Is your cat scratching its ears constantly or have a dark substance inside the ears? Your cat may have ear mites. Learn about what they are and what you can do to get rid of them.
Cat ear mites are tiny, white organisms that are difficult to see with the human eye. Not only can they infest your kitty’s ears, but they can also migrate to other parts of the cats body. However, they feed off the discharge and lining of the ear instead of other parts of the body.
Ear mites begin as an egg and three weeks after hatching, become an adult. Adults can live in the ear for about sixty days. Females are can deposit eggs every day, so you can see how a small infestation can grow rapidly.
Cats can display several symptoms if they have ear mites. They often will shake their heads or continuously scratch their ears. If you look inside the ear, you may see a dark material that resembles coffee grounds, and you may smell a foul odor.
If you suspect ear mites, your pet needs to be seen by a veterinarian. There are various ear drops or other medications that can be given to kill the mites. You will also probably be advised to clean your kitty’s ears daily.
If the condition goes untreated, serious infection can result. This could even cause the eardrum to rupture. Therefore, it is very important that you get your cat treatment if you suspect an infestation.
Ear mites are very contagious. If you have other cats or pets in the home such as dogs, they are likely to be infected, too. If one pet is found to have ear mites, you will need to get your other pets examined by a veterinarian and treated at the same time to help eradicate the problem.
Ear mites can be very uncomfortable for your kitty and may lead to serious complications if untreated. Make examining your cat’s ears a regular habit to catch this condition before damage is done.