Keeping our cats healthy is a major responsibility. Our playful companions cannot speak, and it is up to us to identify and take care of their health problems. To help you with that, this article will cover one of the most common conditions among cats - ear mites. Cats have more sensitive hearing than dogs and humans, they can rotate their ears 180 degrees and turn their head to the direction of the sound 10 times faster than any dog. "Keeping me healthy is your major responsibility."
This, of course, entirely depends on the healthy ears of your kitty cat. Ear mites are microscopic parasitic mites, also known as Otodectes cynotis, that can infect the ears of cats and significantly damage their hearing. These mites feed on the nutrition from your cat’s ear tissues and blood. Sounds unpleasant, doesn’t it? Below are some basic easy-to-follow remedies against ear mites.
The causes of ear mites in cats
The first thing you need to know for a successful prevention is how cats get ear mites in the first place. The number one way your cat can get an ear mite is by catching it from another pet. Ear mites can pass to your kitty from other cats as well as dogs and rabbits. Ear mites do not only reside in the ears as you might assume from their names, but they can also settle in the paws and fur of your kittie. "Ear mites...hate them!"
To reduce the risk of your cat catching mites in the first place:
- Do your best to pay attention to the outdoor activities of your cat,
- Make sure he is in a safe environment and does not interact with pets of unknown origin.
- Constantly look inside your cat’s ears, and keep an eye on symptoms of ear mites such as scratching and rubbing of ears, head shaking, bad odor, and black or brownish discharge.
Treating ear mites
If the precautionary actions did not work and your kitty caught ear mites, don’t panic. Mites can be treated at home with the supervision of your vet. The very first thing you should do is try to clean as many of the mites as you can reach. Afterward, clean your cat’s ears with almond or olive oil, but to achieve the best result use ear cleaning solutions that will kill all the ear mites including the unborn ones. EcoEars cat ear cleaner is your best choice because it is made of 100% natural components and guarantees safe, and efficient treatment.
Ear cleaners will protect your cat from potential ear mite outbreaks. We believe that EcoEars cat ear cleaner is your best choice because it is made of 100% natural components and guarantees safe, and efficient treatment. Drop the ear cleaner into the ear canal and gently massage the base of the ears. Massaging will allow to bring up the rest of the mites, and you will be able to wipe them out with a cotton ball. Don’t try to use Q-Tips because they will push the remains even farther. Regularly repeat this procedure until you notice that the signs of mites are gone.
Do you have another pet in the household?
If you have a pet other than your cat in your household, be prepared for a lengthy procedure as the presence of another pet increases the risk of catching and passing ear mites. "Now we both have ear mites!"
If either of your pets has gotten ear mites, what should you do? Well, first of all, you obviously have to treat the ear mite infection. Secondly, you need to clean your house thoroughly. Ear mites can spread to cat’s fur and his bedding. Therefore you should carefully vacuum your house, and particularly the places where they eat and sleep. Wash their bedding, toys and anything else that they touch with hot water to kill ear mites and to avoid future outbreaks.