Cat Care Zone

A fairly common problem for cats is ear mite infestation. Homeless cats are more susceptible to them then their well cared for counterparts. Ear mites can grow into a problem with thousands of the pest in quick succession.

Ear mites transfer to other cats easily. In a multi-cat family, it is easier for ear mites to spread. Once one cat is infected, each cat must be treated individually.

Ear mites are easily treatable if action is taken quickly. If left untreated the condition can worsen causing bacterial or yeast infection to establish. Serious infestations can cause rupture of the ear drum and needs to be treated promptly by a veterinarian.

Cat ear mites are white microscopic organisms that are not easily seen by the naked eye. A type of feline ear mite called, Otodectes is found in mainly living in the ear. What is many people don’t know is that mites are not only able to live in the ear canal but also other areas of the cat. They can move to different parts of the feline body. Unlike ticks, ear mites do not dig down and borrow into the skin. Instead they move within the ear and live off skin and discharge leaving the ear lining red and sore. In response to this irritation, the cat’s ear will create more additional earwax.

To relieve your cat of ear mites it is good to know that there are four developmental stages of development of mites. It takes three weeks to the mite to complete its cycle starting as an egg and ending as a full-grown adult. The first stage is as an egg. Stage two is four day later it emerges as a larva. The larvae will nourish themselves for a while, eventually molting into stage three, the nymph. The nymph stage contains two sub-stages, the protonymph and then the deutonymph. Each sub-stage consists of a period of feeding with a period during which they molt. Throughout the deutonymph sub-stage the nymph does not have a set gender; even so it will actually breed with a mature male. Then if it evolves into a female, she will already possess eggs and begin laying them. Otherwise if it turns into a male, he will merely breed with other deutonymphs. The final stage is the adult, which survives about another 60 days. During her lifetime, an adult female might deposit eggs in the cat’s ear every day starting the whole process over and over in a never-ending cycle.

There are a few symptoms your cat may display when it is suffering from mites. Some of the symptoms your cat may display are the continued head shaking or scratching of its ears. There may also be a foul smell coming from your pet’s ears. You may be able to see reddish brown waste matter that looks like coffee grounds left by the mites in the cats ears. Finally, a veterinarian may be in order to perform a thorough examination.

Ridding you cat of ear mites does not have to be a monumental chore. Routine cleansing of the ears will help control mites. Have your veterinarian examine your cat and any other pet you have. Talk to your veterinarian about prevention and ask them about the various available treatments they recommend.

Knowing the dangers of letting mites establish an infestation makes managing mites a significant factor of cat care to the responsible cat owner. Observing your cat and watching out for any symptoms that might alert you to a problem. Developing proper grooming habits by devoting extra time to tend to your cat’s ears will help in eliminating mites.

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