When was the last time you looked in your cat’s ears? Last week? Last year? If you haven’t looked in there lately, you probably should. Cats are generally very fastidious about their upkeep, but there are certain problems that even the tidiest cat can’t deal with. If your cat scratches her ears or shakes her head a lot, it may be a sign that she has ear mites. When you look in your cat’s ears, they should be free of any debris. If you see a reddish brown or black buildup of waxy stuff in the ear canal or detect any kind of nasty smell, your cat probably has a some kind of infection or ear mites.
If you suspect any kind of problem, do not try and treat it with home remedies. Ear mites, although common, can develop into a serious condition that if left untreated can potentially kill your cat. Take your cat to your favorite veterinarian for an examination. There are a number of simple and effective treatments that can cure the problem quickly and safely. Although treatments vary, your veterinarian will probably thoroughly clean the cat’s ears and treat them with a topical medication to kill the parasites. He or she also may advise you to continue to treat the cat at home for a while. Ear mites are contagious, so if you discover that one of your cats has ear mites, you should treat the other cats in your household at the same time.
Ear mites can be a difficult parasite to get rid of, and like fleas, you really don’t want them on your cat or in your house. It’s not an invasion of feline privacy to check your cat’s ears, so do it regularly. Your cat will be glad you did.