Cats - Ear Issues

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Cat Ear Infection

Stephanie (Long Valley, Nj) on 10/13/2021

My cat has a fungal ear infection. He has black waxy debris, and the vet told me last year he has a fungal ear infection, but he was acting fine, and I didn't have the money for the medicine, so she cleaned his ears. Now his ears are hurting him, and he is miserable, uncomfortable, scratching his ears, tilting his head, sleeping a lot, and doesn't want me to pet his head. I can't go to the vet because I am severely immune compromised, so I am hoping someone can suggest what medicine, and natural treatment for inside the ear, and oral medicine. If I give him antibiotics would that help a fungal infection or do antibiotics cause more fungus? He is 12yrs old and weighs 11 lbs. Indoor cat.
REPLY   3      

Zymox and Cat's Claw Bark Cured Balance and Ear Issues in Cats

The Wholesome Table (Franklin Lakes, New Jersey) on 03/13/2016
5 out of 5 stars

Ear infection, Ear mites and all other EAR issues

My Persian cat suddenly cannot walk and keeps falling all over the place. She cannot find her balance and almost looked like something is wrong with her legs because she really cannot keep her balance and falls/slides every 2-3 steps. After looking it up online what are the possible causes, it was the EARS. She couldn't be hurt any other way since I do not let her outside without a leash on and sure enough when I checked her ears, it was crusty, a bad odor, full of puss-like fluid and overall painful when I touch it because she cries.

Instead of using anti-biotics or other things a "vet" can come up with, I spent a whole day to find a less harsh, earth-friendly remedy. ZYMOX. A Hydrocortisone in a squirt bottle. I bought it at chewy.com for $10. It's $8 in Dr.Foster.com

You do not need to clean or prep the ears of your pet. Do not use over the counter human hydrocortisone. Zymox is specifically prepared for animals' gentle ears without the added stuff what you will find in a human hydrocortisone gel, so it is different! Directly put a good amount inside the ears making sure it reaches the very inside of the ears and massage gently until all drops put in is touching all the walls of the ears.

Apply once a day for 10 days and apply a good amount. I would say it took me a good 3-4 squirts before it reached the inside of the ear canal. I saw a difference by the 4th day. Her balance returned and was not scratching the ears too much. By the 7th day, she was back in business but I still continued applying until the 10th day.

Zymox greatly assisted in lowering the extreme inflammation inside the ears.

I also used CAT'S CLAW BARK tincture aside from Zymox. I put 2 drops inside the mouth twice a day for 4 days, Then lowered to 2 drops once a day inside the mouth for another 4 days. CATS CLAW BARK works as anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-yeast, anti-fungal.. Not to mention the other 100+ useful benefits it does and cures.

REPLY   10      

Green Tea Cured Kitten's Ear Infection

Kim (Missouri) on 08/27/2015
5 out of 5 stars

I am so happy I found this site. My kitten had been laying around for a few days just sleeping not her entergetic self and not eating. I did some research and discovered she had ear infection. So I wanted to find a home remedy instead of rushing her to vet. I came upon this site and found the green tea remedy using two tea bags in 8oz water after it was at right temperature to put in her ear I put 10 drops in her right ear rubbed it and let her shake it out. The next morning it was amazing she ate all her breakfast and is running around the house like her wild self. Thank you so much you are an amazing site.

EC: Right temperature would be warm, about body temperature, we assume?

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Re: Dosage Needed for ACV for Ear Infection in Cat

Black Magic (Middletown) on 08/04/2014

I need to know how much apple cider vinegar to apply onto Magic or into Magic's right ear. He is one years old. An all black cat, I saw that his ear was red and bleeding a little from infection. I had rolled a q tip and thats how I knew it was or is infected HELP!!! I have read the positives of apple cider vinegar, I will go out and get some NOW!!! But how do I apply it?!!!

 

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Apple Cider Vinegar for Ear Infection

Jibit (Ky) on 09/03/2013
5 out of 5 stars

My 10 year-old cat had yellow pus in his ear that led to him shaking his head and turning his head sideways. I treated him with organic Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother). I used a syringe to administer 1/2 ml of the ACV in his ear. He shook his head and talked to me right after I administered the ACV. He wasn't thrilled about having it placed in his ear, but within two days he stopped tilting his ear and the pus completely disappeared within 3 days. I continued to administer the ACV to his ear for a week and a half to make sure the infection stayed away. A lady I know did the same thing for her dog who was tilting his head and had pus in his ear. She said her dog is doing much better after just two administrations of the ACV. I'm not sure how much ACV she used on him. Her dog is about 45 pounds.

EC:

Warning!

Please exercise caution with this remedy. Apple cider vinegar applied straight can burn and cause terrible pain to a pet. It must always be well diluted in water when applied topically -- at least 50% Water to 50% ACV.

REPLY   10      

Cat With Ear Issues

Trese (San Diego Area, Ca) on 11/15/2012

My boy kitty has lots of dark brown or blackish goop in his ears, and as much as I clean them, it's not decreasing. He's not scratching them, and I don't see any signs of rawness or inflammation. He has a weird smell and i'm not sure where that's coming from (though I can wiff it, my nose is not sensitive enough to specify).

I've used a tincture dropper to put peroxide in his ears in the evening. Sometimes following with olive oil. I have also used a diluted mix of baking soda and a few drops of tea tree oil (though I read somebody's post that tea tree oil is poison for cats. Is it?). A few times I used vinegar which has had garlic steeping in it. And I use q-tips carefully to wipe out gunk. Though he will only tolerate so much at a time, so I can never get it all at once. Though of course I won't go down the ear canal, which seems to be completely clotted up with gunk! But by the next evening, there's always just as much gunk in his ears again, as if I hadn't done anything!

I just picked up the boy a few weeks ago, to be a companion for my 7mo-old gal kitty, from an individual who got him as a rescue - neutered, shots and dewormed (though he's had gas, a few rounds of diarrea, and what seems to me to be a bit of a belly, though otherwise appears healthy with lots of feisty energy, a healthy appetite, and I have not yet seen any worms. ). They guessed he was 6mo-old.

Oh, and about his ears, the rescue paper says: "ivermectin(?) in ears repeat in 2 wks". Or that's what the sloppy handwriting looks like anyways. What does that treat? Maybe it's a clue to what it is.

My girl's ears are fine so far, so hopefully it's not something she can easily get from him. They are outdoors during the day, and in the bathroom at night. I haven't detected any fleas at all, in the 4-5 months that i've had my gal.

Any suggestions to what this could be, and how else to treat it?

The food that came with him is good quality, no wheat/corn/soy, artificial stuff, or by-products. But it is kitten food and contains colostrum, and 10% more protein than what I give my girl. Could that be causing his gas and bit-of-belly? I also supplement them with a few spoons of sardines or makerel, sometimes plain kefir, a bit of raw ground turkey a few times a week, and she loves a bit of avocado or raw egg occasionally. Any comments on those?

Thanks! I cannot afford a vet right at this moment, and my immediate area doesn't have much for options anyways, unless I drive out of town. I wouldn't have had the first kitty for this reason, except that a friend pleaded with me that she needed a home right away.

REPLY   2      

Nia (Nyc, Ny) on 09/19/2011

I have a feral and have done TONS of research. My feral has a damaged or "collapsed" ear due to the earmites that typically infest the ears of ferals and only get worse the longer they go untreated. My cat is the posterchild for a feral cat with his crumpled left ear; yet, he doesn't suffer from earmites anymore but, needs to have his ears cleaned at least once a week. Food grade oils like coconut or olive massaged into the ears do nicely. God bless:)
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Feral Cat With Ear Issues

Alex (Cebu, Philippines) on 11/28/2009

Hi, I moved to the Philippines this year and have become father to a number of feral cats. The kittens are mostly tame now, but the feral parents are not, even though they love to be fed.

I have a question about the ears of one old male cat. Since I came in February of this year, he has been hanging around and eating fine. When I first saw him, his ears were bloody, as if in a bad fight. Well, it is 6 months later and at least one ear is half missing and a bloody stub. What can it be?

REPLY   2      

Baby Oil for Ear Mites

Donny (Hummelstown, Pennsylvania) on 02/09/2009
5 out of 5 stars

My wife and I have a 3 year old bull dog that has had a serious problem with earmites in the past year. The cheapest way that I have been told to cure earmites is with Fragrence free Baby Oil... This home remedy really does work with persistant use. I would recommend twice daily for 2 weeks. Apply liberally using an ear dropper or syringe, place 3-5 drops in ear and massage for 30 seconds, then clean the excess dirt and oil using cotton balls or Q-tips... USE CAUTION WITH Q-TIPS...
REPLY   3      

Mineral Oil for Ear Mites in Cats

Mae (Elmo, Utah) on 12/30/2008
5 out of 5 stars

Thanks for the advice on checking for ear mite eggs around the fur around a cat's ears. My cat Taya has been diagnosed with ear mites and I've been treating her with mineral oil and I noticed that she had an infestation of eggs around the base of her ear. To say the least she got an impromptu bath and a radical assault of mineral oil squeezed into her ears with a bulbous syringe. No she wasn't happy about the impromtu bath or 'mom's' sudden zealous assault on her ears but she's feeling better and is sleeping peacefully on 'mom's'pillow. I'm also going to be instituting the ear mite med I got from walmart. Can anyone plz tell me if the adult mites die after laying eggs or do they continue living with their offspring making kitty's ears a living nightmare for some owners?
REPLY   12      

Nimueh (Phoenix, Arizona USA) on 04/26/2007
5 out of 5 stars

I haven't tried the Aloe or the hand sanitizer yet, but may try. Called vet, asked about Milbemite. Vet offered Acarexx; said same thing. I got it at $15 per cat (6 cats). Vet also had me continue the Revolution (about $8 online, per cat) but vet said - as I had read online but the vet didn't tell me this earlier - administer every 2 weeks (not monthly) during this, along with the Acarexx. Plus, expect to administer for another interim after this 2 weeks.

Don't know if the desert mites here are super-bad, or what. But this seems like a lot of treatment. I agree it seems to be needed. I hope others can solve more easily than I. Just letting you know what I have done. I appreciate the sharing, the support, the idea to find this vet solution - which I didn't hear from the vet...! I will check back. Much appreciation.

REPLY   8      

Nimueh (Phoenix, Arizona) on 03/28/2007

Diatomeceaous Earth/Cat Ear Mites: One writer refers to Milbo-Mite. I wm interested but cannot find it on the web with just that name. Please advise, if possible. Thank you!
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