Cat Health >> Treating Ear Mites

Ear Mites in Cats - How to Treat Them

by Brandon Cornett

Ear mites are a common problem with cats and it is particularly common in kittens. Ear mites tend to be more common in those cats and kittens that are outside frequently or live only outdoors. Cats can pick up many pests outdoors, but ear mites are particularly common.

What Are Ear Mites?

Ear mites are little parasites and they live in the ear canal. The parasites are like little crabs, and if you do not treat them they can cause many more serious problems in your cats ears. For instance, the cat may become more likely to develop bacteria and yeast infections in the ears, and in some cases cats have even had their eardrums rupture due to mites.

Ear mites are also very contagious. Ear mites can easily pass from cats to dogs and even to humans. These mites live in on the skin of the ear canal and feed on the tissue as well as tissue fluids.

All cats will react differently to ear mites. Some can withstand a large population while others itch badly with only a small population in the ears. Many cats may be hypersensitive to the saliva produced by the mites, and will thus feel the urge to scratch frequently.

Additionally, mites cause the ears to produce excess wax and a buildup of wax in the ears can cause more discomfort in the ears and inflammation. This wax build up will often cause discomfort and increased inflammation. The ears will frequently have very dark or black wax coming out of them and they may also have an odor. Ear mites are common in young cats and although the vet will most likely know it is mites he or she may inspect the ears thoroughly first.

How to Detect Them

You can often tell if your cat has ear mites because they have dark brown debris around the ear and around the ear canal. This dark brown debris is earwax and it's the waste produced by the ear mites. If your cat or kitten shows this dark brown crud around the shell of the ear, the cat most likely has ear mites. Another sign that the cat may have ear mites is if is scratching at its ears and shaking its head persistently.

Treatment for Ear Mites

Depending on the severity of the infestation, the cat may need a varying length of treatment. The standard ear mite treatment is to administer eardrops to the cat twice a day. Your cat will most likely not appreciate this, so you may have to be forceful in holding the cat or kitten down.

One way to do this without getting too scratched up is to wrap the cat in a towel with only his head sticking out. Wrap him tightly so he cannot get his feet out. This will protect you from getting scratched up too much by your frightened and stressed cat. It is vital that you follow the twice-a-day schedule for the specific length of time prescribed by your veterinarian. If you do not, the ear mites will come back.