Can ear mites be transmitted between cats?

Yes, ear mites in cats can be transmitted because they are a parasitic disease. Healthy cats can become infected with ear mites by coming into contact with cats suffering from ear mites, or if there are adult ear mites and eggs in their living environment. After a cat contracts ear mites, there will be a large amount of secretions in the ear canal, extreme itching, and inflammation of the ear canal due to the ear mites damaging the ear canal.

How to effectively prevent ear mites?

Prevention of ear mites in kittens: Most kittens contract ear mites through maternal transmission, which means that the kitten's mother has ear mites and passes them on to the kitten. Therefore, it is essential to prevent kittens from contracting ear mites. Before the kitten is born, check and treat the mother cat for ear mites.
Prevention of ear mites in adult cats: Avoid contact with cats suffering from ear mites and regularly perform external parasite prevention (such as Revolution).

Symptoms of ear mites in cats

After a cat contracts ear mites, there will be a large amount of brown secretions in the ear canal, and long-term infection can lead to purulent secretions.
Cats infected with ear mites will show signs of scratching their ears due to the itching caused by the movement of ear mites in the ear canal.
Alopecia and wounds around the ear: Some cats may develop wounds and hair loss around their ears due to excessive scratching.
Increased eye secretions, tears, conjunctivitis, and keratitis: When cats scratch their ears, they can accidentally scratch their eyes, leading to infection.

Treatment for ear mites

When there is a large amount of ear canal secretions during the early stage of treatment, it is recommended to go to a pet hospital for professional ear cleaning.
Use ear ointments specifically formulated for ear mites (such as Earfluid) once a day.
Combine external parasite prevention drugs (such as Revolution, Advocate).

Precautions

Clean the ear canal once or twice a week, and the cleaning method suggests irrigation (Vicks Ear Flush is the best choice). Do not use cotton swabs to clean the ear canal deeply, as this can cause cotton fibers to remain in the ear canal and damage the ear canal.
Persist in treatment for more than 5 weeks.
Isolate the cat from other animals in the household, as ear mites can be transmitted to other cats or dogs.

Prognosis

As long as the diagnosis is confirmed and the doctor's advice is followed, most cases of ear mites can be cured. Half of the recurrences of ear mites are due to pet owners not persevering in treatment, and ear mites cannot be transmitted to humans.