Cat ear mites are no fun for your pet, and no fun for you to treat. Spotting and treating feline ear mites is relatively easy if you know how, but your cat might not thank you for it.
How to spot a feline ear mite.
Cat ear mites are easy to spot. In most cases, your cat is likely to scratch at his ears, shake his head or rub his ears along the furniture or pillows. If you take a look at your cat's ears, you may see a buildup of dark brown or reddish-brown dirt or wax. You may also see scabs or a black crust, if your cat has been scratching at the ear excessively.
If you think your cat might have mites, swab some of the debris off with a cotton ball or swab (be careful not to poke down into the ear canal!) and examine it under a magnifying glass. Conversely, you can spread it on a piece of dark paper. If you see moving white things in the debris, chances are good that they're ear mites. You may want to check with your vet to confirm before beginning home remedies, or you can ask your vet for a topical lotion.
Keep an infected cat away from other cats.
The feline ear mite is highly contagious. If your cat is infected, keep him away from other cats. He may need to live in a closed room until the ear mites are gone; the prevention is worthwhile, as clearing them up from one or multiple cats can be time consuming.
Evict the ear mites.
Ear mites love the dark crusty debris in your cats' ears, so the first step to eliminating them is to clean out your cat's ears. Use mineral oil or an ear cleanser available from your pet supply store to loosen the debris. From there, gently massage your cat's ears. The massaging action helps to move the debris out from the eardrum to a place where you can safely clean your cat's ears. When the debris is loosened, you can use a cotton ball or clean tissues to wipe the crud out of your cat's ears. You may need to repeat this periodically if you see the buildup continue.
Next step: insecticide ear drops.
Cleaning your cat's ears makes them less homey for ear mites, but it doesn't actually kill them. Once you've cleaned your cat's ears thoroughly, you'll need to apply insecticide ear drops to kill the mites. Follow the dosage instructions from the packaging; typically two to three drops per ear, twice per day. You can get insecticide ear drops from your pet supply store, or you can consult your vet.
Ear mites don't go away overnight.
Unfortunately, it takes more than one application to get rid of ear mites. You'll need to clean your cat's ears every day as directed, for up to three to four weeks. Even if you kill the ear mites in your cat's ear, you might miss an infestation in your house, one that can come back if you're not diligent about keeping up with the ear cleaning. If your best efforts haven't managed to clear the mites out by the end of a month, you may need your vet's help to get rid of them.
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