Cat’s Ear Infections

While they are not very common, cat ear infections do still happen. What does it mean if your cat has an ear infection? How can you diagnose one, and how are they typically treated?

The symptoms for a cat ear infection are fairly easy to detect. If your cat is shaking its head around as if trying to dislodge something, that’s a pretty good sign, or if the cat scratches its ears. After all, the ear infection is making Kitty very uncomfortable. If your cat is exhibiting this behavior check to see if its ears are red and inflamed. Some cat ear infections also result in a yellow ooze and cause the cat’s ear to emit an unpleasant odor. Definitely take your cat to the vet if you detect any of these symptoms.

One major cause of ear infections in cats would have to be ear mites. Typically, ear mites are only found on adopted kittens. While the mites are unpleasant enough themselves, they often lead to ear infections in cats. If you’ve just introduced a new kitten into a multi-cat environment, be alert for ear infection behavior in your older cats. Usually that is the only way that an older animal will get ear mites.

You may be trying to avoid a costly visit to the vet, but in this case it really is worth the trip and expense. The problem with treating cat ear infections yourself with an antibiotic is that there are several different potential infectious agents, including several types of bacteria, fungus and other foreign bodies. The infection should be seen by a professional before any treatment can be recommended. Another risk is that the cat’s eardrum may already be ruptured, especially if you’ve noticed the ear infection symptoms for a long time now. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that your cat’s hearing will suffer, it does mean that certain ear infection medications should not be used. Doing so will result in complete loss of hearing in that ear.

So what are some typical cat ear infection treatments? If the infection has been caused by a foreign body (which could mean anything from a tick to a piece of dirt) then the vet will most likely sedate the cat and remove the problem. Depending on the vet’s diagnosis of the infection, this will lead to a course of medication. However, this step relies on a positive ID on the cause of the infection. Owners are usually expected to administer medication themselves. This will be a lot easier if you have a “mellow” cat, since you are required to inert an eye-dropper into the vertical section of your cat’s ear canal. Don’t worry though, the vet will show you how it’s done!