Cat getting treatment for ear mites won't stop scratching

Hi,

My cat, Wee Man, has ear mites (caught from our new kitten, Nessie), which he's getting treatment for. He's always been a bit obsessive/hypersensitive (for 2 years he regularly pulled out a patch of hair on his back). He's also quite a bad-tempered cat, so getting ear drops in his ear isn't easy, but we're managing   The problem is he won't stop scratching his ears, to the point that the hair on the outside is constantly reddish/orange.It makes me think the treatment isn't working. Is it common for cats to continue scratching even when receiving treatment? The bleeding actually started after he started receiving treatment. I can't actually see where he's bleeding from, it's the hair around the ear that is tinged with it. 

I asked the vet and she said to put a little of the drops on the outside of the ear too because they have cortisone in them which will help to calm the itching but I don't know whether it's serious for a cat to be bleeding like this.

Thanks in advance.

Have you asked your vet to evaluate your cat for FHS?  It's a syndrome where cats scratch themselves to the point of bare skin and bleeding, become aggressive, and sometimes bite and hiss or attack at random.  Their nervous systems suddenly cause them pain, and most animals take this out on themselves via excessive scratching, and self-abuse, but it can also make them aggressive with biting and attacking humans too.

It is normal for earmite treatment to increase head shaking and a little scratching at the ears at first, but once the treatment is over, it should stop. 

It is rather extreme that he is scratching the outside of his ears so badly, which is why I thought of FHS.  I'm not a vet, though, so I'd ask her if his symptoms are consistent with this somewhat manageable disorder.

That really does not sound right to me.  Your cat should not be bleeding like that.  I would call the vet again and explain exactly what is going on.  Maybe they can give you a different medication or, alternatively, something else to help with the itching.  

If your vet does not offer any solutions that alleviate the itching and scratching cycle, I would call another vet.  Your cat can get an infection (from scratching) which may require antibiotics.  I would ask about this.  

Good luck!  

Is fhs Feline Hyperestesia (or something like that?) Because it's something I've thought about in the past. I think it's also called rolling back syndrome and my car definitely has a twitchy back. However he seemed to be getting much better as he had stopped pulling out hair on his back so I put it on there back burner. A previous very had said it was psychogenic alopecia which I think is very similar. The treatment was basically lots of routine, a calm environment and, once he stopped pulling hair out, company in the form of another cat.

I will take him back to the very thanks. He seems a bit better today, there doesn't seem to be any fresh bleeding but I think I'll take him anyway because he only has a few days of treatment left and there doesn't seem to be much improvement.

I hope Wee Man is doing better and that his itching has improved.  It's so hard to see our babies having problems.  If he does not improve with your vet and you can afford it, you may want to check with another vet.  I'm sorry he's having a hard time.  His itching could be caused by many things, such as a medical condition, environmental allergies or food allergies.  I don't know, but I hope you can figure it out.  Sending hugs and good vibes!