Shaking Head Symptoms in Cats

For a pet owner, head shaking can be bothersome to watch, especially when your cat is shaking his or head nonstop and regardless of how many times he shakes it, there's no relief in sight. Your first instinct is to want to check your cat's ears to see if there's anything in there that you can see and possibly take out to give your cat some relief. However, curing your cat's head shaking isn't always that easy.

  1. Allergies

    • Though there are a number of reasons a cat will constantly shake her head, allergies may be a reason. Some cats are allergic to weeds, pollen, flowers, food and other vegetation, just like humans and dogs are. When cats experience an allergic reaction, their ears sometimes begin to itch so they shake their heads in an effort to make the itchiness go away. Unfortunately, this doesn't help and only makes their ears more itchy.

    Mites

    • If you have ruled out the possibility that your cat is suffering from some type of allergy, the next thing to consider is ear mites. Ear mites in cats and dogs are common, though cats are more susceptible to getting them than dogs are. When the mites begin to move within the ear, the cat will experience itching and will start to either paw at his ear, or vigorously shake his head.

    Skin conditions

    • Cats are also prone to developing skin conditions that can make their ears itchy, causing them to shake their heads. One such condition is dry skin in or around the ears. Just as in humans, dry skin will begin to itch intensely if not treated. Scratching will only make the condition worse. If you suspect that this might be the case, visit your veterinarian and get a prescription ointment that can be applied to the problems areas.