Safe Solutions for Ear Mites in Cats

Ear mites are a tiny parasite that most often live in the ears of cats, but they can live in other areas as well. They burrow into the ear causing irritation and extreme itching. Ear mites are the leading cause of ear infections in cats. When cats get ear mites, they can have up to 1,000 of the mites at one time in their ear canal.

  1. Symptoms

    • A primary symptom of ear mites is your cat repeatedly scratching their ears and shaking their head. Your cat may also flatten out their ears and their ears can become sore to the touch. When you look in your cat's ears, you will see dark colored spots, which look similar to coffee grounds. You may also notice a bad odor, which is a sign of infection. In addition, you may be able to see the ear mites moving around in your cat's ears.

    Treatment

    • Taking your cat to a veterinarian to have them thoroughly checked is the best option. If that is not an option, you can purchase ear drops for cat mites at your local pet supply store. These drops are to be massaged into your cat's ears daily until the mites are gone, usually two to four weeks. You will also have to clean out your cat's ears of any excess wax and debris. It is possible that ear mites will spread to other parts of your cat's body. If so, you will want to massage the drops onto those areas.

    Home Remedies

    • To rid your cat's ears of ear mites using a home remedy, message olive oil or vegetable oil in your cat's ears. Take a cotton ball and wipe the area as clean as possible. This cleans the debris out of the ear. To get rid of the mites, mix 1 tbsp. water with nine drops of Yellow Dock Root Extract. Massage this into your cat's ears once every three days for six weeks. Another remedy to try is mixing a half an ounce of almond oil with 400 IU of vitamin E. Again, rub this into the affected areas of the ear and clean with a cotton ball. Use this remedy for six days and then take three days off before repeating the process. A natural home remedy to help relieve your cat's itching and pain is psorinum or sulphur placed on the affected areas.

    Prevention

    • Being proactive in terms of prevention is the best way to keep your cat from contracting ear mites. Ear mites are contagious among pets and stray cats often have ear mites. Keep your cat indoors to limit the contact your cat has with other animals. Also, be sure to treat all the animals in your house if one contracts ear mites. You can also use a periodic flea protection product. These products also keep ear mites away.