Is constant head shaking and ear flicking in cats caused by ear mites?

Constant head shaking and ear flicking in cats does not necessarily mean they have ear mites. Besides head shaking, symptoms of ear mites in cats may include a foul smell in the ears, dark brown secretions in the ear canal, hair loss, and more. It is recommended to take the cat to a pet hospital to collect ear canal secretions for microscope examination to diagnose the cause before treating with ear cleaning solutions and medications such as Ear cleaner and Ear Fluid. Additionally, cats with middle ear or inner ear infections can also show symptoms of constant head shaking and ear flicking.

What are the symptoms of ear mites in cats?

Ear mites in cats are caused by an infection of the ear by ear mites, which produce a large amount of secretions that cause bacterial proliferation. Infection with ear mites causes severe itching, leading to frequent scratching of the ears by the cat. After the cat is infected with ear mites, the ear canal will form reddish-brown or black secretions, composed of ear mites, ear oil, and inflammatory secretions. It can also cause hair loss around the ears. In severe cases, it may cause middle ear or inner ear infections, and even damage hearing.

Cat ear mites are mainly caused by long-term lack of ear cleaning, or by indirect contact with dogs or cats carrying ear mites through direct or indirect contact while playing outside. As ear mites are contagious, the sick cat needs to be isolated and the surrounding environment disinfected.

How to judge if a cat has ear mites?

Cat ear mites can be preliminarily diagnosed through clinical symptoms, and confirmation requires a microscope examination at a pet hospital. When a cat has ear mites, there will be increased ear canal secretions, a foul smell in the ears, dark brown secretions, scratching of the ears, and frequent head shaking. If the cat's ears are just dirty, it will not show signs of shaking its head. If the above symptoms are noticed, take the cat to the pet hospital promptly for an ear canal secretion microscope examination. Under the microscope, the morphology of the ear mite can be clearly seen.

How to treat cat ear mites?

After a cat is diagnosed with ear mites, it needs to be treated with drugs containing compound nystatin. Before administering the treatment drugs, clean the cat's ears with pet ear cleaning solution. Drop the cleaning solution into the cat's ears, and wait for the cat to shake out the dirt. Then use a clean cotton swab to wipe dry. Repeat the process 2-3 times if there is a lot of secretions in the ear canal. During the treatment, insist on continuous medication, otherwise it may lead to drug resistance or repeated illness.

During the ear mite treatment, the cat needs to wear an Elizabethan collar to prevent excessive scratching of the ears, which can cause secondary damage. Regular deworming can treat and prevent ear mites in cats. It is recommended to regularly deworm the cat for prevention.