How Do Cats Get Ear Mites? 5 Reasons Explained.

Ear mites are deadly parasites that feed off your cat’s skin oil and ear wax. Though they’re tiny, ear mites can cause discomfort and irritation for your cat. Ear mites are often related to spiders and ticks. In most cases, bacteria and yeast infections are frequently blamed for CAT ear infections. Ear mite infestation can also lead to symptoms like scratching their ears & head and head shaking.

Therefore, read this article and learn all the questions like do cats get ear mites? If yes, how do cats get ear mites? Further, we will also talk about some home remedies to get rid of ear mites in cats. Let’s first talk about cats getting ear mites.

Do Cats Get Ear Mites?

Cats get ear mites, and kittens are the most frequent target. Always remember that the symptoms of ear mites in cats resemble other problems like bacterial or yeast infections.

5 Signs Your Cat Has Ear Mites

If your cat is suffering from ear mites or seems discomfort, you should look for symptoms like shaking their head or scratching their ears. If you notice any sudden discharge around your cat’s ears that resembles coffee Grounds, your cat is infested with my ear mites. It’s essential to see your local veterinarian if you suspect your cat with an ear infection. Your veterinarian will be the best person to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan for Cats’ Ear mites. If you are a cat parent, you are likely to notice your feline with ear mites exhibits the following five symptoms.

Open sore.
Discharge around the cat’s ear that looks like coffee Grounds.
Swollen & red skin in and around the ears.
Scratching their head.
Shaking their heads.

How Do Cats Get Ear Mites?

In the feline kingdom, kittens are the most common and frequent targets of ear mites or its parasite. However, our adult cats are certainly not immune. Ear mites are a common problem with cats, ferrets, and Dogs. With that said, our cat can also get ear mites when coming in contact with anyone infested with ear mites already.

Kittens and puppies usually have compromised, weak immune systems that are more prone to developing their mite infestation compared to adult ones. If your adult cat is healthy with a mature immune system, It is less likely to create such an infection.

However, the eggs laid by the ear mites can hatch over the next three weeks. The mites’ life cycle is essential to understand if your cat is infested with it. Ear mites turn into adults via various growth stages. Adult mites can survive for as long as two months while feeding on your cat’s ear surface, debris and skin. Thus, it causes extreme discomfort, inflammation, and irritation for your cat.

Since ear mites are contagious, they can easily be transmitted from one cat to another through physical contact. Therefore, if you have a multicat household, make sure You quarantine your cat infested with ear mites in a separate room. When an affected cat is diagnosed, you also need to treat all of your other pets at the same time.

How To Get Rid Of Ear Mites On A Cat?

Ear mites are treatable, and the most effective treatments are available at your nearest veterinarian. You need to take your cat to your nearest vet, and they will confirm whether your cat is suffering from ear mites or not. Veterinarians will best judge your dog’s symptoms and learn what kind of ear infection it is suffering from. A veterinarian often does this by examining your cat’s ear Canal with an otoscope.

Do you know that ear mite also looks like debris under the microscope? Therefore, if your veterinarian finds it hard to differentiate, they might need to clean your cat’s ear thoroughly. Consequently, they may also perform all the necessary checkups and treatments in just a single visit on your cat.

However, in many cases, vets send you home with your cat and prescription. Per my experience and Research, your veterinarian is likely to discuss the following treatment options, which include.

Thorough ear cleaning.
Prescribed ear drops.
Medications like revolution, simpera Bravecto, and advantage multi will be prescribed.
The vet also recommends topical products for inside the cat’s ears.
The specified topical product needs to be applied on cat skin.
Oral pill.
Ivermectin injections

Natural Way To Get Rid Of Ear Mites In Cats

Through hours and hours of Research, we found olive oil in cats’ most common home remedies for ear mites. Other than this, you can also take help from Baby Oil. Both oils can do the job. Olive oil and remedy Baby Oil from old times can help you get the debris out of your cat’s ear resulting in quick relief from irritation of ear mites infestation and spread.

It would help if you also put a few drops in your car-affected ear several times a day for more than a month. Make sure you get the depth that a veterinarian prescribes. Ongoing maintenance of a cat’s ear with subsequent treatment is necessary to eliminate ear mites in cats.

Can Indoor Cats Get Ear Mites?

Yes, indoor cats can also get ear mites. Indoor cats affected with ear mites exhibit signs like sudden discharge from the ear, weird odor from the ear, or head shaking. If you want to keep your cat safe, organize a monthly vet checkup and Veterinary ear cleaning.

An occasional visit to the nearest veterinarian for regular checkups and testing is necessary to keep ear mites at Bay. Therefore you should set a bi-weekly reminder to clean your cat’s ear or veterinary cleaning if your pet is affected by ear mites. Ensure you keep your house, cat’s bed, and the surrounding environment clean to reduce the risk of ear mites infestation at home.

How Do Indoor Cats Get Ear Mites?

It is common to find ear mites in the street or outdoor cats, but what about indoor ones? Indoor cats also get ear mites from the environment or another house pet. Your cat is more susceptible to ear mites infestation if you have a multicat household. Since ear mites are not species-specific, your cat can take them from a dog or ferret and vice versa.

Ear mites spread in cats through direct contact or the surrounding environment if it is dirty. In most cases, indoor cats infested with ear mites are usually transmitted through social interaction. Therefore in a multicat household, sleeping, grooming, and playing together will all lead to the development of ear mite infestation.

You should check for signs of ear infections and ear mites in all of your cats periodically. Thankfully, ear mites are treatable, and your veterinarian can prescribe several medications. Since ear mites parasites are very prolific, we are still not sure of all the ways they spread despite years of study. If one of your indoor cats ends up with ear mites in a multicat household, the others will surely get ear mites.

Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Ear Mites In Cats

Until now, no research has been done on the effectiveness of home remedies to get rid of ear mites in cats. However, in many forums add social media sites, people have argued about the effectiveness of home remedies they had tried on their pets to get rid of ear mites. Some home remedies seem to be effective in treating ear mites in cats, but there is no study to prove or guarantee them.

The best way to get rid of ear mites in cats will be by taking effective medications that are readily available over the counter. However, you should check with your veterinarian to get a prescription for treatment. Treating ear mites at home using over-the-counter near drops might look like an option, but it is for less severe cases.

Make sure to put the drop daily twice in the cat’s ear. Therefore it is a much more labor-intensive option. As per your cat’s weight, follow the instructions printed on the product package. Depending upon the severity of mite infestation, the veterinarian may also recommend you put drops more than two times a day.

In addition to your drops, you might also need to get your cat’s ear cleaned out at a veterinary clinic until no debris is present. Consult your veterinarian if you have no success treating ear mites in cats at home.

Can Humans Get Ear Mites From Cats?

Yes, humans can also get ear mites from cats or dogs. It is not very common, though. Other cats living in multiple pet households are most likely to get infested with ear mites from a contagious cat.

FAQ

Can Cats Get Ear Mites From Dogs?

Yes, cats can get ear mites from dog. Ear mites also live on the skin’s surface. Healthy cats can be infested by direct contact with another infected cat. Ear mites may be barely visible to your naked eye but can be seen moving against a dark background as white specks.

Can Dogs Get Cat Ear Mites?

Yes, dogs can get ear mites and vice versa. As ear mites are highly contagious that feed on the oils and wax of your cat’s ear, you should quarantine the contagious cat first.

Does Olive Oil Get Rid Of Ear Mites In Cats?

You can always use olive oil to eliminate ear mites in cats. Baby Oil and Mineral oil can also do the work. Go with the smoother option that can drown the mites. However, olive oil may not be effective if your cat is suffering from another kind of infection like yeast or bacterial infection.

Conclusion

Although ear mites are highly contagious parasites that cause extreme stress, discomfort, irritation, and inflammation, it is treatable. You should consult your veterinarian for a 100% effective treatment and prevention method. It would help if you never left it untreated because ear mites feed on your cat wax and oil. If the case is less severe, you can use Baby Oil, olive oil, or Mineral oil to smother or drown the mites. I have tried my best to give you all the information: how do cats get ear mites? If you like this article, then consider sharing it. Your one share will help many people get aware of this deadly parasite and take precautions. Do check out our other article on cat care. Till then, take care and goodbye.