How to Treat Ear Mites in Cats

Ear mites are parasites that live in a pet's ear canal and feed off of bites like a flea.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ear mite medicine
• Ear cleaner
• Cotton balls and swabs
• Towel
• Sheet

Preparing the Cat for Ear Mite Treatment

1. 

   Gather all supplies and lay sheet out flat. Open all medicine bottles and place on a flat surface to avoid spillage.

2. 

   Put cat on the center of the sheet. Relax the cat by petting and talking, move slowly so the pet does not become upset.

3. 

   Wrapping one side of the sheet over the other, swaddle the cat as you would a newborn. Make sure the front feet are securely inside of the sheet. Most cats actually calm down at this point but, if not, there should be no way for them to escape. Hold on to the 'seam' tightly.

Clean the Cat's Ears and Add Ear Mite Medication

4. Put a small amount of ear cleaner in the ears and rub vigorously. This will help break up the dirt in the cat's ear canal and loosen the ear mites from the skin.

5. Wipe out the excess ear cleaner with cotton balls and swabs. Go into the ear canal, until you feel slight resistance, to remove all of the dirt and mites.

6. Repeat the ear cleaning process on both ears if necessary to remove all of the dirt and ear mites.

7. Add cat ear mite medication to both ears; follow dosing instructions carefully. Gently massage both ears, the pet will immediately start to shake its head. Don’t let go of the towel or the cat.

8. Continue to massage the cat, farther from the ears. Calm the cat down completely before letting loose of the sheet.

9. Set the towel on the floor with the cat still in it and let the it come out by itself. The longer the cat stays still, the better.

10. Watch the pet over the next few hours for any adverse reactions to the ear mite treatment. Cats are sensitive animals and can have distressful reactions to any number of medications. Should the pet show any signs of distress after the treatment, call your veterinarian immediately.Signs of distress: Open mouth breathing or panting for prolonged period, hair loss around the ear, vomiting and/or diarrhea.

11. Repeat the process as directed by the manufacturer or your veterinarian.

Tips & Warnings

• Scruffing the cat may make ear mite treatments easier. This will somewhat subdue the cat and will not hurt at all.
• Always follow dosage instructions for any pet medications.
• Use a quality ear mite remedy and it will work faster and last longer.
• If the pet is scratching the outer ear causing sores, call your veterinarian or buy a small Elizabethan collar (E-collar). This is the cone shaped collar that protects the pet’s head.
• Use only medications manufactured or prescribed for cats.
• Call a licensed veterinarian if the pet shows any signs of distress after the ear mite treatment.
• Severe cases of ear mite infestation in cats should be treated by a veterinarian.

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[nycandre]

on 4/19/2009 The best recipe is actually free (hydrogen peroxide, borax and a wetting agent like dr bronner soap). It is important to clean/ wash the whole cat, including especially the paws where mites will stay, and let the cat dry naturally so the borax (a drying agent that kills mites) stays on the skin. And it is important to keep a it for a whole cycle (mites have a 3 week cycles, and eggs are not killed with any treatment, only the ones that are 'live'.)This is based on the original "Ted's mange cure for dogs" found at earthclinic.com - I have reproduced it on my flickr stream as his best comment has been buried by the new operators of earthclinic. More at:" http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/1459080973/ "