What this means
A healthy cat's ear cleans itself: it may hold a little pale wax, but it barely smells. Dark, crumbly debris or debris like coffee grounds, wet yellow or greenish discharge, blood, or a sharp, sour or foul smell is a change worth noticing at once. Look at whether it is one ear or both, and at the colour of the discharge and the smell.
A cat rarely tells you that an ear hurts. It may shake its head, scratch, hold an ear lower or stop letting you touch it, but sometimes the only sign is a dark smear deep in the ear or a smell while you stroke it. So glance at the ears now and then while stroking. Discharge may point to infection, but sometimes to other changes, and only an examination can tell them apart.
Do not pour anything into the ear or dig out debris with a stick or cotton bud: you can push it deeper or damage the ear. If discharge appears together with head tilt, stumbling or walking in circles, the inflammation may have reached deeper parts of the ear, and a vet should see it the same day.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your cat.
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Ear mites
They cause strong itching and dark, crumbly debris like coffee grounds. Both ears are often affected, and the cat shakes its head and scratches hard.
About the condition: Ear infections -
A bacterial infection
An inflamed ear gives off yellow or greenish fluid and may smell unpleasant. The skin swells, reddens and hurts.
About the condition: Ear infections -
A yeast infection
Yeast causes dark, greasy debris and a sharp, sweetish-sour smell. The ear itches and may redden.
About the condition: Ear infections -
A foreign object or a growth in the ear canal
A grass seed or another object, and sometimes a growth in the ear, can cause discharge, smell or bleeding. Usually one ear is affected.
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Allergy
An allergy to food or to something in the surroundings can cause itchy ears and dark debris. The cat may also scratch its head and neck or groom too much.
About the condition: Food and seasonal allergies -
The effects of an injury to the ear
A scratch or wound in the ear can bleed or give off fluid. The ear is sore to the touch.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether the discharge comes from one ear or both
- What colour and texture it is: dark and dry, yellow and wet, or bloody
- What it smells like and whether the smell is stronger than before
- Whether the ear is red, swollen or painful
- Whether your cat shakes its head, scratches its ears or holds its head crookedly
- Whether it seems to hear less well or plays less
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if you notice dark debris, discharge or an unpleasant smell from an ear, even if your cat does not seem bothered. If it suddenly tilts its head, loses its balance or walks in circles, see a vet the same day.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Ear infections Ears and hearing Inflammation of the ear canal, in which bacteria, yeast or ear mites take hold and make the ear sore and itchy. It matters because a long-lasting infection can reach deeper parts of the ear and affect hearing and balance.
- Ear mites Parasites Microscopic mites that live in the ear canal and feed on the skin's surface and earwax. They cause intense itching and spread easily between cats, dogs and other animals.
Body systems: Ears and hearing Parasites