Ear Mites In Cats

They are most common in kittens younger cats strays and outdoor cats though any cat can catch ear mites.

Ear mites in cats. Cats can catch ear mites from being outdoors or from interacting with other cats. Their presence causes inflammation and can also lead to secondary ear infections. 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. 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.

Although ear mites don t seem dangerous their presence can be extremely harmful to your cat. Ear mites are barely visible to the naked eye yet you can spot them inside your cat s ears with the assistance of a magnifying lens. Ear mites will lay eggs in the ear canal which have a gestation period of roughly two to three weeks. 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.

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. They also like to live in warm dark environment of the ear canal where they then feed on the skin debris. 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. If you look inside the ear by gently folding back the ear flap you can spot tiny white specks amongst the reddish brown debris.

Several ear mite medicines and websites also refer to it as otodectic mange. Ear mites are a common infestation and are easily spread between cats and other animals. The most frequent ear mite infestation in cats is otodectes cynotis. These mites create irritation and itchiness which cause the cat to scratch its ears.

They like to live in the warm dark environment of the ear canal where they feed on skin debris. These parasites feed on the debris inside of the ear. Mites on cats can travel all over the cat s body. Those tiny white specks are in fact the adult ear mites present in the ear.

Ear mites in cats are not just found in the ears. Ear mites or otodectes cynotis are microscopic parasites which can infect the ears of a cat. Ear mites think other species are tasty too and they are very contagious. What are the symptoms of ear mites in cats.