Can a cat lose her voice?

Question
Until recently, I had never come across this problem. One of my cats is a 6 year old Siamese-Mau crossbreed. She typically has the voice of a Siamese but just last night when I let her inside, she didn't have her voice. She tried to meow several times, but all that came out was a cracked and raspy 'oew' noise. It really sounds like she lost her voice somehow. She's still active and acts like she usually does. She's just very quiet.  

Answer
Hi Alaric.  Cats can indeed lose their voices.  Occasionally, this can be caused by polyps or other growths, but cats can get laryngitis just like people can.  And as with people, it's caused by an infection.  Sometimes the infection is viral, and it passes within a couple of days.  In my experience, though, laryngitis is almost always bacterial and requires antibiotics to clear up.  You could choose to wait it out for a couple days and see if she recovers on her own, but if it hasn't resolved in a few days or if she develops additional symptoms, such as cough, lethargy, social withdrawal or refusal to eat, she should get to a vet right away.

Hope she's feeling better soon!

Jessica