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ear mites in kittens...understand, treat and prevent
proper kitten care, understand Mites and Skin Problems in Cats and Kittens

Ear Mites in Cats

Eear mites are small mites that live on the surface of the skin lining in the ear canal. Presense of the mites results in dry black ear discharge in the inside of the ear.
see also: Ringworm, Mange, Fleas, Roundworm FIV

Kitten with an Ear mite Infection


Simba - have just went to my humane society and saved a 4mo. old gray tiger kitten,
I sent him to the vet and he has been neutered and de-clawed, and had his feline leukemia test done (negative), his rabies test, distemper shot, wormer and heart-guard pills. There is one thing though...he has ear mites.

We have a puppy, and the vet told me to keep my kitty in a separate room for a month, while we are treating the mites with ear drops.

Can the mites jump off from the cat into the bed or on the floor while I'm treating him? I want to make sure my home and my puppy are safe. Thanks, Joe
Dear Joe,
Yuk. As you probably know ear mites are little parasites that live on the surface of the skin lining in the ear canal. They are like small microscopic ticks! The mite itself is barely visible (a small white dot).

However you can usually identify the presence of mites by the
mites in cats
ear mite infection
dry black ear discharge in the inside of the ear. That yucky discharge is a combination of ear wax, blood, ear mites, oils and waste.

What mites do is pierce the skin surface and feed off ear wax, blood, loose tissue and anything else in there that they find appetizing. When they do this they cause inflammation, discomfort and very irritating ear infections. In addition, Kitty may itch and scratch...this can lead to a whole new set of injuries secondary infections...

The good news is that unlike fleas, ear mites cannot jump off and infest you or your home so do not worry as much about that.
ear mites in cats
Photo by: J.Mills (CC 3.0)
However, because feline ear mites can be transmitted from cats to other cats and from cats to dogs you so need to keep kitty and the puppy away from each other until the kitten completes the vet recommended treatment

While the kitten is in treatment be sure that you keep him comfortable and cozy with toys, water, litter & food. Play with him and be sure to continue giving him love and affection! Also, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after treatment. See a picture of the nasty critter below. Yuk! Simba

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