How to Control Ear Mites in Cats
Ear mites in cats rate as one of the most frequent maladies that affect felines.
This is likely because they are highly contagious; able to be passed from mother to young or from just one encounter with another cat.
If left untreated, a cat may actually lose all hearing; making it imperative to have your pet checked regularly and treated if necessary.
Resembling tiny crabs with eight minuscule legs, ear mites in cats are not usually visible to the untrained eye.
Unlike most mites, these arthropods do not bite or penetrate the skin to feed.
Instead, they feed upon the dead skin tissue and tissue fluids that build up inside the cat's ears.
These parasites spend their entire 3 week life cycle on their host, continuing to generate new infestations with every egg laying session.
While normally found in the ear, mites in cats will also migrate to other places on the body, such as the neck or back quarters.
A clue to their presence will be evidenced when your cat repeatedly shakes its head or continually scratches its ears.
Upon closer examination, you may notice a buildup of earwax in your cat's ear or black crumbly matter that has the appearance of coffee grounds.
Having ear mites can also create an infection, either bacterial or yeast, that could cause the ear drum to rupture if not detected and treated.
Kittens and young cats have a propensity for having sensitivity to ear mites; in cats of older age, the irritation often lessens with immunity seemingly acquired as the feline ages.
In the case of a mother cat with kittens, the babies will likely be more adversely affected while the mother cat does not show signs of being bothered at all even though she harbors the mites as well.
Regardless of the age of your cat, its ears should be examined on a regular basis to avoid potential long term damage.
The treatment of your cat should begin immediately after discovering the presence of the mites.
The first step should be to take your pet to a veterinarian, who can accurately determine whether the ear matter is due to an infection or ear mites in cats.
They use a piece of equipment called a magnifying otoscope; the warmth of which when shone into a cat's ear acts as a magnet to mites as they are drawn to the heat.
Often, a thorough cleaning of the ears will be the first step, as flushing the canals serves to eliminate the majority of mites.
Medication to kill remaining mites and heal infections follows.
The detection and treatment of ear mites in cats is an easy task.
Because of the extremely contagious nature of the mites, this should be done on a regular basis to maintain your pet's health and protect it from long term damage.
This is likely because they are highly contagious; able to be passed from mother to young or from just one encounter with another cat.
If left untreated, a cat may actually lose all hearing; making it imperative to have your pet checked regularly and treated if necessary.
Resembling tiny crabs with eight minuscule legs, ear mites in cats are not usually visible to the untrained eye.
Unlike most mites, these arthropods do not bite or penetrate the skin to feed.
Instead, they feed upon the dead skin tissue and tissue fluids that build up inside the cat's ears.
These parasites spend their entire 3 week life cycle on their host, continuing to generate new infestations with every egg laying session.
While normally found in the ear, mites in cats will also migrate to other places on the body, such as the neck or back quarters.
A clue to their presence will be evidenced when your cat repeatedly shakes its head or continually scratches its ears.
Upon closer examination, you may notice a buildup of earwax in your cat's ear or black crumbly matter that has the appearance of coffee grounds.
Having ear mites can also create an infection, either bacterial or yeast, that could cause the ear drum to rupture if not detected and treated.
Kittens and young cats have a propensity for having sensitivity to ear mites; in cats of older age, the irritation often lessens with immunity seemingly acquired as the feline ages.
In the case of a mother cat with kittens, the babies will likely be more adversely affected while the mother cat does not show signs of being bothered at all even though she harbors the mites as well.
Regardless of the age of your cat, its ears should be examined on a regular basis to avoid potential long term damage.
The treatment of your cat should begin immediately after discovering the presence of the mites.
The first step should be to take your pet to a veterinarian, who can accurately determine whether the ear matter is due to an infection or ear mites in cats.
They use a piece of equipment called a magnifying otoscope; the warmth of which when shone into a cat's ear acts as a magnet to mites as they are drawn to the heat.
Often, a thorough cleaning of the ears will be the first step, as flushing the canals serves to eliminate the majority of mites.
Medication to kill remaining mites and heal infections follows.
The detection and treatment of ear mites in cats is an easy task.
Because of the extremely contagious nature of the mites, this should be done on a regular basis to maintain your pet's health and protect it from long term damage.
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