Cats, like dogs, are very prone to ear infections. When these diseases attack them, they can suffer a lot of pain and discomfort, so we must be vigilant and make sure to clean their ears frequently.
But why are they so prone to these types of infections? The ears of these animals are intricate, so wax and parasites can easily get caught there and lead to infection that must be treated by a specialist.
Types of otitis in cats
Depending on where the infection occurred, we differentiate the external otitis, otitis media and internal otitis.
External otitis
When the outermost part of the ear, that is, from the pinna to the eardrum, becomes inflamed, we are talking about the cat having external otitis. It is the most common in these animals, especially if they are between 1 and 2 years old, and if they go outside. During spring is when we will have to be much more careful and have better control, since It is during this season when more cases of otitis occur due to high temperatures and humidity.
Also, if we bathe it regularly it is very important to avoid getting water, dewormers or anything else (such as shampoo) in your ear, since otherwise we would cause pain and discomfort. To avoid this, it will simply be enough to put a cotton plug in the ear impregnated with liquid petroleum jelly.
otitis media
This type of otitis is nothing more than a poorly cured or untreated otitis externa. It occurs when the middle ear has become inflamed. In severe cases it may even be broken. Cats with otitis media may notice hearing loss, which will be more or less important depending on how advanced the infection is.
Internal otitis
Due to its location, it is the most difficult to cure. It generally occurs after trauma or poorly healed otitis externa or media. In this case, we could come to think that our furry is becoming deaf in one ear, and it is that heThe infection will have advanced so far that it will have blocked the ear canal.
Causes of otitis
The causes of otitis are many and varied, so we are going to see them separately to find out why our cat's ears are infected:
Strange bodies
Although it is not very common, the truth is that the cat's ear can also end up with a spike inside. If that happens, the vet should remove it carefully, under general anesthesia. Usually, after 2-3 days you will have fully recovered.
Mites
The mite that causes otitis in cats is called Otodectes cynotis. It is by far the most common cause, and also one of the easiest to treat: you just have to apply a pipette that ends with the mites, and drops that the vet will say directly to your ear.
Bacteria and fungi
These microorganisms are opportunistic, which means that they do not cause otitis by themselves, but rather They take advantage of the weak immune system to make the situation worse.
Other factors
Send drugs the cat for a long time, clean its ears with unsuitable products for them, or the allergies they can cause otitis by altering the tissue made up of cells, thus reducing its protective function.
Symptoms of otitis
This is a really very annoying disease that will make the cat feel very bad, very uncomfortable. You will not be able to lead a normal life until you have fully recovered. To find out if you have been infected, the most common symptoms are:
- Shake your head strongly and carry it from side to side.
- Scratching the ears frequently and very hard.
- Trying to scratch your ears against furniture, carpet, or other object.
- Appearance of yellow liquid that will turn black as the disease progresses.
- Red and inflamed ears.
- Hearing loss, which you will recover when you have overcome it.
- Strong smell coming from the cat's ears.
Treatment of otitis
If we suspect that our cat has otitis, the first thing we have to do is take him to the vet To examine it and give it the most appropriate treatment as the case may be, since depending on the type and what caused it, some medications or others will have to be administered. Now, at home, in addition to giving him the treatment that he tells us, we can do a series of things to make him improve.
Cleaning the cat's ears
Cat ears They will be cleaned with a sterile gauze moistened with physiological saline.. Little by little, without applying pressure, the wax will be removed from the inside out.
Prevent moisture from entering the ear
This is very important. If you are going to bathe your furry, put a cotton plug moistened with petroleum jelly first. If, for whatever reason, humidity enters, will dry carefully with gauze.
Put an Elizabethan collar on him
We are not going to fool you, normally cats cannot bear wearing this collar, but it is highly recommended that you take it to avoid hurting yourself with your paws when grooming.
Prevention of otitis
Otitis is a disease that can be prevented if from time to time (4-5 times a week) we examine our animals ourselves: mouth, eyes, tail, feet ... and of course their ears. In this way, it will be easier for us to know if you have a problem. What's more, If you notice any change in his behavior, it is probably because there is something that is causing him pain or discomfort. Reason more than enough to go to the specialist.
Otitis in cats can be cured following the treatment imposed by a professional. Be patient and give him lots of pampering, and it will recover much sooner than expected 😉.
My cat is having a discharge in the ears of brown color, I clean it and it reproduces again the next day ... what can I do while I have a chance to take it to the vet
Hi Klever.
You probably have ear mites. To treat it you have to put some special drops - for sale in veterinary clinics and in pharmacies - inside the ear, and give it a massage.
Luck.
I have a cat with its puffy face on one side with injury from other cats and it looks like a hard ball and I don't know how to get it down. It oozes from the swelling, there is an AGUIT like under the inchason it has .and it covers a little eye. egg. and it came out of that cat wound
Hello, Elizabeth.
I recommend you take him to the vet. I am not a veterinarian.
The specialist will know what to do.
Hope cat gets better soon.
Greetings and encouragement.
Dear,
I adopted a 3 month old kitten and noticed that he has a black discharge from his ears, he scratches frequently too. Is it an infection or has it been a long time without the necessary care? Thanks!
Hello Leslie.
You probably have mites. You can put an insecticide pipette that, in addition to fighting fleas and ticks, also eliminates mites. The vet will be able to tell you which one is the most suitable for a kitten.
Greetings, and congratulations on the new furry member of the family 🙂.
Hello, my cat is about 2 years old and yesterday she was sick, she was very acliente and she only spent sleeping, she did not eat or drink water, I tried to give her water with a syringe but it did not help much, anyway.
Today in the morning I noticed that she was already a little better but when I took her I noticed that her left ear came out as a stinky yellow discharge, it slid down her face, she also has strange eyes, the white part covers half of the left eye, no I can take her to the vet: c: '(
What could it be?
Hello little girl.
You likely have a bacterial ear infection.
I recommend you clean it (the external part, without going deep into the ear canal) with a gauze moistened in a mixture of hydrogen peroxide with 50% normal water. Then dry it with a soft cloth, and put an antibiotic cream on it. This cream is preferable to be given by a veterinarian, after an exam, but you can also get it in pharmacies (important: you have to tell them that it is for cats).
A greeting.
Thank you very much for the information !! Unfortunately I left a cat in a very nice nursery where children visit and my cat died of an ear infection ... he says he woke up dead, he was 9 or 10 years old at the most-it was in February ... when I had to travel .... I still do not assume it-I think it was not attended-thank you !! (I await a possible response)
Hello Maria Teresa.
It is difficult to know exactly what happened, and you cannot judge anyone without proof. What is certain is that the sooner an infection, illness or any other health problem is treated, the more likely there is a quick and complete recovery.
I'm sorry for the loss of your cat. Much encouragement.
Hello Monica, I have a 20-year-old cat, about a month ago he stopped eating as he normally did, and for 15 days now almost nothing, he only spends his time drinking water, and I have noticed that his urine is foamy, stools have 3 days that he has not, I imagine it is because he hardly eats, but I have also noticed that when he called him he did not listen to me, he noticed my presence until I was in front of him, so I do not know if something of the aforementioned is a symptom of otitis or something else, a veterinarian recommended applying the necain, thank you for helping me.
Hello Duqmi.
20 years already… Wow 🙂
Well, it can be several things, but I think it can be a set of two problems: hearing loss due to his age, and possible infection. The necain will take care of eliminating microorganisms that may be damaging your health.
Anyway, it would not hurt to request a hearing test, just in case.
For him to eat, you can make him broth with chicken. It is important that you eat, even if it is just that.
Greetings and much encouragement.
Hi! I have a 4-month-old kitten and when she moves her ear it sounds and scratches her two months ago she had otitis and the vet indicated a few drops from a pipette and she heals well because she has gotten sick again if she lives cleaning her and does not come out to the street 🙁
Hello Caroline.
From what you count, it seems that he has otitis again. Sometimes they do not fully heal.
I recommend that you administer the drops again, and it does not hurt to put a pipette against the mites.
A greeting.
Hello, my cat began to shake his ears like when we touch them and it bothers them, lol, I don't know what the cause will be, since he has no odor in his ear, he has secretions or anything strange, nor does he scratch them, he is only still, whether he is standing still and he moves like that! What is it due to?
Hi Cintia.
It may have some other parasites. I recommend you put an antiparasitic pipette, and in the event that the problem continues, take it to the vet.
Most likely, it is nothing serious, but it does not hurt to take it if the pipette does not solve it.
A greeting.
Hello, an old lady I know has a cat (they live in the middle of the field and the cat goes where it wants). Today I went to see them and I noticed that their ears were filled with a dry-looking, light-colored earwax. With great care I have removed everything I could, until I saw that his ear was completely covered. Its owner is very old and cannot take the animal to the vet… should she take it? What can be? Thank you very much in advance
Hello Irene.
From what you count, it seems that some mites have settled in the cat's ears. Being in the field, this is a common problem.
I recommend that you put a pipette on it. This should be enough, but if it gets worse, a visit to the vet doesn't hurt.
A greeting.
Hello Monica, my cat had a liquid discharge and it also came out with a somewhat thicker consistency, like mucus, almost transparent. He scratched a lot and wiggled his ear. I took her to a Veterinarian who prescribed an antibiotic called "CONVENIA", but since they did not have it, he told me to try to get it. I couldn't get it anywhere and my cat seemed to be getting worse, so I took her to another place where they attend day and night. There they sold me the same drug (Cephalexin 500) but in tablets, with the indication to give a quarter of a pill every 12 hours for 10 days. I was only able to give him three-quarters, since today, after giving him his fourth dose, he threw up. I called the Vet. and they told me to discontinue the treatment and that they would try to get another antibiotic that would be effective for both otitis and a urinary infection (my cat has suffered many and repeated with very frequent urinary infections in recent times). What I want to consult is if there is any other treatment, one that is for local use, other than tablets, that is as effective as CONVENIA (which they tell me is missing) but that does not harm your liver, since in the last blood test, showed liver values outside normal.
Thank you so much!
Hello, Luz.
I'm sorry for what your cat is going through 🙁
I cannot help you with the medications because I am not a veterinarian. What I do recommend is tea tree oil, which you can get at any herbalist. To apply it, you just have to heat it a little - without burning it - and put 2-3 drops in the affected ear three times a day.
Another remedy is to heat a crushed garlic clove in olive oil. Then, it is left to rest for 1h, and it is applied to the ear, three times a day as well.
They are natural remedies that can be very good for you.
Much encouragement.
Hello,
I would like to ask you about my cat, he has half a face paralyzed from an infection and mites. If the infection improves, will the face be okay? Can you die from the infection even if it is being treated? Thank you.
Hi Alexia.
In principle, it should be good, but that can be better told by the vet.
A greeting.
I have an 8-month-old kitten that from one day to the next began to sleep all day (first vomited). He has been apathetic for 3 days, walks well although he does not play or look active. I have noticed in the upper part of his back (slightly behind the head) that from time to time they give him like spasms that are seen with the naked eye in the muscle. What could it be? Aye also visited the sandbox several times and did nothing in the end. (But this morning if, that is, what power can he, both poop and pee) Could it be a urine infection? Thanks and best regards.
Hi Mishy.
I think he might have a nervous system disorder, but this should be confirmed (or denied) by a vet.
Better not let yourself go, as it could worsen your condition.
Much encouragement!
Hello, I have a 3-year-old cat and I think he has an infection since his right ear hurts, he has a bad smell and he has brown earwax I have cleaned his ear with hydrogen peroxide but still the smell is getting stronger, maybe he will can i apply something to her ear apart from cleaning it externally?
Hello leidy.
You may have otitis. I would recommend taking him to the vet for an eye drop.
A greeting.
I have an 8-month-old cat and about three days ago the back of his ear swelled up. He scratches and today I rebice him and he had a slight wound. The swelling persists. I'm very scared. What could it be? Otitis?
Hi Stefany.
I'm not a veterinarian, but I don't think it's otitis. It can be an abscess, which a vet will treat and fix quickly, or it can be something more serious.
For this reason, I advise you to bring it in for examination.
A greeting.
Hi! I have a three-year-old Persian cat and it has had a dark brown discharge from its right ear for about ten days. I clean it with swabs and it has been treated with natalene for 7 days but the discharge is still clearer. It is normal that Even if it takes seven days of treatment, the discharge continues? If I stop putting it on one day it turns dark again .. I'm afraid it's something else, although he's in good spirits and eats well
Hello Itziar.
Yes it's normal. Ear infections take a long time to heal. Anyway, if you see that 3 more days pass and it does not improve, or if it worsens, take it back to the vet in case.
A greeting.
I'm glad it was useful to you, Mercedes 🙂
Hello, I have a 6-month-old kitten more than two weeks ago that I noticed that she scratched her ears a lot and I took her to the vet, she told me it was external otitis, she recommended a few drops which I administered twice a day, all good a few days ago They were discharged because he no longer had otitis, now he has black dots in his dark circles that are multiplying more and more throughout the area of the ear and the part of the head takes it again and they told me that it was something normal !!! But I don't know what could be I'm scared, help!
Hello, Elizabeth.
After going through an otitis, or having any infection in the ears, the accumulation of wax is sometimes normal. You can try to remove it with a gauze moistened in warm water, but remove only the one from the outermost part of the ear.
Anyway, is it dewormed? If not, I would recommend putting a pipette on it that fights fleas, ticks and mites. It is a bit more expensive than the others, but they are very effective.
A greeting.
Hello, If you are dewormed and every month I put a 6% revolution pipette, I stopped administering the Transimed drops but every time I see your ear it has more wax or something similar to medium fat dark brown scabs, I do not know if it will be mites or excess of wax but every day he continuously cleaned his ears, I went to another vet and he said it could be a type of dermatitis, something totally uneven. When cleaning it deeper, that brown wax similar to scabs continues to come out I don't know what it could be
Hello, Elizabeth.
You have to be patient. Infections can take a long time to heal. My advice is to keep cleaning his ears. Courage, you will see that with time it will improve.
Thank you yes, it is my baby and it gives me so much sorrow that I have this but my care I know that it has improved a lot, and I will continue like this, thank you very much, very quick your answers
Greetings from Copiapó 🙂
If I understand you. One of my cats had conjunctivitis for several months in a row. Sometimes he seemed to be getting better, but the next day he was the same or worse. But over time he recovered. That is why it is essential to be patient, with veterinary treatment you will recover. Greetings 🙂
Hello I have a kitten of 2 months and a half I took her to the vet and she told me that she had mites and I cleaned her ears and she sent me a few drops every 4 days if she was very bad, she has not eaten for 1 day with a fever and she does not want to move, what can I do
Hi Susan.
Did he tell you to put the drops every 4 days instead of every day? It's strange. Normally, the eye drops for both the eyes and the ears are applied several times a day.
I would recommend you take her back to the vet, since now she also has a fever is not, of course, a good sign.
For him to eat, give him chicken broth, cans of tuna or wet cat food. It is important that you eat.
Greetings, and encouragement.
hello my kitten got hairy with another cat which bit his ears and has a very strong infection with discharge and a bad smell that I can do at the moment I can not take him to the vet because I am in a place that I go out every 60 days with which I can clean him or cure it
Hi Sara.
You can clean them with sterile gauze and hydrogen peroxide two or three times a day.
If you have or can get it, you can put natural Aloe vera cream or gel to heal the wounds.
A greeting.
Hello, good night, my joint is 3 years old and his ear is glued and I know I must do it. It took off. It took off slightly like a brown liquid that I think is what I use.
Hello Ana.
You can clean his ears - the outermost part - with a warm gauze, but ideally, your vet should examine him and give you a few drops to clean his ears, as he could have otitis.
A greeting.
Hi! I found a malnourished kitten, with parasites, viruses and about to die of about 2 months that did not look like a cat, they were bones the size of a hand that did not even react, I spent two full weeks without sleeping feeding it and changing a bag of warm water every 2 hours ... (now he has 4) once the urgency of malnutrition and respiratory problems had been overcome, notice the drooping ears continued and shaking of the head along with progressive deafness and fever we used antibiotic and corticosteroid drops for children that improved it for a while but now although that's all a playful and spoiled kitten his left ear oozes and he is partially deaf. Unfortunately I am in a part of the world where pets are not important and bother them (they throw kittens into the river !!), there are no veterinarians or access to remedies for cats (there are no common vaccines such as triple cat, no milk substitute or nothing) I ask you for urgent help of remedies for humans that could be useful!
Hello my.
How lucky was that kitten to find you!
Unfortunately you can't do anything about deafness 🙁, but for the ears you can try heating a tablespoon of olive oil, letting it cool down a bit, and putting 1 or 2 drops into the ear. It must be repeated at least 3 times a day, until it improves.
Much encouragement.
Hello, my kitten is three months old and she has been very uncomfortable, she shakes her head and scratches her ears a lot, the pain does not let her sleep, she meows all night due to pain, I massage her ear to calm her down but only momentarily I don't know what to do
Hoka Diego.
From what you count, it is likely that he has otitis. Take her to the vet for a recommendation for eye drops.
Cheer up.
Hello, I have a 2-year-old kitten. I found her on the street when she was 2 months old, I think she has otitis because her ear smells bad but she likes to go out or look at strange people, she panics and scratches me and I don't know how to cure her. If you could tell me, please, at the moment I don't have any money either, but I want you to get better, we love you a lot in advance, thank you.
Hello Teresa.
You can mix distilled water and apple cider vinegar in equal parts, and pour it into the ears. If she gets very nervous, wrap her in a towel, and have someone hold her while you treat her.
Afterwards, wipe them with a clean gauze (one for each ear). Don't go too deep; just clean the outermost part of the ear.
Anyway, when you can, take her to the vet to prevent her from getting worse.
A greeting.
Hello, I have a cat of approx 2 years, the problem is that 2 weeks ago I saw her shaking and scratching her ears a lot, I suppose she has otitis and I must take her to the vet, but at the moment I cannot take her and I am afraid of let it get worse, how do I make sure nothing happens to her until I can take her to the vet ???, greetings!
Hi tsk.
You can mix distilled water and apple cider vinegar in equal parts, and pour it into the ears.
Afterwards, wipe them with a clean gauze (one for each ear). Don't go too deep; just clean the outermost part of the ear.
Anyway, when you can, take her to the vet to prevent her from getting worse.
A greeting.
Good morning, a few months ago my cat suffered from otitis and an otohematoma from there, his ear was dropped, I have read that the only solution is surgical, is this so? Thanks for the reply
Hello Angie.
I'm sorry but I can't answer that question because I don't know. I recommend that you consult with a veterinarian.
A greeting.
Hi! My cat has that black wax, it was getting peeled in the area of the head in front of the ears, it was from scratching so much apparently, I took him to the vet and he gave me some drops for the mites, he told me to apply them 15 days Today it's been 8 days, but every time I clean it, I notice that it continues to produce wax, is it normal? And how much more or less will it take to grow hair again?
Hello Daiana.
Yes it's normal. Hair can take anywhere from a few weeks to a month to grow, but if in doubt I recommend consulting a vet.
A greeting.
Hi Monica, I have an 8-year-old kitten and she has an infection in her right ear, she swelled too much and she gets too much blood when scratching ... this already goes like 4 to 5 months, I cure her with hydrogen peroxide but I don't know what the solution would be since Veterinarians here where I live are very bad and they don't give me a treatment or a solution ... and I would be very grateful if you would advise me some treatment ... or something, here in my city there are bad vets or a good one ...
Hello Franco.
I'm not a veterinarian but you can try this home remedy: heat a little olive oil and then add two crushed garlic. Let it rest for at least an hour, and then strain it. Put three drops in the ear two or three times a day.
Luck.
Hello. My kitten is 9 months old and her ears are draining. The vet had sent him some drops for one ear but now it's 2 and it didn't work. What antibiotic can I give you?
Hi Marcia.
Sorry, but I'm not a vet.
I recommend you consult with your vet to see what medication you can give him.
I hope you get better soon.
Cheer up.
Hi! I have a male cat, apparently he got into a fight with another cat, because one of his ears has been injured almost internally, this one has a little hole. I don't have money to take him to the vet now, hydrogen peroxide or pervinox, do you think it would do him good?
Hello Daiana.
Yes, you can treat it with hydrogen peroxide. You can also do very well gel Aloe vera natural, freshly extracted from the plant.
A greeting.
Hello, I would like to know something is that my one-year-old kitten got mites in his ears and they sent him a liquid to clean it but it turns out that today I see him worse because he makes his head to one side and scratches and his ear sounds as if he had a paper of candy inside that they suggest me to do thank you
Hello Vanessa.
In these cases, it is best to take him to the vet again, just in case.
Much encouragement.
Hello today, I noticed that my cat has a droopy ear and scratches, what could it be?
Hi Irina.
You may have a parasite (fleas) or otitis. It is best that you take him to the vet to tell you exactly what he has and how to treat it.
A greeting.
Hello, my cat scratches his ear a lot, he has a wound and he gets a scab and he scratches again he always does, is it due to an infection in hatred? I have taken him to the vet but they only give him ointments, they never told me it was a hate infection.
Hello Daniela.
Yes, it is very possible that you have an ear infection.
In any case, I would recommend deworming it, for example with Stronghold for cats that the vet can give you to eliminate all the parasites it may have, including the mites that affect the ears.
A greeting.
Hello, I have a 10-year-old cat, a cat bit her head where her ear begins, since then I have cured her with povidone mud and with calendula she shakes her head a lot after a while she only gets a scab, she itches a lot and scratches He shakes his head until the wound opens and bleeds and I heal her again but I don't know what to do because she doesn't heal and she doesn't want me because I heal her, it is also very difficult for me to take her to a vet and I don't have enough money, help plis
Hello Miriam.
I recommend you consult with the veterinarians of barkibu.es
They will be able to help you much better than I can (I am not a veterinarian).
Much encouragement.
Good
Well my cat that is 4 months old has come out mucus or I don't know what it is called in the ear, he also has lagaña in the eye and has mucus
He doesn't want to eat, I force him to eat and get better, I don't know how I can clean him and I don't have money to take him to a vet. What can I do?
Hi Pamela.
I recommend you consult with the veterinarians of barkibu.es (I am not).
I hope you get better soon. Cheer up.
Hello good afternoon, day or night; I have a male cat, he has an unpleasant smell in his right ear, it is a yellow liquid that smells very ugly.
I tell you;
My cat arrives one afternoon all hurt and smelling sea, I proceed to bathe him but before that I feed him.
I already bathe him on that, and put cat shampoo on him, everything is fine to remove the bad smell, but when I dry him and start to check for his wounds, I realize that there is a yellowish liquid in his right ear, I assert myself I smell with my nose and it gives me a very, very unpleasant smell.
I am planning to take him to the vet.
What do you recommend.
Hello Jesus.
I am not a veterinarian. If your cat has that, it's best to have it seen by a professional.
I hope you get better soon.
A greeting.