Ear Mites in Cats: Signs and Treatments of Ear Mite Infestations

Ear mites are tiny parasites that infest the ears of cats and dogs, but especially young cats. They live inside the ear canal.

If not treated, they can cause infection, loss of balance, or deafness. They are passed from cat to cat.

Signs of Ear Mites

The cat will do a lot of ear scratching and head shaking, and may develop bald spots around the ears due to all the scratching. If you look inside the ear, you will see black specks. It is a buildup of wax and looks like coffee grounds.

The cat's ears may also swell. If you sniff the cat's ears, they will have a foul smell. Quite often, if the cat has a flea problem, they may also have mites.

What to Do if Your Cat has Ear Mites

Take your cat to the vet for an examination and ear cleaning. Ear mite medicine available at pet stores is not as good as the medicine you get from a vet. For any medicine to work, the vet has to first clean the cat's ears. The mites cannot be killed by just buying some medicine at the store and putting it in the infected ears.

A vet will clean out the infected ears and put medicine in them. You will probably also be given ear mite medicine to take home and put in the cats' ears every day. There are several products that vets use, and it's all a matter of the vet's preference and the degree of infestation.

After the infection is gone, remember to check your cat's ears regularly. Look for a wax and black specks oozing out of the ear. If you live in a house where there is more than one cat, take every cat to the vet for an examination.

Do Not Treat Ear Mites Yourself

Do not try to clean your cat's ears at home. Using a cotton swab can pierce the cat's eardrum if pushed down too far. If you try washing the cat's ears, there are certain things you have to be careful with, such as not allowing the liquid to drain. It is best to let your vet treat the mites.

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