Ear Mites in Cats

Ear mites are not the only cause of ear disease in cats. Cats should be examined to determine if ear mites are present prior to treatment. Whenever treatment for this condition is not working well other causes of ear disease should be considered.

In the past it was felt that ear mites did not live well off cats but they may be better at surviving in the environment than we thought. In order to eliminate ear mites it is important to treat your cat's ears, the haircoat and the cat's environment for the mites. There are a number of approved medications for ear mites. Flea control products that kill adult fleas will kill mites. These may be used to treat the haircoat and the house, according to the product directions. In particularly stubborn cases, the use of ivermectin, an experimental drug in cats, may be justified.

This tiny spider-like creatures are highly contagious and can spread from pet to pet in your home through direct contact.

The ear mite lives by burrowing into the ear canal. The cat's ear will respond to this irritation by producing more wax. Since the mite feeds on wax and debris in the ear canal in order to live, this only exacerbates the problem further. Ear mites cause an intense itching and with that your cat will shake his/her head and scratch the ears incessantly; so hard in fact that the cat's ears may develop abscesses and further infection.

Ear mites occur mostly in kittens before their immune systems are strong enough to build up a resistance to mites. However cats of all ages can contract ear mites. It is very important to treat ear mites as soon as possible. If left unchecked they can cause serious problems such as secondary bacterial infections and deafness.

Symptoms to look for:

Frequent scratching

Excessive shaking of the head

Scratching when the ear flap is gently rubbed against the ear

Reddish-brown or black waxy ear build up

Bad odor

How do I know if my cat has ear mites? Believe it or not, 90% of ALL cats get ear mites (per Dr. Michael Dryden, Kansas State University veterinarian.) Kittens and cats under one year of age are most likely to become infested with ear mites as their immune system has not built up enough resistance to them yet. Mites do not pierce the skin, or suck the blood of their host. One of the reasons it is so difficult to get rid of them is that they can migrate. While most mites will spend their entire life in the ear canal, some mites may inhabit other areas of the cats body; especially the feet, face, neck and tailhead. You will usually notice a blackish discharge in the ears that resembles coffee grounds and is very thick. A veterinarian can confirm a diagnosis of ear mites by looking at the discharge under a microscope, and occasionally you can actually see the tiny, mobile white mites under a magnifying glass.

Treatment:

If your cat has ear mites your vet will easily see them in the discharge. Your vet will also check for any secondary infections or abscesses in the ear. Once your cat is diagnosed with ear mites her ears will need to be cleaned thoroughly with a acidifying solution and miticidal medication. Your vet will do this initial cleaning either on the examination table or (depending on the severity of the debris and the demeanor of your cat) under general anesthesia. You will then be sent home with either ear drops or oral medication that will need to be given for about 2 or 3 weeks. If your cat has any secondary infections she will also be given medication for that as well.

Keep in mind that ear mites can also be found loose in the environment. Once your cat is diagnosed with mites it is a good idea to treat all of your pets at the same time to make sure you have eliminated all of the ear mites.

Simple Solution:

Gently swabbing the ear canal with a large of chunk of cotton may reveal a gooey brown to black discharge often produced by ear mites.

While ear mites can be annoying to both owner and cat, they are relatively easy to clear up-if we are persistent and give several treatments over the course of 3 weeks. Almost any natural oil-based ear medication, even one that does not directly kill the mites, will ultimately drown them. (The oil covers the mites' breathing pores, eventually suffocating them.)

Ear mites are highly contagious, even though they are usually only found in younger animals, so you will want to treat all of the animals in the household. Don't forget to treat any dogs that are in contact with the infested kitties; dogs are also susceptible to the mites. And even if only one ear appears infected, treat both ears. The mites readily migrate over an animal's head, from one ear to the other.

Precautionary measures:

Keep your home clean and as debris free as possible. If any of your pets have any sort of flea or parasite infestation make sure to thoroughly clean your home. As many pests can not only live on your cat but also live in your home, just getting rid of the pests on the cat's body may not be enough. Have your carpets and couches vacuumed and cleaned. You may also want to have your house bombed for pests.

You also may want to bath your cat with a vet approved flea shampoo once a week if your cat is an outdoor cat or if your cat comes in contact with unknown cats often. One last thing, do not clean deep in your cat's ear canal with any sort of applicator as you may accidentally hurt the cats ear or ear drum.

Are there any complications from ear mites? Often, a secondary infection can occur due to the continued irritation from the ear mites in the sensitive ear canals of the cat. These infections can be bacterial in nature, or fungal, as in a yeast infection. Your veterinarian can prescribe corticosteroid drugs to help relieve the itching until the mites are gone, and antibiotics in the case of a bacterial secondary infection. It is very important to treat ear mites, for if left untreated, they can cause serious problems such as secondary bacterial infections and even deafness. Even a few mites can make a cat thoroughly miserable, and some cats are actually hypersensitive to mites.