Treating Ear Mites in Cats

If you can imagine what it's like to have thousands of tiny bugs crawling around inside your ear canal, you might understand what it feels like to have ear mites. Ear mites are a common problem in cats and are responsible for more than half of all feline ear infections, according to the ASPCA. Otodectes cynotis, the most common type of ear mite, is a very small parasite with eight legs that feeds on oils and wax inside the ear canal. Without treatment, ear mites can cause severe irritation and inflammation and lead to potentially serious infections.

Symptoms of Feline Ear Mites:

Due to their tiny size--often smaller than a pinpoint--ear mites are nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. This makes home diagnosis difficult. In addition to telltale head shaking, ear mite infections typically cause scratching, ear inflammation, hair loss, and a dark waxy secretion from the ear. There may also be a strong odor from the infected ear. Some cats develop debris similar to coffee grounds inside the ear canal and scabs or scratches in or around the ears.

Treatment of Ear Mites in Cats:

Treatment of ear mites eliminates symptoms and prevents complications, such as infection and ruptured blood vessels inside the ear. Before starting treatment, your veterinarian may examine samples of your cat's ear discharge under a microscope to rule out other causes of his symptoms. Once a diagnosis is made, treatment with a topical medication, such as pyrethrin, can begin.

In addition to drugs that kill the mites responsible for your cat's infection, antibiotic eardrops may be necessary to help prevent or treat complications caused by scratching. Symptoms usually clear within days of starting treatment, but it is essential to continue the full course of the pet medication to prevent a recurrence. It is also important to wash your cat's bedding thoroughly to protect against reinfection.

Because ear mites are highly contagious, asymptomatic animals that live in close quarters with infected animals are often treated as a precautionary measure. Outside cats and young kittens are most at risk for ear mites.