Hot Ears in Cats

Cats are like people, in that different health problems present differently from individual to individual. Many cat owners may notice that their cat's ears are very hot. This can be caused by several different problems, some more serious than others. Knowing what can cause hot ears in cats will help an owner determine when it is time to call the veterinarian.

  1. Fever

    • If cats ears are very hot to the touch, and not just mildly warm, it may be due to a fever. The fever could be caused by an upper respiratory infection or any type of infection throughout the body. If the ears remain hot to the touch, it is a good idea to bring the cat into the veterinarian to determine the cause of the fever. Cat's body temperatures are much warmer than humans though, so make sure that the ears truly are very warm to the touch before assuming the cat has a fever.

    Hypertension

    • In some cases cats have hot ears that do not have anything to do with an infection. In many cases hot ears in cats are caused by hypertension, which is the medical term for high blood pressure. This is a condition that needs to be treated immediately by a veterinarian as it can cause death if no action is taken.

    Allergies

    • Allergies are not uncommon in cats. The red, hot ear is usually a good indicator to a vet that allergies might be present. These may be diet related allergies or flea allergies. The vet will likely do some testing to rule out other issues, and then suggest changing up the diet as well as treating for fleas to rule out a flea allergy as a possibility. Skin testing may be done to confirm suspected allergies.

    Ear Mites

    • Ear mites lead to hot ears in cats. The ear mites themselves do not cause the ears to become hot, instead the intense itching does. When the ear mites bite they cause intense itching, which will cause the cat to scratch. As the cat scratches the tissues will become inflamed, which causes them to become very warm or hot to the touch. Ear mites must be treated by a veterinarian.

    Ear Infection

    • An ear infection is very uncomfortable for a cat, as it is for us. The result is that the cat may rub or scratch at his or her ear. With all of the rubbing and scratching the ear will likely become inflamed and hot to the touch. When repeated rubbing or scratching is seen, especially in conjunction with hot ears or a fever, it is time to see the vet.