Cat Infected Ear:

Outer ear infections in cats are not as common as in dogs.



However, Persian cats are susceptible to ear infections.

Symptoms of Ear Infections in Cats:

You’ll notice that your cat will be uncomfortable in case it’s got an ear infection since the ear canals are sensitive. The cat will shake its head often, as if to dislodge debris from the ears. It will also scratch its ears.



You’ll notice that the ears will be inflamed and red, and can develop a bad odor. There might be a yellowish or black discharge.

Symptoms like head shaking, scratching and black discharge can be caused by ear mites, and these infections are common in kittens.



An adult cat might have a ear mite infection if a small kitten is brought into the house and then it infects the adult cat too. Because of ear mites, the cat might get a secondary infection with yeast and fungus.

Treating Ear Infections in Cats:

It is important to take your cat to the vet for a checkup. You just cannot walk into the doctor’s office for medicines as the vet will need to examine the cat and diagnose the kind of ear infections it’s got. Ear infections can be caused by bacteria, fungus, a tumor or a foreign object in the ear canal. The vet will have to check to see if the ear drum is intact.

First, the vet examines the ear with an otoscope to check if the eardrum is fine and if there is any debris or object lodged in the ear canal. Sometimes, the cat is sedated if it’s in pain and isn’t allowing the vet to check. Then, the vet checks a sample from the ear canal to see the kind of organism that’s causing the ear infection.

The treatment plan will depend upon the diagnosis. Since cats are generally resistant to ear infections, if the reason behind the ear infection is not explained, then it should be tested for feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus. Cats with diabetes are more prone to having ear infections.

Proper diagnosis and treatment can lead to cure cat ear infection. However, if the cause of the infection is unidentified, then treatment will be a problem. If the cat has immune suppressing viruses, the again the treatment may not work.

Whether your cat has an outer ear infection or an inner ear infection, we suggest that you take the cat to a vet.