Change in Meow

We have a 16-year-old male Himilayan Persian who has recently been treated for an ear infection. The vet gave us Tresaderm to treat the infection, which we have just recently stopped because he seems to be over the infection.

Last Saturday he started meowing in a strange way; the best I could compare it to was like a Canadian goose flying over head. Other than that he seems fine; eating, drinking using his litter box normally.

We have yet to contact the vet but we're getting closer to calling him.

Has anyone experienced a change similar to this in their cat?

I was wondering if the Tresaderm might have caused a problem but I think that's a long shot.

Thanks,

Robert

My cat's meow changed a) after she was spayed when she was a kitten, and b) when we got a new cat, she was three. Ask your vet, even if it's a phone call only.

If your cat has had an ear infection, do you think it's possible the infection has moved to the throat? Maybe he has a sore throat which could explain the difference in sound. Definitely ring your vet though.

This may not be the case with your cat, but my 13 yr old Siamese's meow changed when he started going "downhill". Within 1 week of this, poor Cinnamon had to be put down (the left side of his heart was enlarged). So, given your cat's age, I'd definitely visit the vet.

I agree with millyanddaisy -- I think the infection is affecting the throat. Did you give the antibiotic for the full course? Or did you stop it early because, as you said, "he seems to be over the infection?" Antibiotics should never be stopped early because the infection seems to be over. They should be given as long as it says on the prescription, or until they're gone, if not specified.

The original problem was a middle ear infection causing an imbalance; Mocha, our cat, would tilt to one side and have trouble walking. The vet scoped his ear and saw the infection, put him on antibiotics for the duration recommended and then in follow-up determined the infection was now in his outer left ear and prescribed Tresaderm.

Since then we've been to the vet twice and there has been an improvement in the infection but then this vocalizing condition came up a week ago. I just talked to the vet yesterday and he feels Mocha should remain on the Tresaderm for at least one or two more weeks - dosage is 5 drops once a day, twice a week.

I wrote to a site called 'Ask a vet' and they didn't seem alarmed with the length of treatment with Tresaderm. They did mention it's possible the medication could be causing deafness and that's why the 'meow' has changed. Obviously they could be wrong because I haven't seen any indication of deafness - yet.

Thanks for the responses.

Robert

Does it sound more like a howl? Has the vet run a senior blood panel on your cat recently?

It's not a howl, it sounds like his regular meows only different (if that makes sense.) As I said earlier it sounds a little like when you hear canadian geese flying overhead and honking.

Even though last night and this morning he started to sound a little more like himself, but not quite, so maybe whatever caused this is going away. I'm convinced it has something to do with the ear infection and/or the Tresaderm.

I'm not sure what a senior blood panel is but the vet has, in the past, run blood work and just recently checked his kidney function - which is fine.

Robert