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Ear Mites in Cats

Ear Mites in Cats

by Oliva Martin, Pet Care Consultant

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If you cat is relentlessly scratching at her ears, shaking her head or rubbing her head on the carpet, it is a good sign that he or she might have ear mites. A trip to your veterinarian will determine if you cat truly does have ear mites or if there are other causes for her discomfort.

What are Ear Mites?

Ear Mites Under Microscope, Courtsey of minzabella on Flickr
Ear Mites

Ear mites, or Otodectes Cynotis are tiny crab like parasites that infest the skin and out ear canal in both dogs and cats. They live on the surface of the skin in the ear canal and feed on tissue debris and fluids, causing irritation and inflammation. If left untreated, ear mites can cause bacterial and yeast infections and in very extreme cases, they can cause ruptured ear drums that can lead to seizures and deafness. Ear mites are highly contagious and spread easily to other cats and even dogs.

Ear mites have a life cycle that lasts around three weeks. They live the entire life on the host. The female mite lays her eggs in the ear, and after four days, they hatch into larva. The lava feed on ear wax and skin oils for a week and then molts into a protonymph, which then turns into a deutonymph. They are genderless until the deutonymph mates with an adult male, which then turns it into a female who can lay eggs.

How do I know my cat has ear mites?Ear Mites in Cats

The reaction of a cat to an ear mite infestation can vary. Some cats will have a lot of irritation from only a few mites, while others won't be bothered by a complete infestation. If your cat does have a mite infestation, you will want to look for a build up of wax that has a dark appearance and looks similar to coffee grounds. Your cat may also scratch excessively at his ears or shake his head.

Your veterinarian will examine your cat’s ears with an otoscope to determine if she has a mite infestation. The light and warmth from the otoscope will draw the mites out of the wax and to the surface, making them more visible. Additionally, the rest of the cat’s body will be examined as mites can also live outside of the ears. Do not treat your cat for mites until you have a veterinarian’s diagnosis, using a mite treatment without diagnosis could further irritate an infected ear.

How are ear mites treated?

Ear mites are most commonly treated with an ear wash that not only cleans the ear of debris, but will also help to reduce inflammation, such as QuadraClear. Your vet will then most likely prescribe some drops, such as Tresaderm to eliminate the mites. Some veterinarians have also used Frontline Plus or Revolution if the ear mite infestation is causing problems with the cats skin. It is important that you continue with the full treatment for at least a month to prevent reinfestation because the mites have a lifecycle of three weeks. Once you have completed treatment, your vet will want to reexamine your cat to be sure that all of the mites are gone.

Ear mites are highly contagious, so if one pet in your household has them, you will need to treat all of your pets because one pet that might not be showing symptoms can easily reinfect your cat.

**This article is not meant to provide a diagnosis for your pet. If your pet is sick or showing unusual symptoms, please contact your local veterinarian for a diagnosis**


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