How to Stop Itchy Ears in Cats

It is important to treat your cat's itchy ears promptly because some ear conditions, if left untreated, may render your cat deaf, according to the Humane Society of the United States. Additionally, your cat may scratch its ears or shake its head to relieve the itch on its own. Repeated scratching can leave your cat's ears raw or infected and head-shaking may lead to broken blood vessels and hematoma. Fortunately, there are treatments you can use to stop your cat's ear itch once you have determined the cause.

Things You'll Need

  • Chlorhexidine solution
  • Topical triple antibiotic ointment
  • Oily insecticide
  • Flea treatment product
  • 1% hydrocortisone cream
  • Cat ear cleaner
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Instructions

    • 1

      Examine your cat's ears for bites or scratches. Clean any wounds or scratches with chlorhexidine solution and apply a topical triple antibiotic ointment, recommends pets.wedmd.com. If the wounds are deep, your cat may need antibiotics, provided by a veterinarian.

    • 2

      Check your cat for ear mites if there are no wounds or scratches. Look in your cat's ears for a dark, waxy buildup or cream-colored specks. The ears may also emit a foul odor, according to vetinfo.com. Treat ear mites with an oily insecticide every day to clean out the ear canal, until the ear mites are gone.

    • 3

      Search the ears for fleas, if you do not find evidence of ear mites. Fleas look like black pepper, although you may see only dried, crusty, black blood. If you find fleas or evidence of fleas, use a veterinarian-recommended flea treatment to stop the itch. Over-the-counter flea treatment products are not recommended by the Humane Society of the United States.

    • 4

      Look for redness on the skin of your cat's ears if there are no signs of fleas. Your cat may have environmental allergies. Apply 1% hydrocortisone cream to the affected ear or ears. This will stop the intense itch of an allergic reaction, according to pet.webmd.com.

    • 5

      Bring your cat to the veterinarian if you cannot clearly determine the cause of your cat's itchy ears or if your cat is in obvious pain or discomfort.