How To Recognize The Symptoms Of Ear Mites Before They Damage Your Cat's Ears

Posted on: 15 September 2015

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Ear mites are a fairly common problem for cats to endure, but it's hard for pet parents to notice them until the symptoms have become severe. Ear mites are so small that they're nearly impossible to spot with the naked eye, so it's important to know what the symptoms are. If you notice your cat exhibiting any of these symptoms, get them to a veterinarian right away.

Symptoms

One of the first symptoms you can expect your cat to go through if they have ear mites is for their ears to emit a brown or dark-colored discharge. As the irritation progresses, and ear mites begin to lay eggs and leave behind excrement, your cat may become notably perturbed by their ears. They may obsessively scratch or kick their ears and shake their heads incessantly. Ear mites can cause a lot of damage on their own, but cats can also experience serious complications from frequent head-shaking, so go to a vet right away if you spot this symptom.

In addition, your cat's ears may smell foul or have visible scabs or swelling, or the ear canal may be visibly blocked.

Consequences

Unfortunately, ear mites can cause serious infections to develop in your cat's ears. If left untreated, these infections can cause permanent deafness or even spread to other parts of the body. In addition, if your cat is incessantly shaking their head due to the itching and inflammation, they may experience a form of hematoma inside the ear that can cause deafness and even permanently alter the shape of the ear, disfiguring it.

Treatment

Getting rid of ear mites and treating the infections and blockages they can cause is actually quite easy. When you see a vet, they'll thoroughly examine your cat's ears to determine if they have ear mites, which may also include testing any discharge from the ears. If the results prove that your cat has ear mites, your vet will want to thoroughly clean out their ears and then treat them with medication to kill the mites and heal any infections. You will most likely need to apply medication regularly to your cat's ears, which may come in the form of drops or a topical medicine.

Ear mites can be a serious problem for cats, but vets can easily help your kitty out. If your cat is experiencing any of these symptoms, get them to the vet right away to determine if they have ear mites or another type of infection.