Get Rid of Ear Mites in a Cat

Ear mites are one of the most common causes of feline ear discomfort. They are tiny parasites that live inside the ear canal of an infected animal, living on the wax and other dirt inside a cat's ear. Here is how to identify them and get rid of them.

Steps

 * 1)  [[Image:Itchy.jpg|right|220px]]Identify the problem. The common cat ear mite (Otodectes cynotis (cyanotis)) is carried by many cats and usually presents little or no irritation. The mite becomes a problem when it causes otitis (ear inflammation) or otodectic mange, and once this starts being a problem, the mite infestation will cause your cat to scratch his ears a lot, lay his ears back, and shake his head.  Look inside your cat's ears; if he has ear mites, there will usually be a lot of dark dirt or brown crusty discharge. This is debris. You may also notice a foul smell coming from the ears.
 * 2) *A cat that has suffered from ear mites for a long time can develop inflammatory polyps in their ear canals, and blood blisters on their ear flaps due to constant rubbing. In addition, the external ear may be inflamed and producing pus, or the cat may have a torn eardrum.
 * 3) [[Image:Vet 4 cats.jpg|right|181px]]Take your cat to the vet. Once you've checked the ears and you suspect that your cat might have ear mites, see the vet. The vet will easily identify the problem, by looking in your cat's ear with an otoscope, or swab the ear and examine the debris under a microscope. It's important not to assume that ear mites are the problem just in case you misdiagnose and give the wrong treatment.
 * 4) *The vet will check to see whether live mites or mite eggs appear under the microscope.
 * 5)  [[Image:Bunny and Cat (4).jpg|thumb|Keep them apart until you're sure the mites have been treated|right|220px]]If the condition is confirmed, take care. In the case that your cat's infection is confirmed to be ear mites, do not let your pet walk among your other pets (including dogs, rabbits, and so forth), while infected. And you might even have to treat all your other pets, since ear mites among animals are highly contagious.
 * 6) *In a multi-cat or multi-pet household, take no chances. Tell your vet that there are other pets at home and seek advice.
 * 7)  [[Image:Picken up signlz.jpg|thumb|Clean those ears!|right|220px]]Clean out the ear. Remove the build-up. This is done by gently flushing the ear with a solution of tepid water and mild dish soap, then rinsing. Since there is a risk of damaging your cat's ear drum or pushing mites further into the ear canal, you may want to have your veterinarian do this.
 * 8)  Apply medication. Most of the effective ear mite treatments contain insecticide that contains pyrethrins. The medication will usually be in the form of drops which you will put in the cat's ears, then massage it in to ensure that it gets good coverage. The medication provided by your vet is generally stronger and may be more effective than the ones bought over the counter.
 * 9)  Repeat. Medication is generally applied daily, for several days in a row. Then, you usually wait a week after which the cleansing and medication process is repeated. You may need to do this whole procedure for three or four cycles before ridding the ears of mites.
 * 10)  [[Image:Pandora Gets Groomed.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Check the rest of the cat too]]Think outside the box. Ear mites can actually live outside the ears. While they usually live in the ears, they can also survive in the surrounding fur. An ear mite will spend his whole life in a cat's ear, from hatching, starting its own family through to its death. You may need to use medication outside of the ear area for this reason; ask your vet for specific advice.

Tips

 * Remember, if you are concerned about your cat's health, you should consult your veterinarian.
 * If your cat is not cooperative, you may want to wrap her in a towel before administering treatment.
 * Don't worry - feline ear mites cannot infest human ears!

Warnings

 * Ear mite infections can be serious if left untreated resulting in damage to the ear canals and eardrums and leaving deformity of the ears and possible deafness.
 * Ear mites are very contagious and can be passed on from cat to cat or cat to dog and visa versa so it is important to treat all of your pets at the same time.

Things You'll Need

 * Medication from vet

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