Ok I tok my cat to get her shots at petco and I told the vet person that she has been itching her ears lately so she roughly cleaned them quickly with giant QTIPS and said that they are dirty and maybe even EAR MITES?????? Should I be worried that mites are going to infest my house and everyone that lives in it????
She is an indoor cat how could this even happen...shes also our only cat...
This is common, especially this time of year. Nothing to worry about with the household, just the cat only...and possibly dog as well if you have one in the house too.
Whenever my cat's dog's itch their ears like that my vet told me to put baby oil in their ears. It kills mites. Works like a charm. Make sure to use the watery oil not the thick oil. Don't use a ton...be prepared for head shaking as soon as your done! Good luck.
Ear mites are not uncommon -even in indoor cats. They're miniscule and they will not infest your home or bother you. Did she give you any drops or anything? My indoor cat had ear mites one time years ago, and the vet gave me drops that I used for several days. They may have decided that's no longer necessary or something as long as the ears have been cleaned. It's almost as much fun to put ear drops in a cat as it is to give one a pill ;-)
Ear mites make a cat miserable but no one else.
Mites will not infest your house. They are not spreadable to humans only to other animals. Keep her away from any other pets.
Mites are very clever for their size, I think! They know how to get around. But they won't get people.
However, mites can be painful to a cat (think earache). If your vet didn't check for mites under a microscope, you might ask her to. (Ask if you can see them under the microscope, too - they're amazing-looking. You wouldn't want them in any kitty's ears!)
People can't get ear mites. Indoor cats can get them - they live in the grass, you bring them in on your shoes, the cat picks them up on its feet and infects itself when it grooms.
Don't EVER out qtips in your cat's ears - you can hurt them.
Saturate a cotton ball in hydrogen peroxide and use that to clean her ears. Follow with a few drops of mineral oil in each ear - it will suffocate the mites.
Ear mites are common...both of my cats have had them a couple of times over the course of the past 13 years. They aren't going to infest your house and they clear up quickly with meds from the doctor (or I saw another suggestion below for a home treatment). Best wishes for itch free kitty ears!
Is your vet going to let you know whether it's an infection or ear mites? Because both need to be treated -- in different ways. You need medicine. If your vet didn't tell you this, follow up with him/her. It's important because either one is painful for the cat. And no, you can't get ear mites from your cat.
Ear mites will only infect your cats and any dogs if you have them too. There's a medicated ear wash you can get that will fix it up. Didn't the vet give you some or tell you what to use? You can buy some over the counter. But it might not be as good as what you would get from the vet.
Ear mites are not a big deal for you. If you're concerned, you could get some moisturizing ear cleaner so they don't itch as much (or just use like vaseline or mineral oil--no scents since she'll eat it). You don't want to overclean them, since that stops the self-cleaning process of the ear (kinda like our natural healthy biotic system that prevents yeast and stuff).
Sorry to ramble--I've dealt with this on my strictly indoor cats too. The world around us is full of mites, bugs, and critters. I only really fear the big ones!
