Lack of miaow

[Stuart]

Hamish used to meow like a siamese, whereas Misty does not meow, chirp or anything
although like jameson, Misty meows his protest when in the carrier in the car
(although it doesnt sound like a proper meow)
I just think some cats can meow and some cant 

[Puffball (Louise)]

Willow rarely miaows, but if she does it's very loud and invariably means she's hunting a moth or some other flying insect. It's the only time she's ever vocal and she won't give up until it's dead... even at 4am 

[Linda (Bengalbabe)]

My bengal girl Nova cant meow either. Opens her mouth a bit like a goldfish but nothing    Perfect otherwise and with all her bengly brothers and sisters its quite good to have one thats quiet lol 

[JadesMum]

There is a large Ginger old Tom comes to visit us - if back gate left open (he is 16yr old and cant climb or jump - Bless).
He sits at the back door and does a very tiny squeaky noise - I have never heard him meow. A very strange sound.
On the other scale, my Tibby is a meower and a chatter box - never shuts up lol.
Lucy meows if hungry.

I never knew so many ways to spell miaow, meow lolol

[Yvonne]

Hello Marcia and     to the forum


I think there is a difference between not being able to miaow and just not bothering to miaow.  My Spotty lost his miaow when he developed asthma, this was the first indication that he had a condition.  If your Holly has never miaowed I would not be too concerned only if she had lost her miaow.

Presumably Holly would have been checked out before she left the rescue.

[Leanne]

Jess hardly ever meows when he does we look at him in wonder his done it 3/4 times in the we've had him.

He does chipper and chatter though especally when we say yum yums or walkies, he also does it at the birds though the window.

[Maddiesmum]

My Madison (RIP) couldn't meow.  She would open her mouth and nothing came out!  Very occasionally a little tiny one but otherwise nothing

[Queen-Penguin]

Menue doesnt meeow. She kind of chirrups at me and grunts like a pig. Only time she will cry is if I go to bed and she is asleep on the settee and turn all the lights off. Guess she is scared of the dark.

[Marcia]

Thank godness for that  i was begining to worry.

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

Funny you should say that...  

I have a theory (unproved) that some cats' vocal cords get damage during vet surgery. Over the years, I've had several cats go almost mute or very croaky and one took nearly 4 years to recovery enough sound the same way he did before surgery. Not on EVERY occasion I've taken a cat for surgery, mind you, just some.  

I wouldn't worry, Marcia. Puss will still let you know when meowmy's not up to scratch.  

[tigerbaby]

Jameson only meows when he's in his carrier on way to the vets. Otherwise he chirps and coo-es like a bird. It's hard to describe the sound, but it definitely doesn't sound like a meow. He does it as a ''hello'' when he sees me, or as a ''thank you'' if I open the front door for him, and he often comes up to me when I'm on the pc and gently chirps at me, this usually means he wants attention or food.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

No worries, Sasa can only squeak too unless she gets really upset like when I have trapped her for the vets and then she cries and cries pityfully and it hurts me. 

Sasa is semi-feral , just incase you worried why I have to trap her.

Sometimes if I listen hard one of those squeaks is a tiny high meow.

She also talks to Misa in squeaks 

I also had a ginger cat in London who moved in eventually and I didnt tyhink he could meow but when he had to go in a carrier he meowed and wailed at the top of his voice.......up to then he just purred like a steam train,

[Marcia]

I'm not sure if i've put this in the right place but here we go anyway.

Holly our 3 1/2 year old cat can't miaow, why do you think this is? The rescue that we got her from said they had her ever since she was a kitten and i have read that some cats who are bottle fed lose their ability to 'talk'. She does make a noise which sounds like someone who wants you to check their breath   and when she gets really excited, a ever so slight squeek comes out which is really cute  

So is this one of these natural things to happen to a cat or should i be worried?