Your cat is really scratching at their ears, and after taking a look yourself, you wish you could stick a cotton swab down in there to help them out! We never recommend using cotton swabs on or near a cat’s ears. If you are concerned about your cat’s ears, please see the veterinarian before attempting any care or treatment yourself.
The most common reason for gunky ears in young cats is ear mites, or Otodectes cynotis. These nearly microscopic parasites are highly contagious and easily pass between cats in direct contact with one another.
Signs of an ear mite infestation include:
- Itchy ears, which may be so itchy that your cat kicks at their head when you rub their ears
- Dark debris in the ear(s)
- Hair loss or wounds around the ears from excessive scratching
Your veterinarian can easily diagnose ear mites by looking at a sample of the debris under a microscope or directly seeing the mites with an otoscope (scope into the ear). Mite infestations often lead to ear infections, so if it’s overly painful for your cat, they may need sedation for diagnosis and treatment.
To treat the infestation, your veterinarian will first clean the ear. They may prescribe ear mite medications that go directly into the ear, or they may recommend topical parasite preventives. If your has a secondary ear infection, your veterinarian will likely prescribe a medication that goes into the ear to treat it.
Luckily, you can easily prevent ear mites by selecting parasite preventives that protect against them. Shop our selection of parasite preventives to find one that works for your cat.
