Cat Ear Mites: Signs, Causes and What to Do

What ear mites usually mean

The ear mite most often found in cats is Otodectes cynotis, a surface mite barely visible to the eye. It lives in the ear canal and sometimes on the skin around the head and neck, feeding on skin debris and ear wax. That feeding irritates the canal, which responds by producing more wax. The result is the classic dark brown or black, dry, crumbly material that many owners describe as looking like coffee grounds.

Mites are passed by direct contact, so the cats most often affected are kittens, cats from shelters or multi-cat homes, and outdoor cats that mix with others. Dogs and ferrets can carry the same mite. That said, plenty of itchy, waxy ears are not mites at all. Yeast and bacterial ear infections, allergies, polyps and something stuck in the canal can all produce head shaking and discharge, which is why guessing at home so often goes wrong.

Signs to look for

The most common signs are frequent scratching at the ears, head shaking, holding the ears flat or at an odd angle, and a dark, waxy or crusty discharge. You may notice a sour smell, redness inside the ear flap, or scabs and thinning hair around the ears and the back of the head where your cat has been scratching. Some cats become irritable when you touch their head.

Very heavy scratching can break small blood vessels in the ear flap and cause an aural hematoma, a soft, swollen blood blister that makes the flap look puffy. Long-standing infection can also spread deeper into the ear. Cornell notes that untreated outer-ear infection can reach the middle and inner ear, damage the eardrum and affect hearing and balance, which is a good reason not to wait it out.

When to call your vet today

Book a visit the same day if your cat is scratching hard enough to cause open sores or bleeding, if one ear flap has become swollen and puffy, or if there is a strong smell or yellow, pus-like discharge. These suggest a secondary infection or a hematoma, both of which need hands-on treatment.

Call promptly, too, if your cat is a young kitten, if more than one pet in the home is scratching, or if your cat seems in pain when the head is touched. A vet can treat every affected animal at once, which matters because untreated housemates simply pass the mites back.

When it's an emergency

Ear mites on their own are not an emergency, but some signs that start in the ear are. Get your cat seen urgently if you notice a head tilt that has appeared suddenly, loss of balance, walking in circles, falling over, or flickering eye movements. These can mean the inner ear or nervous system is involved.

Treat it as urgent as well if your cat stops eating, becomes very quiet or hides, or has a fever along with ear pain. If your regular clinic is closed, call the nearest emergency vet and describe the signs; they will tell you how quickly your cat needs to come in.

What you can safely do at home

Until your cat is examined, the safest things you can do are to stop the scratching from causing more damage and to keep notes. Trim the nails on the back feet if your cat tolerates it, and keep an eye on the skin around the ears. Write down when the scratching started, whether other pets are affected and anything you have already tried. Taking a photo of the discharge on a cotton pad is helpful for your vet.

Do not put anything into the ear canal before a vet has looked at it. Oils, vinegar, peroxide and over-the-counter drops can sting an inflamed canal and can harm a ruptured eardrum. Never use a product meant for dogs on a cat, because some dog parasite products are toxic to cats. Also avoid poking cotton swabs into the canal, which pushes debris deeper.

Ear mites can spread between pets, so wash bedding and soft cat beds while every animal in the home is treated.

What the vet will likely check

Your vet will look into each ear with an otoscope and may see the mites moving as small white specks. They will usually take a swab of the debris and examine it under a microscope, which confirms the mites and shows whether yeast or bacteria are also present. If the ears are very sore, a short sedation may be needed to examine and clean them properly.

Treatment is chosen by your vet for your particular cat. VCA lists several prescription ear medications and single-application products, and some parasite-control products also cover ear mites. A thorough ear clean is often part of it, and a recheck visit confirms the mites are gone. Ask whether your other cats and dogs need treating at the same time.

Preventing ear mites

Because mites spread by contact, the most effective prevention is to keep new or rescued animals separate until they have had a vet check, and to have every pet in the home treated together if one is found to have mites. Indoor cats that never meet other animals rarely pick them up.

Check your cat's ears every week or two when you brush them. Healthy ears are pale pink with little or no wax and no smell. If you spot dark debris, redness or a new habit of head shaking, an early visit is quicker and kinder than waiting. Ask your vet whether the parasite prevention your cat already uses includes ear mites.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.