Do ear mites cause pain in cats?

Cat owners want to know. Do ear mites cause pain in cats? It is tricky to know sometimes such is the domestic cat’s ability to hide pain. However, we can rely on some top experts to provide an answer to the question: Do ear mites cause pain in cats?

Ear mites in cats are deeply distressing for the cat

Ear mites in cats are deeply distressing for the cat. Photos: Right: paws-and-effect.com – Left: Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals.

Ear mites are “deeply distressing and uncomfortable for your cat” say experienced and respected veterinarians. You might not be aware of your cat’s discomfort so the question in the title is a very valid one. It is important to realise that your cat will be suffering if she has ear mites. The condition needs to be treated as soon as possible and a cat owner should really avoid home treatments in this instance as it may make things worse or delay effective treatment and therefore prolong the extreme discomfort. It is worth adding that ear mite infections are one of the most common cat health problems. Potentially therefore there are many distressed cats out there in homes.

Ear mites crawl deep into the ear canal. This makes treatment difficult. Also mites can cause secondary infections. As a cat scratches her ears it can cause rawness, scabs and hair loss around the ears. There may be a chronic bacterial infection to compound the discomfort. Please don’t delay professional treatment.

Quote and reference: Cat Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook and myself.

Useful links
Anxiety - reduce it
FULL Maine Coon guide - lots of pages
Children and cats - important
Useful tag. Click to see the articles: Cat behavior

Note: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified.

Michael Broad

Hi, I'm a 74-year-old retired solicitor (attorney in the US). Before qualifying I worked in many jobs including professional photography. I love nature, cats and all animals. I am concerned about their welfare. If you want to read more click here.

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