Having a cute cat as your companion can be considered one of the best pastimes for a pet lover. But everything has its pros and cons, and living with a cat has its own downside as well. Ear mites in the ears are one of the most common problems for kitties. Today we will talk about how to get rid of ear mites in cats with olive oil or other alternatives.
Ear mites can be excruciating if you don’t take early precautions. This issue is a regular occurrence in cats, especially those spending a vast amount of time outside. Hence, even if your cat has not yet faced it, you should be prepared and achieve the ability to detect and deal with an ear mite infection.
What Are Ear Mites?
Ear mites are basically 8-legged parasites that can affect dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. Their body hair can create severe irritability, resulting in infection and ruptured middle ear. As ear mites are extremely infectious, they can transfer from one kitty to another via direct connections. Since the eggs can sustain several months in the atmosphere, they can rehabilitate your cat effortlessly.
How To Identify Ear Mite Disease?
The initial symptom of this parasitic infection is your cat scratching its ear frequently. Most infected animals tend to jerk their heads angularly. If you examine their ear and see some sort of powdery and brown/black color ground substances combined with an unpleasant smell, the chances of your cat suffering from ear mites are high.
How Does A Cat Get Ear Mites?
As we have mentioned earlier, cats can catch ear mites easily from simple animal contacts. A mother cat can transfer it to the kittens as well. These parasites can persist for a short period off of the creatures. Hence, they can outspread using carpets, beds, and other surfaces. Some specific species can even expand beyond the ears, resulting in skin irritation and patches.
If you plan to alleviate your cat’s ear mites, you have to clean their staying and hang-out areas first. You can also vacuum the place or the objects to maintain extra precautions.
How Can I Know If My Cat Has Ear Mites?
They sustain by eating down the oil and wax in the animal ears. They usually release dark waste products similar to gooey coffee grounds. Gradually these mites will completely block the ear passage with detritus, causing ear infection or inflammation. With some cats, hair loss is also possible in extreme situations.
If you follow your kitty’s activities closely, you would know if it is suffering from a parasitic infection. Other than scratching and shaking heads, these additional signs can help you to identify the disease as well.
- Your cat keeps scratching its ears
- It keeps shaking the head
- Dry and cloudy release from the infected ear
- Red and swollen form of ears
- Scratch marks on the outer ear
- Skin lesions around the ear
- Loss of hair around the ear
Ear Mite Treatment With Olive Oil
While most vets will give you medications to kill the mites right away, you can attempt the most basic yet efficient treatment procedure at your home! There are several ways available to treat ear mites by yourself. One of the most efficient and fast ways is the olive oil treatment. Olive oil is a pretty practical and cost-effective method to clear out your cat’s ear.
You can take a few drops of olive oil and massage the cat’s ear with it. It will suffocate the parasites manifesting inside the ear. To make sure the mites are gone, try to apply olive oil to your cat’s ear every second day for approximately six weeks. The mature ones will die right after you start the olive oil treatment, and later the new ones to hatch over the next few weeks will drown as well.
Once the treatment trial is complete, check for further signs of re-infection. In case the dark waxy build-up comes back, start doing the treatment again. Olive oil is a good moisturizer and can improve the healing process tremendously.
When Should You Contact A Vet?
Most of these DIY treatments work well for mild inflammation. However, this might not be the same for the severe infection. When all the home remedies fail to better your cat’s situation, you should contact an expert veterinarian for the proper solution. The vet can collect ear swabs using an otoscope. After examining the sample, the vet will suggest medicines depending on the infection state of your cat.
Alternative Measures:
You can treat ear mites using some other ways except the olive oil method. From vet’s medication to DIY treatments, most of these techniques are non-invasive and easy to apply.
- A veterinarian may prescribe medicines to apply in the ear canal or the surrounding area. These act like lice shampoo for humans and can completely eliminate the infection. These tropical treatments are generally advised to be applied for 2 or 3 weeks.
- You can also get ear-miticides from any pet store that is commonly used by most cat owners. These drops have pyrethrin, an insecticide that helps to cure ear mites. But you can not expect it to work just after one application as there is always a chance of re-infection.
- You can also use ear drops or antibiotics to cure the ear mites. However, it is always better to consult with a veterinarian doctor first.
- A mixture of water and vinegar can loosen up the debris of the ear.
Final Words:
At some point in life, almost all cats have to deal with the ear mites problem. And this will definitely hinder your kittie’s peaceful life as they keep shaking and scratching their head. Getting an idea on how to get rid of ear mites in cats with olive oil is something a cat owner should do. You wouldn’t want your feline friend to feel that agony and depression.
Apart from the olive oil, you can also apply other mentioned methods to see which one works for your cat the best. If you take proper measures, you can keep these parasites far away from your cat’s ear. Just think about the adorable movement your kittie makes when they are in perfectly sound health!