Kitty Laryngitis??

[All Creatures Great And Small]

Well this is strange - when I got up this morning and Dudley came out to greet me as usual, his "voice" was almost gone - he sounds very hoarse, and sometimes his meow doesn't come out at all, just like a person with laryngitis. Has anyone else ever experienced this with their kitty? I hope it's not an indication of something serious.

[Nomilynn]

we had a tabby who was part Siamese, and he HOWLED all the time.. sometimes he would get hoarse. It would only last a few hours. If it doesn't clear up, you might want to have him checked out

[kimlovescats]

Very likely just a hairball! Don't panic yet, give him some hairball remedy and see if that helps!

[smokey the elder]

A long time ago I had a cat named Mischief who meowed herself hoarse when I went on vacation-poor kitty!

[All Creatures Great And Small]

Yep, I think it is a big hairball, because he's going around gagging from time to time. I bought some of the hairball remedy, but he refuses to eat it. If he hasn't brought it up on his own by Tuesday, I think I'll take him to the vet and see if there's anything they can do. He hasn't eaten much of his usual food either, so it must be bothering him, poor thing.

[Freckles]

See if Dudley will accept Vaseline. Freckles didn't like hairball remedies either but would lick Vaseline off my finger easily. Vet said that was ok because hairball remedies are petroleum based.

[Miss Meow]

If he doesn't like the Vaseline, a few sardines in oil might help.

Hope he feels better soon!

[kimlovescats]

None of my cats "like" the hairball remedy... you just have to take a big glob and wipe it on the roof of his mouth ... or smear it on his nose or paws. If you put it on his paws, be sure you smear it in good, or he'll shake his paw and sling gooey goop all over the house!

Give it to him a couple of times a day for a few days... he should do ok!

[Cataholic]

Dudley, you haven't been smoking a cigar in honor of the baby, have you? ACGAS, I think I would really encourage Dudley to eat something to bring that up....how about grass?

[krazyaboutkatz]

Please stop worrying your meowmie and get well soon Dudley. I also usually have to put the hairball medicine on the roof of my cats mouths. Good luck and please keep us updated.

[All Creatures Great And Small]

I'll have to do the "tough love" approach and just put the hairball goo on the roof of his mouth. Right now he's sleeping like a perfect kitty angel, so I don't want to wake him up, but first thing tomorrow I'll get some down the hatch.

Thanks everyone for the good advice! Who needs vets when I have a 24 / 7 "clinic" here on Pet Talk?

[HayleyRosie]

I have hairball remedy treats for Hayley and Mandy. They both love them.

[slick]

Originally posted by Freckles
See if Dudley will accept Vaseline. Freckles didn't like hairball remedies either but would lick Vaseline off my finger easily. Vet said that was ok because hairball remedies are petroleum based.

That's true. For Speckles, I sometimes shove a finger of vaseline down her throat. Works like a charm.

[marysmerrycats]

None of my cats "like" the hairball remedy... you just have to take a big glob and wipe it on the roof of his mouth ... or smear it on his nose or paws. If you put it on his paws, be sure you smear it in good, or he'll shake his paw and sling gooey goop all over the house!

Give it to him a couple of times a day for a few days... he should do ok!

yes, I know this to be true also, you just have to force it on them, as unpleasant as that is! I had that happen, I put some on one of the cats paws, and didin't do it right, and she shook her paw...hairball medicine everywhere!
good luckwith your cat, I hope he feels better.

[All Creatures Great And Small]

not a big old hairball. Apparently he has some post-nasal sinus drainage that is making him hoarse, and killing his appetite because he can't smell any food. (He lost 3 pounds, a fourth of his weight, since his last checkup!) He doesn't have a fever though, and he has no outward drainages, so it's nothing serious.
She thought he looked a little dehydrated, so she gave him some subcutaneous fluids - his left shoulder looked like a hunchback, and later the fluid "pouch" shifted and is now hanging from his armpit - he looks like a silly old camel! She prescribed some amoxycillin for him, and he is already seeming a lot more perky tonight than he had been. PHEW....it's always a scare when they're not feeling well.

The hairball goo is proving to be helpful when pilling him for the amoxycillin - I ground up the tablet and mixed it into a wad of the hairball stuff, and smeared it on the roof of his mouth, so he got all his medicine and couldn't spit it out!