What it is
The mites live on the surface of the ear canal and irritate the skin, so the ear makes more wax, which mixes with blood and mite debris into dark deposits. The mites are barely visible to the naked eye, so a vet identifies them by examining the ear or the discharge.
The mites pass from one animal to another through close contact, so kittens, animals from shelters and homes with several pets are hit hardest. If one animal has them, the other pets in the home are worth checking too.
Constant scratching can injure the skin behind the ears, and violent head shaking sometimes raises a blood blister in the ear flap. Long-standing irritation from mites can turn into a bacterial or yeast infection of the ear canal.
Signs you may notice
- Dark, crumbly discharge in the ears
- Keeps scratching its ears
- Shakes its head
- Red ears
- Scabs behind the ears
Dark, dry discharge that looks like coffee grounds builds up in the ears, and the cat keeps scratching its ears and shaking its head. The ears may turn red, and scratched scabs appear behind them.
When to see a vet
Book a visit if you see dark deposits in your cat's ears or it keeps scratching them. If it tilts its head, loses its balance or an ear flap suddenly swells, contact a vet the same day.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own cat's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.