This usually means that your cat has an ear infection. If it is a yeast infection then you will probably need antifungal drugs and antibiotics to help the infection subside. However, if your cat has ear mites then you will most likely need to give your cat weekly doses of ivermectin, or shots for two to three weeks which will be administered by your vet. You should always consult a vet before carrying out any medical treatments.
The shape of cats' ears makes them more likely to obtain dirt and grime which can result in ear infections. Particular ear infections that cats tend to acquire are bacterial and yeast infections that were mentioned above. However, cats can also suffer from ear mites, various allergies and plant awns. In addition, your cat may be experiencing odour in its ears due to hormonal dysfunctions such as immune disorders.
Odour is one symptom that indicates your cat has an infection however there are other symptoms that you may notice which include redness and pus around the ear, as well as parasites. Moreover, the behaviour of your cat may change, your cat may lose its balance regularly and shake its head forcefully. Also, you should be careful with your cat because they may become frustrated and act out.
It sounds like mites to me also. When a cat has ear mites, the ears almost always smell bad. If it looks crusty and dirty, like black or brown, on the inside of the ear you probably need to treat it before it gets too bad. You can buy treatment from a petstore, or your vet. They're not too expensive, and your can will feel much better.
I think your cat has ear mites. Watch it carefully. You might find something black in there. There are so many ways to get rid of it. Put Vicks in its ear or use another way that is very effective. Take one-fourth cup warm water and add half teaspoon of boric acid in it. Add two teaspoons of tea tree oil. Further add one-fourth cup white vinegar and only two drops of dish detergent. Soak cotton ball into this solution and then squeeze it to remove excessive solution. Now press it into its ear and take it out. It will help to remove mites from there.
I would have this cat examined by a veterinarian. The home made ear cleaner described may help prevent infection but will not treat an infection that is already active and chronic. Your veterinarian should do an ear cytology to check for ear mites and ear infection (both yeast and bacteria). They will also look down the ear canal to make sure there is not a foreign body like a foxtail, grass, or ticks in the ear canal. Appropriate medication is needed to treat infection and continued ear cleaning will prevent relapse or reinfection.
I have had it suggested that it might be mites, however, but I have dealt with mites in other cats, and none of the solutions I used to cure their problem worked. Also, I don't see any brown gunk, or the typical signs of mites. Its been a problem for several years, but has not spread to the other ear. I took her to a vet a while back, whom prescribed mite drops that didn't work, despite me using them religiously. Should I take her to a different vet, or maybe its something other than mites?
Stinky ear? I use a vinegar/water solution for this. I use one part white vinegar to 9 parts distilled water. I use an eye dropper and get in way down the tube and squeeze, not rub the ear. I then use a cotton ball to absorb the excess. If your cat's ear smells like dirty feet, then it's probably fungal/yeast, and this works quite well. I use it two times a day for a 10 days. It usually reappears for some reason, and I just do the process again. Works well of dogs too, including between their toes.
I can't say for cats, but both of my dogs had a similar problem. If the ear mite treatments arent working, its possible that it is a fungal infection, not mites.
Get a second opinion on this.You may need a second set of "eyes" for this. Maybe an infection of some sort. Cats ears are not supposed to smell. And keep asking till you get a proper treatment done.
My cat is on Revolution ampules again. He has been having an awful time with one of his ears...scratching, shaking his head, and it gets really hot. He's an indoor cat but had mites last year when he was an outdoor cat. I had him on Revolution for a few months and he was fine after that...no over-the-counter remedies from the pet store have been working so I got the Revolution again. You only use one ampule once a month on the back of his neck..it's good for several things, including mites. You use it for a few months to make sure the eggs die. His ear smells just awful. I am sure he didn't have that problem last time. I know I would have noticed. This is such a bad smell. I am giving the medication a week to see if he is better. I hope it's not an ear infection caused by the mites. Check out info on that medication...it's prescription and I get it from 800petmeds online..your vet will prob meet the price, though..mine does.
My kitten's ears smell odd too, it's not terrible, but it's not a good smell either. He also scratches his left ear often, which makes me thing he has a flea or something. I looked in his ears though, and everything is clear and normal looking.
