Cat cry

What it means

The presence of a characteristic high-pitched cry that sounds similar to the meowing of a kitten.

This unusual cry is characteristic of the cri du chat syndrome which results from a deletion on the p arm of chromosome 5. It is thought to be due to laryngeal hypoplasia, floppy epiglottis, small larynx, and asymmetric vocal cords, but is probably also related to dysfunction of the central nervous system. This sign occurs in infants and disappears with age.

Rare diseases that can present with this2

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: cri de chat-associated cry