of pushing a sharp object further and further injuring the animal's throat. Seek emergency help from your veterinarian, he will remove the foreign body with less loss.
