why is my cat trying to scratch inside his ears?

Question

would someone please tell me why my two and a half year old nutered cat is trying to scratch inside his ears. he has scratched so hard until he has scratched out all the hair near his ear and it turned red. i put a lil antibiotic cream(neosporin)on the sore area and i orderd some anti itch hydrocotizone cream from drs. foster & smith for the itching, but he still keeps trying to scratch in his ear. could it be ear mites? when i look in his ears, they look clean.i dont have money for a vet, so is there something i can buy from petland discount in my neighborhood that would help with whatever is in his ears, now hes started to scratch at both of them. thank you so much for any answers(in laymans terms please).

Answer 1

I can understand that you do not have funds for a vet. When he scratches, does his other back foot do a thumping action? That is an indication of pain. If there are ear mites, which is what I would think, then mineral oil as suggested will help kill them. Ear mites, if left untreated can have long term problems.

Your use of neosporin may have been extremely helpful, as infections can be rather nasty.

Try and find a way of saving up or borrowing some funds for a vet check up. You may be able to reduce the problem, assuming it is ear mites, but the long term final solution is generally available only from a vet. If it is ear mites, then request the vet kill them, not just give you ear drops to kill them. The vet will use an insecticide that is suitable for cats.

Answer 2

Cat's ears can be really tricky. Whatever he's itching at is definitely troublesome to him, if the itching has made his ears red.

I hate to say it, and I don't mean to be rude, but maybe a trip to the vet is in order. Vets don't usually charge much if you just need a check-up. They may suggest a liquid ear-wash that you can apply, or medicated drops.

Be careful, also, with the Neosporin. I know it's what we humans use on cuts and abrasions, but the chemicals in human antibiotic creams can be toxic to kitties!

Try taking a flat cotton pad or cotton ball, and swab your cat's ear. If anything brown comes off on the pad, then your kitty most likely has ear mites, or some other type of ear infection. In most cases, ear infections can be handled simply, but if left untreated, they can lead to more major infections, deafness or worse.

It's best to get him to the vet's sooner than later. I'm not trying to scare you, but at the same time, you need to be aware of what you're dealing with, so that your cat--and you--can both stay happy! :)

Answer 3

There are a lot of possibilities......one could be that he has ear mites....which could be taken care of by a medicine you can buy at walmart or any store that sells pet stuff or even drops you can get from your local vet.......or #2 he could have an ear infection.......if he does have an ear infection you should take him to the vet asap i understand the whole not having money for the vet i currently am in the situation where if something goes wrong with my pet i cant afford the vet either.

Answer 4

Because you said his ears look clean, I don't think it's ear mites. Usually you'll see a lot of black debris and gunk in the ear with ear mites - but it can't be ruled out. Unfortunately, because medications are specific to what they're treating - he needs to be seen by a veterinarian. They will take a q-tip swab from both of his ears, smear it onto a microscope slide, stain it with special stains, and then look at it under the microscope. They're looking for different kinds of bacteria and yeast. Like I said - different bacterias and yeast are treated with different medications, so a general antibiotic may not clear it up. Call around to local animal hospitals and explain what's going on with your cat - they can make an estimate of how much it would cost you. You can compare prices and pick the lowest. I would hold off on the neosporin for now as well.

Answer 5

Ugh.. ear mites for sure. My cat went through this last month. The vet performed some cleaning treatments, gave her some medicine then also changed her flea treatment from Advantix to Revolution. She's been doing pretty good ever since.

Answer 6

I'd really ask a vet what to do about that....I wouldn't trust ordering something online, or just buying it from a pet store without a vet's advice, it may do your kitty more harm then good...!

He could quite possibly have earmites deep inside, but if he ears look clean, it could be something else. An allergy perhaps? Have you changed his food, litter, anything he uses regularly lately? That's my best bet as to what it could be, and especially if the ears are clean inside.

But I would recommend calling a vet, at least for advice, if not for an appointment. Many are very hlpfl and might be able to suggest something over the phone, and at no cost for an appointment!

Answer 7

Your cat is suffering. You must get him looked at. If you really can't afford a vet then at least call one and speak to them on the phone. Tell them the situation. Maybe they will recommend what to give him. Do not try to do this yourself before speaking to a professional. You can damage a cats ears/ear drum if you start trying to medicate it yourself. Good luck. Please don't wait. This can drive a cat insane and its so frustrating that it can't stop the itching. It will keep scratching until it becomes so infected you will end up losing it or spending a lot more money at a vet then if you took him to see one now.

Answer 8

You really need professional help. You can go to an animal shelter, the vets who work there are usually volunteers and they could help you since you can't afford a vet.

If you can't afford a vet, you should really think about whether you should own pets or not. What if your cat had a serious injury or illness and needed immediate treatment? Vet costs are part of the price of owning a pet, and all pets should have access to health care, just like children. If you can't afford this basic need, maybe you could give your cat to a friend who can. I don't want to offend, I just want your cat to have the best life possible.

Answer 9

You can also call around to animal rescue groups, some of them are really good at offering advice over the phone. It might be an infection (check for odour), could be mites but you'll see the dark gunk. Try to call the animal rescue groups, they are 90% nice people and very knowledgeable!

Answer 10

Ear mites. Get to the vet!