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How to Treat Ear Mites in Cats

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Lindsay Butzer, DVM
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

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Lindsay Butzer, DVM
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Ear mites are tiny parasites that crawl inside your cat's ear to feed. These infestations can make any cat miserable by creating a persistent itching sensation. Ear mites are generally transmitted when cats are in close proximity with other animals or pets that have an ear mite infestation. In addition to intense scratching, cats will often have the following symptoms when an ear mite infestation is present:

Dark ear discharge
Strong odor
Headshaking
Red and/or inflamed ears

Follow these steps to eliminate ear mites in your cat:

Use an ear cleanser before applying ear mite treatment

In order for your cat's ear mite treatment to work effectively, the ears will need to be cleaned of any debris or wax buildup by using an ear cleaner, such as 1-800-PetMeds Ear Cleansing Solution.

Apply the ear mite treatment to your cat's ears

Add a few drops of mite treatment to your cat's ear and rub gently. Take extra care when applying the treatment, since many parts of a cat's ear are sensitive.

Protect your cat with ongoing treatment

Using products such as Revolution and Advantage Multi controls ear mites, prevents heartworm disease, and protects against fleas and some worms.

Tip

Depending on your cat's ear mite infestation, treatment may need to be reapplied every seven days until the condition clears.

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