Ear Mites In Cats

Ear mites are a common infestation and are easily spread between cats and other animals.

Ear mites in cats. Ear mite infestations usually itch so cats with ear mites will scratch excessively at the backs or insides of their ears sometimes to the point of producing raw patches shake their heads or hold their ears at an odd angle. Ear mites or otodectes cynotis are microscopic parasites which can infect the ears of a cat. Ear mites are microscopic parasites which infect the ears of a cat. While cats of any age are susceptible to ear mites they are most often seen in kittens.

Their presence causes inflammation and can also lead to secondary ear infections. Of course you will not be able to see them properly with the naked eye but you should be able to see them under a microscope. The most common ear mite of cats is otodectes cynotis and therefore an infestation with ear mites is sometimes called otodectic mange 1 ear mites primarily live in the ear canal where they feed on skin debris. Some cats will shake their heads so much that an hematoma of the ear will form with blood pooling in the ear due to breakage of a blood vessel.

Though there are several different types of ear mites that can affect cats the most common one is otodectes cynotis which essentially resembles an eight legged crab. Ear mites think other species are tasty too and they are very contagious. When ear mites get into a cat or dog s ear canal one telltale sign of an ear mite infection is your family pet constantly scratching their head. Several ear mite medicines and websites also refer to it as otodectic mange.

Cats that are afflicted with ear mites will typically scratch at the ears excessively and shake their heads even pulling out their own hair and drawing blood as they scratch. They also like to live in warm dark environment of the ear canal where they then feed on the skin debris. Ear mites in cats are not just found in the ears. Mites on cats can travel all over the cat s body.

The most frequent ear mite infestation in cats is otodectes cynotis. In extreme cases untreated ear mites can cause a ruptured eardrum or permanent hearing loss. These particular mites then create irritation and itchiness which leads to the cat scratching its ears. They like to live in the warm dark environment of the ear canal where they feed on skin debris.

These mites create irritation and itchiness which cause the cat to scratch its ears. These parasites feed on the debris inside of the ear.