Introduction to Cat Ear Mites
This is the case of the cat ear mites, this is a prevalent parasite affecting cats’ ears. The ones that are of concern to you are highly infectious and your cat may display some unpleasant symptoms like itching and inflammation. This article will endeavour to give you a trip around the world of cat ear mites and this will encompass; what they are, their effects on cats, how they can be diagnosed and treated and how they can be prevented.
Understanding Cat Ear Mites
What are Cat ear mites?
Cat ear mites the tiny bugs as small as the eyelash that infest the ears of cats by feeding on the skin and hair within the ear canals. It is the food that the mites feed on that is to blame as they feed on wax and oils that cause irritation and inflammation in the ear. These are easily transmitted and can infest an entire colony within a short time. The infection is an outcome of some sort of contact between the cats.
Common Signs of Cat Ear Mite Infestation
These parasites can cause many signs in cats ranging from itching, head shaking, ear rubbing and even discharge of the ears. When they are not treated, severe cases may lead to such complications as secondary infections and bursting of the eardrum.
- The clinical manifestations of Cat ear mites are ear scratching and head shaking which are considered normal in cats.
- Excessive motility of the ears.
- Head shaking or tilting.
- Thick, black or grey, scaly or cracking secretion.
- Black peas are like shining coffee beans situated in the ears.
- This condition is manifested by redness and inflammation of the auditory tract.
Diagnosing Cat Ear Mites
As it pertains to most cases, cats developing ear mites are usually well-identified by a cat’s veterinarian. In conducting the inside of the ears examination, the vet will use the otoscope to determine if there are mites or ear mite debris. There are some other circumstances when the vet may even collect ear discharge to the laboratory to find out if there are mites using a microscope.
Treatment Options
Medications for Cat Ear Mites
Modern methods in the treatment of ear mites in cats are topical ointments, ear drops, and oral medications. Each of these medicines can be used to either eliminate mites in the ears of a dog or reduce the levels of inflammation within the structure. Your vet will administer only what is needed by the existence of the infestation.
Home Remedies for Cat Ear Mites
Also, certain types of home care can decrease the intensity of some symptoms linked with ear mites in cats. For instance, daily techniques such as wiping the ears with a cotton wool ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide or coconut oil help in eliminating the wax, dead skin cells and other materials that characterized this infestation. Among these are gentle ear cleaners which can be used to clean the ears; coconut oil, olive oil which can be used to treat the irritation of the ears and witch hazel and aloe Vera
Preventing Cat Ear Mites
Besides proper care and cleaning of the cat’s ears and appropriate treatment and management of the affected ears, other measures that should be taken to effectively prevent the invasion of the cat’s ear by mites include implementing environmental control measures. The following are the measures that should be taken to prevent animals from getting infused with ear mites.
- They should be cleaned with a veterinary appropriate ear cleaner chosen to clean the cat’s ears.
- Daily or as often as possible, you should clean the litter box and other areas your cat frequents. Keep them dry.
- Prevent your cat from coming into contact with sick animals which are mostly outdoor cats and feral cats.
Managing Cat Ear Mites
Another disease common with cats is the cat ear mites which can cause quite a lot of discomfort in your cat. However, this condition can be well managed in case the diagnosis is early and the treatment is carried out in time. Thus, you will not experience such a problem and immediately treat the affected cats in case it happens. Get to know more useful tips and important articles about pets in Pet Info Site– your number one source when it comes to pet animals.
FAQs
Ear mites are passed on to healthy animals since they may come into direct contact with the already affected animals or they use the same bedding as the affected animals or share the grooming tools with them.
In contrast, humans can catch ear mites from cats but it is very rare. More often such parasites infest the area around the human ear because of direct contact with the animal that has the parasites
The mites themselves are normally not thought of as being pathogenic to cats, however, the scratching that results from the infestation is upsetting and may even result in infections for the cat. Serious complications are seen in cases where ear mite infestations are left without treatment because they often cause secondary inflammations and stenosis of the auditory canal.
The time it takes to treat the cat of ear mites depends on the degree of infection and treatment extended to the cat. Most of the time, treatment is done within three to four weeks to ensure the total elimination of the mites.
Yes, indoor cats can still get ear mites, especially if they come into contact with other animals that are infested.
