Voice changed after traumatic experience?

Hi all,

We recently (3 days ago) recovered our foster kitty Waggles who escaped from his new owner and was lost for a week (I posted the story in another forum).

He appears to be fine apart from a dirty and tangled coat. I have noticed though that his voice sounds different. The first day he was back it seemed fine, but the last 2 days he sounds more like a siamese--sort of whiny and like a baby's cry (no offense to the siamese owners ) I'm wondering if maybe he has a sore throat or his throat is dry? We are going through a heat wave but he has fresh water. Like I said it was fine initially but now it's changed. He's eating fine and is showing no health issues (thank God).

It might as well the experience. When my family's cat had several kittens(out of 6, only 2 had made it, though), my dad decided to foster one to his friend's family. Unfortunately, the kitten could not get adjusted to the new environment, she was returned to my family within 3 days - the poor thing kept meowing meowing meowing...non-stop, day and night. The foster family could not deal with her never-ending meows.

Before she was fostered, she was meowing very sweetly & gently. When she was returned, her voice was hoarse & she meowed loudly - just like the way you described. She must've lost it by the endless meowing, I suppose. Although the kitten was happy returning & being with her mom again, the mother cat was agitated so badly

I don't recall if we brought her to a vet or anything. Her voice was back to normal in few days - the way she meowed was never be the same as before, though...

Thanks for the input, KKH. I wouldn't be surprised if he spent a lot of time crying when he was lost , maybe he's hoarse. I could be remembering wrong that it was fine when we found him, I was just so thrilled to see him it could have been off then too. My main concern is that he eats which he is doing and his spirits are good so hopefully he'll bounce back soon.

It could be a respiratory infection, or maybe he's allergic to something he got into while outdoors. If it keeps up, I'd take him to a vet.