6 Home Remedies for Treating Ear Mites in Cats

Last Updated on November 21, 2023 by Fumipets

Treating Ear Mites in Cats

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A unpleasant aspect of pet ownership is ear mites. Your cat isn’t enjoying them too, so it’s not only a bad situation for you, the mess, the money, and the gross element! We thus offer six natural treatments for treating ear mites, whether you can’t afford the prescription or don’t like the notion of putting chemicals in your cat’s ears.

But before starting an ear mite treatment, you should talk to your veterinarian. If left untreated, ear mites may be harmful and very infectious to your other pets.

How Do You Know If It’s Ear Mites?

Before beginning treatment, we examine the warning signs and symptoms of ear mites (Otodectes cynotis). You must be sure that your cat has ear mites and not another ear condition. Symptoms include:

Frequent head shaking—your cat may sometimes tilt its head to one side.

An excessive amount of head and ear scratching

Inflammation and redness in the ears — touch-sensitive

Crusts that are either black or reddish-brown on the ears’ exterior

In addition to hair loss, there are wounds and scratches on the exterior of the ears.

dirt within the ears that resembles coffee grounds

The ears are emitting a strong smell.

You should schedule a visit with your doctor if you see these symptoms in your cat. You may now talk about the available ear mite treatment choices.

How do veterinarians treat ear mites?

Once the doctor has confirmed that a cat has ear mites, you will need to treat any other family pets for the same condition as well as perform a complete cleaning of the home.

You must thoroughly clean your cat’s ears with a pet-specific ear cleaner or a natural ear cleaner before administering treatment. This is done in order to get rid of as many ear mites as possible prior to therapy. The majority of ear mite remedies include the parasiticide pyrethrin, which you may get over the counter at your neighborhood pet shop or online.

You massage a certain amount of droplets into each of your cat’s ears. When required, this is repeated after seven to ten days.

Your cat should also get flea treatment since mites and fleas often congregate together. Because it often rests near to their heads and ears, cats’ tails should always be checked twice.

If untreated, ear mites are parasites that may cause your cat great pain as well as bacterial infections and, in the long run, partial or complete hearing loss.

The 6 Natural Remedies for Treating Ear Mites

A few natural or home treatments will assist get rid of those ear mites if you’re not comfortable using a parasiticide on your cat.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is widely recognized for its various health advantages, which include decreasing cholesterol and blood pressure in animals as well as destroying germs (the evil type).

Water must be used to dilute the vinegar. Shake thoroughly after adding half a quantity of apple cider vinegar and half a bit of water to a spray bottle. Because you only want the spray to strike inside their ears, you want the spray function to be mild (especially since this area is close to the eyes).

For up to 10 days, gently spray into your cat’s ears once or twice each day. Remember that vinegar has a high acid content and should not be used if your cat’s scratching has left any open sores.

Pros

Reduces itchiness

Known to be effective in cleaning and disinfecting

Eradicates pathogens, which include bacteria

High acidity will kill the mites and eggs

Cons

Can’t be used near open sores or it will burn

Might irritate your cat’s eyes

Some cats might have an allergic reaction to ACV

2. Oil

Use coconut and olive oil to get rid of bothersome ear mites. Numerous health advantages of coconut oil are well known. It is well recognized for its capacity to prevent heart disease, promote weight reduction, and eradicate germs, fungus, and viruses. Olive oil has potent antimicrobial effects and reduces inflammation.

You begin by slowly bringing the oil up to a comfortable temperature. Hot oil should never be poured into your cat’s ears! For up to 10 days, gently massage a few drops of the oil into your cat’s ears several times each day.

Some people prefer to add garlic to the oil, but if you do this, you must exercise caution since garlic is very harmful to cats. Exercise cautious in case your cat tries to lick any of the garlic oil out of their ears since it could become sick.

Pros

Good for skin and hair health

Destroys pathogens such as fungi, viruses, and bacteria

Strong antibacterial properties

Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties

Cons

Adding garlic might be toxic for your cat

Messy

3. Vaseline

Petroleum jelly, often known as vaseline, contains antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal qualities and is useful for treating small burns and wounds.

Until the ear mites are gone, apply Vaseline to your cat’s ears once or twice daily. It will help reduce any itching and swelling, but use caution near any open sores.

While petroleum jelly may treat small wounds, if you don’t thoroughly clean them out, you risk trapping dirt and bacteria in the area, which might cause an infection.

Pros

Can heal minor burns and cuts

Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties

Will ease itchiness and swelling

Cons

Ensure that your cat can’t ingest any

Try not to use on any cuts, or you might trap dirt and bacteria

4. Aloe Vera

Minor burns respond well to aloe vera treatment. Aloe vera is equally as good in getting rid of human mites as benzyl benzoate, according to a research done on scabies sufferers.

Aloe vera may successfully reduce some of the discomfort and swelling in your cat’s ears as well as eliminate ear mites. Simply apply aloe vera to your cat’s ears until the ear mite issue is resolved.

Pros

Safe if your cat accidentally ingests any (only the plant itself is toxic)

Healing properties on burns and cuts

Relieves pain and swelling

Cons

Aloe vera plant is toxic, so be sure you’re using it safely

5. Yellow Dock Root

The oil from the roots of yellow dock, a plant often used in salads, is utilized in alternative medicine. It includes compounds that may aid in the eradication of fungus, bacteria, and parasites and is useful against inflammation and bacterial infections.

10 drops of yellow dock root oil should be diluted in 1 tablespoon of water. To apply the solution, dip a cotton ball into it and gently push it into your cat’s ears. Once a day until the ear mites are gone, repeat this procedure.

Pros

Anti-inflammatory

Is antibacterial and antifungal

Contains chemicals that help eradicate parasites

Cons

Your cat might experience skin irritation

6. Organic Honey

The term “organic” or “raw” refers to honey that has not undergone pasteurization. While this method extends the shelf life of honey, it also often destroys many of its health advantages. Make sure the honey is raw or organic and hasn’t been processed if you decide to use it to treat your cat’s ear mites.

Antioxidants, wound healing abilities, and antibacterial and antifungal capabilities all describe raw honey. It has natural hydrogen peroxide in it and has antibacterial properties.

Rub your cat’s ears with a cotton ball that has been dipped in with honey. After letting the honey rest in the ears for 20 to 30 minutes, carefully remove it with warm water. Repeat this procedure twice daily, if your cat will let it, until the mites are gone.

Pros

Heals wounds and contains antioxidants

Is antibacterial and antifungal

Safe for cats to ingest

Contains natural hydrogen peroxide and is an antiseptic

Cons

Sticky mess that needs to be applied and then wiped off

You can only use raw or organic honey

Conclusion

Please consult your veterinarian before using any of these treatments! You don’t want your cat to experience any negative effects since your cat may be sensitive to any of these components. If the ear mites are not correctly treated, your cat might experience discomfort and perhaps lose part or all of their hearing.

Before beginning any therapy, don’t forget to properly clean your cat’s ears using a cat-specific ear cleaner. Avoid trapping any dust or germs below the substance since doing so would simply aggravate your ears worse. The main priorities here are the health and happiness of your cat.

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