Why do my cat's ears itch?

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Almost every owner who has cats has encountered a problem - the animal begins to vigorously scratch its ears, sometimes even to the point of bleeding. The most common reasons why a cat's ears itch are given in this article.

Ear scratching is a red flag that may indicate that your pet is sick. To avoid such problems, you need to regularly examine the animal to assess its health. Failure to promptly treat ear diseases and infections can cause your cat to develop serious hearing problems for life, including complete deafness.

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Why does a cat scratch its ears?

If your pet begins to behave restlessly, constantly scratch itself and shake its head, the reason for this may be the animal’s predisposition to problems with hearing organs.

This category includes:

1. Anomalies in shell structure.
2. Anatomical structure of the organ associated with the characteristics of the pet’s breed.
3. Congenital narrowing of the auditory canal.

Problems can arise from injury during brushing, or from excessive wax production. Blockage of the ear canal occurs if the cat has polyps, granulomas or other tumors in the ears.

The primary factors for ear diseases include:

1. Presence of mites in the ears.
2. Entry of a foreign object.
3. Allergic manifestations.
4. Failure in the functionality of keratinization processes.
5. Hyper or hypoplasia of the sulfur and sebaceous glands.
6. Autoimmune pathologies.
7. Damage to shells.

Supporting secondary factors:

1. Disturbances in the balance of ear microflora.
2. Penetration of fungal infection.
3. Inflammation of the meatus followed by otitis media and fibrosis.
4. Poor hygiene and improper cleaning.

Hygiene problems

If the breeder does not clean the pet's ears, then dirt accumulates in the animal's shells. This acts as a favorable soil for the production of pathogenic microorganisms.

Severe scratching may indicate the appearance of wax plugs.

This happens due to malfunction of the glands and increased secretion.

Sometimes this is related to the cat's breed . But improper aggressive cleaning of the passage can also provoke an abundance of sulfur.

In this case, no special treatment is required; you can remove the plug yourself by softening it with saline solution. If it is deep and cannot be treated, then to prevent damage to the ears it is necessary to show your pet to a veterinarian.

Diseases that cause itching

Ear scratching can be dangerous. Cats scratch their ears due to dermatitis, seborrhea, and otitis media.

Otitis

Characterized by tissue inflammation affecting the middle and inner ear. The disease can be the result of a cold, allergies, foreign body penetration, mites, infections, fungus, excess sulfur in the passages, liver and pancreas diseases.

With secondary otitis, a bacterial environment occurs, which is accompanied by purulent discharge and an increase in the pet’s temperature.

Dermatitis

May be superficial, purulent or oozing. Its symptoms, from ordinary scratching to purulent non-healing wounds, will depend on this.

Dermatitis can occur independently or be a consequence of otitis media, parasitic infection, or allergies. Pathology must be treated after identifying the cause of the disease .

Seborrhea

It begins when the functioning of the sebaceous glands is disrupted. A large amount of dandruff appears on the animal's fur. Problems with the glands may be congenital.

With dry seborrhea, there are no symptoms other than itching and dandruff; the weeping form of the disease leads to the loss of tufts of hair and the appearance of inflamed areas.

Hormonal disorders, problems with the thyroid gland, scabies, allergies, and dermatitis can cause pathology.

Parasitic lesion

Outdoors, your pet can become infected with fleas or ticks. Fleas live exclusively on animals and feed on their blood. Since insects are carriers of many diseases, during a bite they can transmit an infection to the cat.

When infected, small kittens develop anemia and allergic reactions. The animal may stop eating and lose a lot of weight.

Fleas live in a cat's fur. You can fight them at home using appropriate means. After treatment, your pet needs to be dewormed 2 weeks later.

Otodecosis (ear mite infestation) can affect one or both ears.

Scabies, caused by a parasite, causes the animal to scratch the shells until blood appears.

The pet becomes restless and nervous, he sleeps poorly, and refuses to eat. A sticky secretion is released from the ear canal, gluing the pile, which gives the cat a sickly appearance.

The tick itself is difficult to detect, but you can see its waste products and dark brown crusts in the depths of the passages.

The disease is contagious, so at the first manifestations it is necessary to take your pet to the veterinarian.

Infectious causes

Inflammation of the ears can spread throughout the entire auditory system: the disease can affect the concha, ear canal, middle and inner ear.

Inflammation can begin after untreated scabies, with improper care of the cat, or an allergic reaction to household chemicals or food.

The clinical picture in this case will depend on the degree, cause and location of the disease. Infectious pathology is accompanied by fever, apathy, refusal to eat, poor coordination of movements, and irritability.

In addition to scratching, the cat will constantly tilt its head towards the affected ear. With timely treatment, the prognosis is favorable, otherwise the animal may become deaf, and if the infection enters the brain, it will die.

What else causes itching?

A cat may scratch its ears when a foreign object gets into the ear canal. You should not take it out yourself - this can damage the eardrum.

The cat experiences itching and discomfort when tumors appear in the ears (tumors, polyps, hematomas). You cannot treat them yourself .

In the case of a hematoma, surgery and pumping out of the contents are often required. If a tumor occurs, the doctor diagnoses the disease and makes prognoses, choosing treatment.

The sooner surgery is performed, the greater the chance of a favorable outcome and preservation of the patient’s hearing.

Problems with the ears can occur after water procedures if the breeder did not use a special cap and water got into the auricle. Fluid stagnation causes inflammation, which can subsequently develop into a severe form of otitis.

Problem for small kittens

A kitten's anxiety can be due to any of the reasons listed above, but most often the problem is associated with otodectosis. Ear scabies occurs when infested with mites.

These parasites cannot be seen with the naked eye, which complicates the diagnosis and treatment process. Mites produce in the ear canal and shell.

Due to the pain, the kitten may meow pitifully and shake its head. If there is purulent discharge, you should immediately take your pet to the veterinarian, otherwise meningitis and death are possible.

The cat scratches its ear and shakes its head: reasons

When a cat scratches its ear and shakes its head, it is important to know what to do to help your pet.
There are many reasons for the appearance of such symptoms. Veterinarians identify several diseases as the main ones. They are especially common in cats and can appear in an animal at any age.

Pets that have free access to the outdoors suffer the most from ear infections. Also, strange behavior can be caused by tumors in the ear cavity, allergies (especially if the allergen penetrates directly into the ear) and skin diseases.

A disease in an animal can be suspected if head shaking and scratching are more than one-time in nature and are accompanied by the following manifestations:

• the appearance of irritability;
• frequent shaking of the head, after which the cat keeps its head tilted to the side for some time;
• scratching in the ear area;
• redness and swelling of the ear;
• aggressive behavior of the pet in response to attempts to touch his head.

This symptomatology is typical for most ear diseases.

Ear scabies, ear mites (otodectosis)

Otodectosis is one of the most common ear diseases in cats , which quickly spreads from animal to animal, causing itching and inflammation in the ears.

The kitten may even die from the disease.

Infection most often occurs due to contact of a domestic cat with street relatives, who, as a rule, are carriers of the disease. Infection from dogs occurs in exceptional cases, since they are practically not susceptible to pathology.

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The mite parasitizes directly in the ear or on the skin next to it. The second option is noted less frequently. An accumulation of liquidish brown secretion appears in the ear, which dries and forms dense crusts.

As a result, the ear becomes dirty.

In a veterinary hospital, scraping determines the presence of adult parasites, its larvae and eggs. Treatment is carried out using drops or injections.

The first method is easier for the cat and is used in most cases. Injections against otodectosis are given to young animals with severe infection.

Notoedrosis

The disease is also caused by ticks . The parasites that cause this pathology are sarcoptoid mites, which settle in the skin not only in the ear area, but also throughout the body, causing itching.

The insect initially appears on the cat's head and, if left untreated, gradually spreads throughout the body. The skin in areas where mites are present becomes dry, a dense crust forms on it, which gradually cracks, leading to the formation of painful wounds. They often become infected, which aggravates the animal's condition.

Ear scabies, ear mites (otodectosis)

To determine the disease, a scraping with further examination is required. It is not possible to cure the pathology on your own, so a mandatory visit to a veterinarian is required. In advanced forms of the disease, therapy is complex and lengthy.

Important! If you suspect that your cat has a tick-borne infection, you should definitely contact a specialist. Treatment of the disease at an early stage will cost much less.

Fleas

This most common skin parasite in pets leaves bites that cause severe itching. Flea allergies in cats cause skin inflammation. Insects cause concern not only for cats, but also for their owners, as they bite all warm-blooded animals. It is necessary to remove the parasite as quickly as possible from the moment it appears in the animal.

Fleas, being in the ears of a cat, are almost inaccessible to her, and therefore they cause special concern there. The animal may scratch the area behind the ear vigorously until ulcers form.

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Treatment of the problem comes down to removing parasites. For this purpose, drops on the withers or sprays are used. In severe cases, when it is not possible to remove fleas using conventional means, an antiparasitic injection is used.

Otitis (ear inflammation)

Otitis media, or inflammation of the inner ear, is a common condition in cats that can cause serious problems ranging from deafness to inflammation of the brain.

The cause of its appearance is fungal and bacterial diseases, severe hypothermia, allergies, a number of pathologies of internal organs, as well as the presence of a foreign object or insect in the ear.

Otitis media, or inflammation of the inner ear

For proper therapy, it is necessary to accurately determine what factors caused the development of the disease. To do this, a history is taken, a swab is taken from the ear, and in some cases a blood test is prescribed. If there is discharge of pus, this indicates a bacterial form of the disease.

Treatment depends on what caused the inflammation. In most cases, the use of general or local antibiotics is required. The affected ear is also usually washed to remove excess secretion.

Hematoma

Hematoma refers to the consequences of injury. Usually one side suffers. A hematoma is formed due to a blow to the ear, when blood from a damaged vessel, while maintaining the integrity of the skin, pours into the interstitial space.

Hemorrhage causes an unpleasant feeling of pressure in the damaged area, causing the cat to shake its head. Treatment is carried out only by a veterinarian. Often a blockade is enough, which will eliminate the discomfort until the hematoma resolves on its own. In more severe cases, surgery may be required to open the hemorrhage.

Sulfur plug

Ear cleaning can be done at a veterinary clinic or at home.
The problem only arises if the plug becomes very large. The animal does not experience pain, but loses hearing, which causes concern. It is enough to remove the plug for the cat’s condition to return to normal.

Ear cleaning can be done at a veterinary clinic or at home. At home, sulfur is softened with saline solution, and the cat shakes it out itself. The treatment process takes several days.

Home treatment

You should not prescribe therapy on your own, as you can waste precious time and trigger the disease.
You can help your pet at home if you are aware of the problem of anxiety. If you have wax plugs, you need to clean your ears using saline solution and cotton swabs with limiters .
You need to instill the drug into each ear, 2 drops three times a day for a week. If the cork does not come out, you can remove it with a cotton swab.

Without knowing what to do, if the wax is deep, it is better to have the plug removed at a veterinary clinic.

Important. If a foreign object gets into your ear, you should not try to pull it out yourself: you can damage the ear canal or drive the object even deeper.

Also, do not use soap solution, alcohol or hydrogen peroxide - this can cause irritation or ulceration of the shell.

It is dangerous to warm up the ears, since if the cat has started a purulent process, this will provoke its intensification.

Treatment of the wound if the cat scratched his ears until they bled

Treatment is necessary not to eliminate the wound, but to eliminate the cause. To calm the animal a little, you can apply a cold herbal compress to the affected area. Oak bark, chamomile, and calendula are suitable for the decoction.

To disinfect the wound, you need to wipe it with a decoction or tincture of calendula that does not contain alcohol, then the affected area is treated with Levomekol ointment.

If a cat scratches its ears a lot, Suprastin and Diazolin help relieve itching.

Dermatitis and eczema cannot be wetted, so acetylsalicylic acid-based talkers are used to treat them.

Do-it-yourself ear cleaning

Dust and dirt constantly get into your ears, so hygienic cleaning of sinks must be carried out regularly. To do this, you need to have a special product purchased at a pet store, or use saline solution (0.9%).

In the absence of these drugs, ordinary warm boiled water and a cotton swab will do. Use a moistened swab to wipe only the visible part of the sink.

Do not try to penetrate deeply, as this may damage the ear..

If there is a large accumulation of sulfur, the cleaning composition is dropped into the ear and after 10 minutes the animal is allowed to shake out the excess secretion by shaking its head.

Then, using cotton wool, carefully remove the loose plug and any remaining substance.

The use of soap, peroxide or alcohol is controversial, as some veterinarians claim that after such manipulations ulcers may appear, or the volume of sulfur released increases.

Diagnosis of ear diseases in cats

Diagnosis should be carried out in a veterinary clinic. In addition to examining the animal’s ear, the specialist, based on the results of which a primary diagnosis is made, takes a scraping, smear and sometimes a blood test.

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When bacteria are detected in a smear, bacterial culture is carried out to determine which pathogens are present in the ear cavity and their sensitivity to antibiotics.

The veterinarian may also order an ultrasound or x-ray depending on what additional symptoms the cat has. In older animals, there are problems with the auditory organs associated with internal pathology, without treatment of which it is impossible to restore the pet’s health.

Pet treatment

If you have a parasitic infection, you can treat your pet at home. Fleas are poisoned with special drops, anti-flea shampoos and insecticides for treating the premises. For prevention, the pet is wearing a collar that repels insects.

When treating otodectosis, ear drops Amitrazine and Frontline Spot On are used, and Stronghold is applied to the withers.

Before using the drops, clean the sinks with lotion Otoklin, Rosinka, Fitolar. In case of severe infection, use Benzyl benzoate or hyposulfite. If pus is released, therapy is expanded with antibiotics.

Otitis is treated with Aurican, Surolan, Bars, Oridermil.

For tick-borne inflammation, Tsipam, Decor, Anandin are prescribed. If the cause is a fungus, then it is advisable to use Aurizon, Clotrimazole.

A kitten with yeast and fungal otitis needs to restore its immunity, otherwise the problem will return again.

Bacterial otitis is treated with Otibiovin, Mastiet, Otonazole. In case of advanced pathology, blockades with Novocaine are necessary.

If scratching is caused by aggressive brushing, then light healing ointments can be used. It is not recommended to touch the shells at this time. The plugs are removed in the hospital or softened with saline solution.

For weeping dermatitis, the itching is relieved by instilling Novocaine, and the ulcers are dried with silver nitrate 2%.

The fungal infection is treated locally with the drug Chlorhexidine 0.05%, Ketoconazole tablets are given orally, and Otibiovin drops are injected into the sink.

If you have an allergy, it is important to understand the cause of the disease. Antihistamines taken by people help eliminate the problem.

Seborrhea is difficult to get rid of . The doctor prescribes what to treat; generally, bathing the pet using special shampoos (Fiprex, Doctor) is indicated.

If the problem is related to fungi, then Miconazole-based products are needed.

After bathing, you need to comb your pet. For dry seborrhea, to soften the skin, you should choose medications with vitamin A. This will help reduce flaking and itching.

Surgery

With early diagnosis of the problem and timely consultation with a doctor, the cat can be saved with conservative treatment.

Surgical treatment is necessary if a tumor is present . Sometimes this is required if a foreign object has penetrated too deeply.

A small incision is made to drain the hematoma. If there is an abscess, the wound is cleaned and drainage is installed to drain the pus.

Some forms of chronic otitis media cannot be cured with medications, so surgery is performed to narrow the ear canal.

Why does he shake his head?

Sometimes a cat shakes its head to get rid of accumulated wax or water that has gotten into its ears. Such cases are normal, but should be in moderation. When a pet often tilts its head to the side and shakes it, then there is already cause for concern.

Ear mite

Parasites are a common cause of ear scabies. The cat's ear is designed in such a way that, thanks to certain glands, it is capable of self-cleaning. On the other hand, such an environment is favorable for the development of the parasite. Otodectos cynotis is a mite that causes ear scabies in cats and even dogs. A pet becomes infected with this parasite from an already sick animal. The organ becomes inflamed, our four-legged animal begins to scratch it with its paw, sometimes even releasing its claws, injuring itself. In advanced cases, there is a threat of purulent otitis media.

Ear mite

Ear abscess

Abscess is a purulent disease characterized by rapid development. An abscess develops from scratches and wounds that are not properly treated. Symptoms are: swelling of the wound site, redness of the skin, baldness of the infection site, discharge of pus. If the disorder is left to chance, this will lead to its further development, and healthy tissues will begin to suffer. The best solution would be to contact a veterinarian.

Hematoma

Unlike an abscess, a hematoma is characterized by an accumulation of blood rather than pus. Blood accumulates at the site of the bite or scratch. Small hematomas disappear on their own; treatment of larger ones requires the help of a specialist. A tumor can be identified by an elevated temperature; the wound site usually swells. Usually develops from the inside.

Infectious bacteria

Infectious bacteria can also cause ear diseases. A pet's dirty ears become an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms.

Small pests

Yeast fungus

Bacteria thrive in a humid environment. Owners often assess this disease as simple, the consequences of ear mite removal or otitis, and do not pay attention to the pet’s behavior. The reasons for this enemy are excessive bathing of the pet and high humidity in the room. The manifestation of the fungus is itching, unpleasant odor, and peeling of the skin.

Otitis

When an infection occurs, cats begin to develop otitis media. There are three types of ear inflammation: external, middle, internal. It depends on where the source of the disease is located. The disease is accompanied by fever, lethargy of the pet and loss of appetite. This is one of the most dangerous diseases, which can lead to further hearing loss or complete hearing loss.

You should not treat inflammation yourself without the supervision of a veterinarian.

Dermatitis or eczema

To identify this problem, it is necessary to conduct a full examination of the cat by a veterinarian. Dermatitis can be divided into different subtypes and is a disease of the outer layers of the skin.

Various factors cause the development of infection:

1. allergy,
2. injury,
3. pathogenic bacteria,
4. chemical exposure.

Signs of the development of dermatitis include a small red rash, severe scratching of the ear, and clearly visible reddened areas under the fur. Eczema is a type of dermatitis that is rarely an independent disease. It accompanies some pathologies, such as allergies.

Dermatitis in a cat

Prevention measures

To prevent your pet from having ear problems, you need to properly care for the animal.

That means:

1. Periodically inspect and clean sinks with a cotton swab.
2. Control during bathing (you need to make sure that liquid does not get into the ear canal).
3. Isolation of domestic animals from street animals.
4. Ensuring proper nutrition for your pet. It should be balanced and varied. Vitamin supplements should be given periodically.
5. Timely vaccination, deworming.
6. Compliance with scheduled preventive examinations.