Disclaimer: the staff writers here are not vets nor are they qualified to give medical advice. This article’s purpose is strictly to share stories/information and should not be used for diagnostic purposes. Please take your cat to the vet if you suspect anything might be wrong with them. Your vet will know best what to do in your specific situation.
Many cats — and especially the early-rising Julius — are quite vocal. They are often especially talkative in the morning and in the evenings. Cats communicate through a variety of trills, purrs, cries, and other vocalizations, but the meow is something special, reserved for kittens talking to their mothers and grown cats talking to their humans.
Sometimes, though, cats lose their voices, just like humans do, and have to temporarily stop chatting. The cat’s voice might become hoarse or squeaky, or the cat might lose its voice altogether. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including:
an infection, such as laryngitis or an upper respiratory infection
nerve damage to the larynx
polyps and/or other growths on the vocal chords
excessive and/or prolonged meowing
Whatever might be the cause, it’s a good idea to take your cat to the vet to determine the underlying cause of their voice loss. It could be something incredibly simple, such as your cat yelling too much during a car ride, which is easily treated with vocal rest. It could also be something more serious, however, so it’s important to have the vet check on your kitty to make sure they receive appropriate treatment. If your cat has an infection, antibiotics might be on the menu. If it turns out to be polyps or other growths, your cat might require more invasive procedures such as surgery to treat the problem. Sometimes nerve damage to the larynx can cause laryngeal paralysis, preventing the cat from vocalizing. Surgery might also be needed if this is the cause of your cat’s voice issues.
Luckily, the most common causes of voice loss are not nearly so serious. Usually, cats lose their voices from overuse or from laryngitis, which are both relatively easy to treat. With proper care, your little one will be back to meowing soon and singing to you at 5am.
I believe it’s important to start your day off right with an “up and at ’em attitude”. No reason to hide around in bed like a slug or to continually turn off your alarm and delay the inevitable. An early, enthusiastic start to your day, plus a large helping of a healthy breakfast, is the best way to make sure your day will be productive and full of positive energy. I have always lived by these maxims, and so far I think they have served me very well. I am an accomplished emperor, my reign is unopposed, and my empire continues to expand — clearly, I have figured out the wisest way to live a good, happy life, and at so young an age, too! I am wise beyond my years!
The tricky part, however, is convincing the humans that this way of life is beneficial. So far they have not appreciated my attempts at encouraging them to adopt this lifestyle. I rise tirelessly every morning at 5am to try to wake them and introduce them to the benefits of being a crepuscular animal. The quiet, meditative qualities of the dawn hour do wonders for mood, energy, and clarity of mind, and I want my humans to reap all the benefits I have been reaping for years. I try and try to get them to wake up at this golden hour–I climb on their chests, on their faces, on their heads; I nuzzle them with my cold, healthy nose–but they never react well, and they never seem to understand I’m trying to improve their health. They burrow themselves deeper in the blankets, grumbling, waving me away. Sometimes they even scream and cry, throwing pillows over their heads, and then I have to try even harder to pull them from their relentless slumber.
Such lazy creatures of habit! They shoo me out of the room, and then I am relegated to sitting outside of their door, crying at the top of my lungs, trying desperately to warn them that their chance is passing fast. The golden hour wanes away quickly, and it is only afterwards, when it is too late, that they begin to tumble out of bed, stiff and grouchy and unaware that they could have been so vitally energized like me.
You have to get up early, humans! You have to embrace the light of dawn!
Ugh. My girl and I hadn’t lived together very long before she bought home a young kitten. I don’t know what she was thinking. She is a whirlwind. I had just gotten used to living with her when she brought in another cat. A young cat. He was just a little thing. He adored me from the start. And he is every bit a whirlwind as she is…
He was tiny when he had arrived. Just a furball, as my girl had called him. Just a baby. And way too playful. As soon as I had met him, I smacked him on the top of his head to show him I was in charge. He just shook his little head and didn’t protest. He just kept looking up at me.
But I couldn’t stand him. He annoyed me. He wanted to play and cuddle with me. Cuddle? He was a strange little cat. I don’t know where my girl found him. She just brought him home without warning me. He wouldn’t leave me alone no matter what I did. I asserted my dominance and still he kept bothering me. I told him to leave me alone, but as you can see from the pictures, he insisted on cuddling up to me.
photos taken by Ali Noel Vyainphotos taken by Ali Noel Vyain
Not only did he like to cuddle up to me, he liked to pose. My girl would then take lots of pictures of him. I guess you could call him a model. He loved the attention of course. My girl did catch him in all sorts of shenanigans he would get into all by himself. He never needed me to do all the things he did that she had caught on camera.
photos taken by Ali Noel Vyainphotos taken by Ali Noel Vyain
He wanted to play all the time. I don’t tend to play. Very rarely will I play with toys. But I do like to wrestle and run around crazily whenever the fairies visit me. I have to keep in shape. It’s the healthy thing for a cat to do. But he was so annoying that I just didn’t want to have anything to do with him at first. I found him more annoying than the fairies. And I’m used to fairies visiting me without any warning.
But he wouldn’t go away. He kept playing and cuddling with me. I tried to hide from him, but no, he’d find me. He thought it was just a game. He just wouldn’t leave me alone no matter what I did. To make matters worse, my girl would encourage him to go after me!
photos taken by Ali Noel Vyainphotos taken by Ali Noel Vyainphotos taken by Ali Noel Vyain
Then, I don’t know what happened. I discovered one day that I liked him. I liked him a lot. I didn’t want to be without him. I didn’t care how much he bothered me. I had someone to wrestle with. Someone closer to my own size. And the little guy looked up to me.
To me! I never had anyone like this in my life before. I had three brothers, but we were equals who were beneath our mother in the order. But for once someone looked up to me for guidance. I could teach someone young and impressible how to be a good upstanding cat like me.
photos taken by Ali Noel Vyain
Wait, this sounds just like when I had met my girl and what she did to me… Or even the fairies… She’s proven to me that she’s worthy of my devotion and loyalty. She is a whirlwind. She makes things happen. I’m not lonely anymore with her or this kitten. It does help to have another cat when my girl has to go out and do whatever it is that she does outside our home. But I still miss her when she’s gone too much.
This kitten understood about missing her too. He didn’t like her to be gone any more than I did. Perhaps not exactly in the same way, but he at least understood. We could comfort each other when she was gone for hours most everyday. We could play sometimes. We could wrestle. We could meditate together. We could cuddle to keep from getting too lonely without my girl. It was becoming a good arrangement.
So, I taught the kitten how to be a good, upstanding cat. My girl was bottle feeding him and he learned some unusual habits from her, but he learned all the best cat things from me. I taught him to how to jump and wrestle. I taught him how to hunt. I taught him how to meditate. I didn’t stop with the lessons after he grew up.
But I suppose he was going to grow up someday. It wasn’t such a bad thing. In fact, I’m glad he grew up. Eventually, my girl stopped giving him a bottle and he was able to eat all he needed to without her. But by then, he was absolutely convinced she was his mama. And that was that. As for me, she remained my girl. But there was nothing any of us could do. The kitten Spot believed my girl was his mama.
And she did act like his mama. So, let’s be fair. They were mama and son. I know other humans tried to tell her it wasn’t possible, but they were wrong. Even I wouldn’t question the relationship they have. I don’t think I was ever jealous. I still had what I needed and wanted with both of them. I wasn’t alone. I had a family and they put up with my curmudgeonly ways.
Yep, I was always a curmudgeon. I’m not ashamed of it. I just am particular about everything. My girl seemed to understand and did what she could when I asked or just as soon as I asked. She is so silly, but she loves me and I love her. That’s all that matters.
This month’s cat vocabulary is the word growl. When a cat growls it is a warning sign. They are warning us away from them. Usually any cat I live with won’t growl at me. They know me pretty well and trust me.
Sometimes they will. Once Sir Socks growled at me when I kept bothering while he was taking a nap. So, I left him alone to sleep. He’s right I can be too silly for my own good at times.
Other strange cats have growled at me in the past. They didn’t know me and wasn’t sure what I would do to them. I stepped back and left them alone. Cats do come with sharp teeth and sharp claws. They can and will defend themselves when necessary.
There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats. —Albert Schweitzer
Music is a good refuge from the miseries of life. That is if you like and enjoy the music. A cat can be even better. If you’re sick or injured they will cuddle up to you and purr. Even if it’s just depression, they will cuddle and purr. They can be so helpful when life gets hard.
I have noticed that what cats most appreciate in a human being is not the ability to produce food which they take for granted—but his or her entertainment value. —Geoffrey Household
There have been times when living with cats that I’ve felt as if I had to entertain them in some form or another. Whether it be that I have to play with them as if I was another cat. Or even doing a dance for them. Or tell jokes. Or sing to them. Read them poetry. I’ve done all that and more. Sir Socks Le Chat thinks I’m plain silly. He’s right about me.
Our tails are something you humans don’t have. I’ve heard you have tail bones, but no tails. Pity. We can smack others with our tails. We also use them to communicate. And some of us like to play with each other’s tails. Even my girl has been known to give my tail a gentle tug. I never understood why. She’s not a cat. She’s just too silly!
Our mood can be conveyed by the very movement of our tails. Spot was very expressive with his tail. More so than I ever was. My girl would recite names to him, such as mine or Isis, and Spot’s tail would wag even harder because he loved us all.
Some people thought he wagged his tail because he was angry. Spot was hardly angry. He was so happy go lucky that it drove me crazy at times. He did have a temper, but it didn’t flare that much. He just like to wag his tail a lot.
Our eyes have been known to creep out quite a few people. You can’t see us very well in the dark, but you might see our reflected eyes staring right at you. Sounds scary?
I never thought I was scary unless I was hunting. Otherwise, I was just a cat who was lying in the sun or meditating or complaining to someone who cared to listen to me.
My girl admitted to me that she couldn’t see as well as I could in the dark. She said when she turned out the lights, she couldn’t see me anymore. She used to walk into me. She apologized every time, thank goodness. I’d really be mad if she had done it on purpose and didn’t care to apologize for her behavior.
So, I did what any reasonable cat would do. Whenever she turned out the lights and she walked too close to me, I’d let her know where I was. It worked. Her hearing is better than her eyesight. Yes, she wears glasses. She wears lined bifocals now. She didn’t then. But that’s another story.
I’m glad she listened to me. She was able to walk around in the dark without stepping on me. That just proves it is possible to train your human to take excellent care of you. Just find one who will listen to your every complaint and does something to make things better. Those are the kinds of humans who are worth waiting for.
Disclaimer: the staff writers here are not vets nor are they qualified to give medical advice. This article’s purpose is strictly to share stories/information and should not be used for diagnostic purposes. Please take your cat to the vet if you suspect anything might be wrong with them. Your vet will know best what to do in your specific situation.
Not everyone looks forward to traveling. Some people dislike it more than others–and cats in particular are not usually happy about going on trips. (Or as dogs like to call them, “adventures”.) Cats are often notoriously difficult to travel with. They fight getting in their carriers and are terrified of leaving their territories. They often scream and yowl for the duration of the trip, making it much more tempting to just leave them at home…
So, what’s a pet parent to do when they have to take their little ones out of the house?
Safety is of the utmost importance whenever you have to go on a trip with your pet. It’s a good idea to have your cat wear a collar or harness with your phone number on it in case they get separated from you during transit. It’s also a good idea to know your cat’s microchip information (if they have one), as well as carrying a copy of their vet records, especially if you are traveling by plane. To reduce the risk of escapes, do not let your cat out of its carrier unless you are in a secured place — such as a parked, locked car, or a locked hotel room. If you must allow the cat out of its carrier, be sure it’s wearing a harness with a leash so you can hold onto it if it tries to run.
Another factor of utmost importance is comfort. Your cat needs to be comfortable during the trip — it will help keep them as calm and stress-free as possible. They will need a carrier large enough for them to turn around and stand up in. Preferably, the carrier should have hard sides so it is sturdy enough to protect them from accidental knocks or bumps that might happen during the journey. Be sure to secure the carrier with a seat belt. The safest place in a car is usually the middle rear seat (this is where children are recommended to sit as well).
Don’t forget to pack food and water for your kitty. Your cat will also need access to a litter box if the trip is going to be longer than half a day or so. If you suspect your cat will get especially stressed or upset during the trip, you can ask their vet to prescribe them anti-anxiety medication to help them get through the journey. You should consult with your vet and follow their instructions regarding this.
With some preparation and a good attitude, you and your cat will be ready to take on whatever journey you need to. Your cat might not be super pleased about it, but traveling with your cat does not have to be a nightmare.
I don’t know many cats who are fond of traveling. Most of us are extremely busy keeping our territory maintained, and as such, we do not really have time for traveling and we certainly do not volunteer for it. It’s stressful and upsetting to think about our territory being left alone and unattended for even a few hours. Do you know what kinds of things can happen in the span of a few hours? Raccoons could invade! Another cat could break in! Food could disappear!
But alas, sometimes we do not have choices when it comes to traveling or not. If I had my way, I would never leave my empire, but sometimes my human has other plans, and since she controls my food bag, I have to go with her. Cats have superior senses, you know, and I can always sense that a trip is coming. I can always tell that she’s planning something and trying to hide it from me. There are subtle signs that warn of these things…
The bags begin appearing by the door. Always a few, some with things from the bathroom, some with clothes. Is the human just cleaning, or is this something I need to be concerned about?
Things go into the car. One by one, things begin disappearing. The bags start to go. Then things from the fridge come out and disappear.
My collar goes on. Hmm. This isn’t a good sign.
My food bag goes into the car. Oh no. I got excited for a second, but this is definitely not a good sign.
My bowls are gone. It’s really happening. I need to find a place to hide.
My litter box is gone. There’s nothing left. I’m next.
I try to barricade myself somewhere; I try to hide, but it always ends up being futile. There are only so many places where I can hide, and somehow the human always ends up grabbing me and putting me in the fateful little carrier. It’s going to be a long couple hours until freedom comes again….
Cats are fascinating creatures. They can be quiet and sneaky. At times they can be vocal. They can love unconditionally. In return we must learn to love them unconditionally as well. If we can’t, then they can just leave us and find another home.
Dogs come when they’re called; cats take a message and get back to you later. —Mary Bly
Dogs just want to please us. That’s what makes them so happy. They want our approval. They want to wait on us and protect us. Cats don’t care when we want them. They just take a message and decide when they want to get back to us. They don’t need or want our approval.
Sir Socks Le Chat 