Ear Mites and Ear Health Care in Cats

By Gary Pearson

If your cat is scratching uncontrollably at her ears or rubbing his head on the furniture continuously, there might be an ear problem that needs your attention. Since pet health, particularly cat health, can quickly fail, if your cat is making repetitive motions, it is best to get treatment for their issues before they become sicker. If your cat is diagnosis with ear mites, it is important that you get her to the vet immediately, as ear mites can lead to further infections and permanent hearing loss.

So what are ear mites exactly and how do they affect pet health? Ear mites are tiny, spider like insects which crawl into the warm, darkness of your cat's ear and set up shop. While they are small, they are visible to the naked eye, so pet owners can actually check their pet's ears to ensure there is not an ear mite infestation. Ear mites will look like tiny white specks against the dark color of the ear wax. Your cat might even give you signals that there is something going on. If they are heavily scratching at their ears or shaking their head, there might be an ear mite infection. You may even see them crawling out of the ear, or in some of the bedding your cat frequents. Believe it or not, your cat will let you know if there is something wrong, particularly if you are attentive to their pet health needs.

While ear mites are not fatal, it is important to pet health that they are immediately remedied. Ear mites are contagious, so if you have a household with multiple cats and one has ear mites, chances are very good that the others are infected too. Treating ear mites is simple. A vet can prescribe eardrops which will kill of the ear mites. It is also advisable to use flea powder on your cat, as flea powder will kill off any eggs which are attached to your cat's fur. While you have the flea powder out, treat your home and your pet's bedding to make sure that any and all eggs are abolished.

Other things to consider when managing your pet health care are protecting your cat from sunburns. Cats are not immune to sun burn, particularly light colored cats can get severely burned on their ears, causing cancers and eventual amputation of the ears. Use non toxic sun screen. If you are unsure, ask your vet. Also, regularly check the ears for debris, as trash in the ear can draw bacterial and fungal infections. Whether your cat remains indoors or outdoors, debris can always find its way into their ears, so it is wise to step up a schedule to monitoring your cat's ear health. Perhaps when you apply the monthly flea control, you can inspect your cat's ear health. Including it with another scheduled pet health care will help you remember to check. The inner ear of a cat is just as fragile and important as your inner ear, so maintaining a health environment for that ear drum is clear.

Gary Pearson is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about ear mites in cats visit American Short Hair Cats for current articles and discussions.