If your cat’s ears are bothering her, there can be many reasons. Don’t ignore her if she’s scratching her ears more often than normal, or if she shakes her head a lot. She may have ear mites, which can lead to more serious conditions.
What are ear mites? They’re small parasites that live in your furry friend’s ears. Their bites cause intense itching, which can just about drive her (and you) crazy. If you suspect your kitty has mites, look in her ears. If you see dark brown waxy stuff in there that looks like coffee grounds, your buddy probably has them.
Felines are extremely prone to ear mites. Kittens especially are bothered by them, and they usually catch them from their mothers. Mites move around easily and spread very quickly from one animal to another in a household. So if you have more than one kitty or puppy, be sure to treat all your furry friends at the same time so they don’t keep passing them back and forth.
Ear mites are not a life-threatening condition, but you do need to treat them. They can lead to other problems like hematomas and ear infections.
Your feline friend can develop a hematoma in her ear if she shakes her head too hard. What happens is that she ruptures a blood vessel in her ear. The blood quickly fills her ear flap, causing it to swell noticeably. This is extremely painful for your kitty, and can lead to permanent scarring, so take her to the vet right away if this should happen. The vet may be able to remove the blood with a needle and syringe, but surgery may be required.
Ear mites are the most common cause of ear infections in kitties. When your furball is constantly scratching at her ears, they become irritated and inflamed, which provides a perfect environment for bacteria or fungus to grow.
The most noticeable symptom of an ear infection is a foul smell from your buddy’s ears. They’ll be very sensitive, and she won’t want you to look in them or touch them because they hurt! If she’s in pain, she’ll probably be pretty grouchy, too. Bleeding or a discharge from her ear also indicates an infection.
There are several other causes of ear problems in felines, so be sure to have your vet examine her to rule out allergies or yeast infections.
A ear polyp is a benign growth in your cat’s ear. She may have a bloody discharge from her ear, or she may tilt her head and be unable to walk in a straight line. Her eyelid may be droopy, or you may see her third eyelid partially covering her eye.
Ear polyps are pretty unusual. It’s not known what causes them. But if she’s otherwise young and healthy, and has severe or repeat ear infections, you may want to have your vet exam her ear with an otoscope. Surgery may be required to remove a polyp.
Don’t ignore your kitty if she has problems with her ears. Mites can lead to an ear infection. If an infection becomes severe, it’s more painful for your furry friend, and harder to get rid of. Chronic infections can compromise her immune system, which can lead to more serious complications.
Prevention is the best remedy!
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