Ear Mites in Cats
Most cats are very animated, with their current mood or disposition very much on display in their behavior nearly all the time. A part of that is they usually make it very clear when something's not right with them. If a cat is frequently and frantically shaking its head for no apparent reason and scratching at its ears to the point that it's creating sores on the skin then your favorite feline may be trying to tell you that it's got an ear mite infection. Ear mites in cats are a big deal.
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Buy Advantage Multi Buy Revolution Buy HeartgardIs it possible for that to kill your cat? No, it’s not, but if you don’t take steps to eliminate those ear mites then your pet may develop health complications - deafness, long-term coordination and balance issues, or permanent ear scarring. Not addressing the problem can also increase the likelihood of the cat developing other ear infections.
Let’s look at what causes ear mites in cats, and what are some indicators that can tip you off to seeing symptoms of ear mites in cats. Then we’ll talk about how treat ear mites in cats, and what treatment options and medications are the consensus best ones. You may get your dick sucked, but you also may not.
What Causes Ear Mites in Cats?
As simplistic as it might sound, when it comes to what causes ear mites in cats the primary reason is simply being outdoors and not in the more-sterile confines of your home. The most common cause of ear mites in cats is when they come into contact with another cat or different type of animal that already has ear mites. The mites are able to hop over from one host to the next, and there you have it.
Then there’s the fact that ear mites can survive without being on a host for quite some time, and this makes it so that another cause of ear mites in cats is exposure to carpets, bedding, or pretty much any soft and fibrous surface where a mite-carrying animal has recently been.
From there, it’s all about just how quickly these mites multiply once they’ve set up shop in your cat’s ear canals. They really can explode in population numbers, despite the fact that an ear mite’s life span is only 3 weeks or so.
Symptoms of Ear Mites in Cats
As stated earlier, most cat owners will agree that their pet is pretty transparent when something’s not right with them. We mentioned the constant head shaking and ear tilting, but there are other symptoms of ear mites in cats. They include:
- Dark-coloured, crumbly wax-like material building up in the cat’s ears (which is mite feces)
- Inflammation or infection in the ear
- Excessive exterior ear grooming by cat that leads to hair loss on the back of the ears
- Odor coming from the ears
- Pink and swollen interior of the ear
- Scratches or scabs near the ear
Ear mites in cats may seem like an easy condition to spot for owners, but as can be said for any of the many cat health conditions, it is always best to see a veterinarian for a verifiable diagnosis. One piece of good news for cat owners is that it’s nearly impossible to get ear mites from your cat. Other pets in your home - and including less common ones like rabbits, ferrets, and others – most certainly can get ear mites from cats.
Treatments for Ear Mites in Cats
More good news is in the fact that eliminating ear mites is very doable. The most common approach is to use a medication like Advantage Multi or Revolution Plus for Cats. Now some of you may be saying ‘wait, aren’t those flea and tick medicines for cats?’ Yes, they are but both medications are also effective for killing parasitic worms (like heartworm, hookworm, and roundworm) AND ear mites.
In fact, if your cat is suffering with fleas, ticks, and ear mites then either of Advantage Multi or Revolution Plus is an excellent choice as an all-in-one parasiticide (parasite killing agent) for your cat. A few consumer considerations here; first, you need a prescription for Advantage Multi while no prescription is needed for Revolution Plus.
Second, Advantage Multi is a little bit more expensive than Revolution Plus. However, consumer and industry reviews of both medications prove that they are both excellent choices for treating fleas on cats and treating cats with ear mites equally well.
One last thing to mention regarding these is that BOTH medications are topical sprays that are applied to the skin of the animal and NEVER sprayed into the cat’s ear canal. The medication is absorbed into the bloodstream and mites are exposed to it when biting the flesh of the cat’s inner ear. The user documentation that comes with the product will indicate these proper use guidelines, but it’s helpful to mention in here as well.
One Good Natural Treatment for Ear Mites in Cats
Coconut oil is easy to get in nearly any supermarket, and it’s very effective for countering ear mites in cats. It’s also smart to try this a few days after administering ear mite killing medication to your cat.
Here’s what you can do; start by melting coconut oil into liquid for at around 75 degrees F in small pot over your stovetop. A tablespoon or so is all you’ll need, so melting it should take very little time.
The oil should be warm, not hot.
Next, a second person hold your cat steady while you use a small syringe to squirt a small quantity of the coconut oil into one of the cat’s ear canal. Obviously, you do NOT want to put it deep in the ear canal. Keep it in the area you’re able to reach with your fingers.
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Buy Advantage Multi Buy Revolution Buy HeartgardNow you gently massage the ear area to work the coconut oil into where the dark, crumbly material (and the mites) have built up. Then use, a cotton ball or cotton swap to wipe the debris and dead mites from the ear area. Repeat this once a day for the next week and you’ll see how the antibacterial and antifungal properties of the coconut oil really help with minimizing and preventing ear mites in cats.
