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Cat ear mites
Ear mites are caused by a microscopic mite that lives on the surface of a cat's ear canal. It feeds and reproduces there, causing intense irritation. It is a very common cause of otitis in kittens and young cats, especially in litters, shel...
What is it?
Ear mites are caused by a microscopic mite that lives on the surface of a cat's ear canal. It feeds and reproduces there, causing intense irritation.
It is a very common cause of otitis in kittens and young cats, especially in litters, shelters and breeders.
It is extremely contagious between cats, but is treatable when properly managed and all animals in the household are treated.
Commonly observed signs
These signs are neither exhaustive nor specific. Only a veterinarian can establish a diagnosis.
Related signs — each one links to its page:
Insistent scratching of the ears, sometimes to the point of bleeding, and repeated shaking of the head.
Dry and abundant blackish deposit in the duct, with a grainy appearance comparable to coffee grounds.
Unpleasant odor from the ear.
Hot ear, red inside, painful to the touch: the cat refuses to be touched.
Thinning and crusty hair around the ear and on the back of the neck from scratching.
Head held tilted to one side in advanced forms.
Sometimes itching of the neck, head or base of the tail, the mite can stray onto the body.
When to consult without delay
This list does not replace veterinary advice. It gathers situations that justify a prompt consultation.
Causes and risk factors
A specific ear mite, invisible to the naked eye, multiplies in the ear canal.
Its movements and droppings irritate the skin and trigger an inflammatory reaction, to which some cats react very markedly.
The excess earwax produces the characteristic black deposit, which is not dirt but the consequence of the infestation.
Bacteria or yeast often take advantage of this irritated area to settle in and aggravate the otitis.
Young age: kittens and young cats are by far the most affected.
Group living, shelter, breeding, litters, or collected stray cats.
Access to the outdoors and contact with uncontrolled animals.
Animal weakened or in poor general condition.
Lack of simultaneous treatment of all animals in the household, which maintains a cycle of recontamination.
Transmission
Transmission occurs through direct contact between animals: from mother to kittens, between cats living together, or during fights and mutual grooming.
Dogs and ferrets can also be affected and contaminate a cat, and vice versa.
The parasite survives for a limited time outside the animal, but shared beds and baskets can maintain contamination.
An animal can harbor the mite with few visible signs and serve as a reservoir for others.
Diagnosis and care
Diagnosis is the veterinarian's responsibility, based on clinical examination and laboratory tests. Care is decided case by case.
The veterinarian examines the ear canal with an otoscope: the mites are often visible there, white and mobile against the dark background of the earwax.
A sample of the deposit observed under a microscope confirms the diagnosis and makes it possible to identify a superinfection by bacteria or yeast.
The integrity of the eardrum is checked before any local treatment: certain products cannot be used if the eardrum is pierced.
The veterinarian rules out other causes of otitis: foreign body such as a spikelet, polyp, allergy, bacterial otitis. Sarcoptic mange and ringworm, which are the subject of separate files, can cause similar lesions around the ears.
Treatment
The treatment combines ear cleaning and an acaricide prescribed by the veterinarian.
Cleaning is done with a suitable veterinary ear product, never with water, alcohol or oil, and never with a cotton swab inserted into the canal, which packs the deposit and can injure the eardrum.
Pipette treatments to apply to the skin of the neck exist and are often the simplest to implement in cats, in one or two spaced applications.
ALL animals in the household, cats, dogs and ferrets, must be treated at the same time, including those who show no signs: this is the condition for not relapsing.
CAUTION: Never use a dog parasiticide containing Permethrin on a cat. These products are toxic to him and can cause tremors, convulsions and death.
A local anti-inflammatory treatment or an antibiotic can be added in the event of superinfected otitis, upon prescription.
Beds and baskets are washed at high temperature during processing.
Do not pour anything into your cat's ear without veterinary advice: if the eardrum is damaged, certain products are dangerous for hearing and balance.
Treatment depends on the cause and the animal's condition: it must be determined by a veterinarian. No self-medication.
Prevention
Have the ears of any adopted or rescued kitten examined before introducing it to other animals.
Briefly isolate new arrivals for a veterinary check-up.
Check the appearance of the ears regularly at home: a clean ear canal is pale pink, without black deposits or odor.
Maintain regular antiparasitic coverage in outgoing cats, adapted by the veterinarian.
Clean the ears only if necessary and with a suitable product: excessive cleaning irritates the ear canal.
Possible complications
Bacterial or yeast otitis grafting onto the irritated duct.
Othematoma: the pocket of blood which forms in the pinna from shaking the head, and which permanently deforms the ear if it is not treated.
Superinfected scratching wounds behind the ear and on the neck.
Extension of the infection towards the middle or inner ear, with head tilt, loss of balance and sometimes hearing damage.
Rupture of the eardrum in neglected forms.
When to see a veterinarian
Your cat has been scratching its ears or shaking its head for more than two or three days.
You see a heavy black deposit in the canal, or the ear smells bad.
The ear feels red, hot, or painful when you approach it.
The pinna swells and becomes soft like a cushion: it is an othematoma, you must consult quickly.
Your cat tilts its head, loses its balance or turns in circles: consult without delay.
You have taken in a kitten and have not yet had its ears examined.
Prognosis
Very good with complete treatment: the itching subsides in a few days and the duct returns to normal in two to three weeks.
Failures almost always come from treatment stopped too early or from an untreated household animal.
Older forms can leave a thickened ear canal, more susceptible to ear infections, or a deformed ear after an untreated othematoma.
Frequently asked questions
Is this black deposit just dirt?
No. A healthy duct stays clean. A dry and abundant black deposit is a sign of infestation or otitis: you should have the ear examined rather than just cleaning it.
Should I treat my other pets who don't scratch?
Yes. An animal can harbor the parasite without showing any signs and recontaminate others. Simultaneous treatment of the entire household, including dogs and ferrets, is the key to success.
Can I catch it myself?
It's very rare. A few temporary spots may appear in a person in close contact, but the parasite does not take hold in humans. Treating the animals fixes the situation; consult a doctor if in doubt.
Can I clean with olive oil or a cotton swab?
No. The oil clogs the duct and the cotton swab packs the deposit towards the eardrum, with a risk of injury. Only use a veterinary ear cleaner, after having the eardrum checked.
References
ESCCAP — European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites
AAFP — American Association of Feline Practitioners
Content reviewed by the TunisieVet editorial team · Updated 09 August 2026
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