Ear Mites

I noticed earlier today that Salem and Ailey are scratching their ears and shaking their heads rather hard. I am thinking that it is ear mites . I can't look at their ears without pulling back a bloody hand they hate their ears being messed with. I called the vet and made an appointment for wed morning to take them in and get it checked out and get microchipped and more flea meds. My question is how did they get them. Could they have gotten them when we went outside a few days ago? My landlord said that there has not been any pets in this apartment for a few years so I don't think they could have gotten them from the carpet or could they? How hard are they to get rid of?

Zissou had ear mites when we first got her. They are very easily spread, as humans can be carriers--we don't get ear mites but can bring them home with us. Most probably they got them from you, although they just as easily could have gotten them from outside.
The vet can easily treat them. Depending on the flea medication, it may treat ear mites as well.
Every vet I've talked to has said that they aren't that big of a deal and are more of an annoyance, as long as they are kept in control or treated. Zissou got the Milbemite treatment, and they're almost gone. I clean her ears out with a Q-tip occasionally (just the part I can see, I don't stick it down in there!), and every now and then there will be just a bit of the waxy brown stuff. They don't spread tapeworm or anything, like fleas do.
Just don't try anything you don't get from the vet.
Hers have turned out to be very hard to get rid of, but when we first found her her ears were coated in that gunky stuff and I'm surprised she could hear anything!

They can get it from even sitting in the window, if another cat or something goes and rubs on the window. That's how my Cajun got them as a kitten. I would ask for Revolution if they have mites. Though it's not my favorite for fleas and all the other stuff, it works well for ear mites.

I noticed my Jack doing the ear-scratching-head-shaking routine, too. The vet gave me Revolution to use on him, but said if the scratching didn't stop within a week it could be an ear infection, not mites. Just something to think about.

Abi had ear mites and it morphed into a full blown infection with crusty ears. poor thing was miserable but we cleared it up with meds from the doctor. Now i clean her outer ears regularly wheni wiipe her down daily due to my cat dander allergy.

You may remember, Luna had a horrible case of ear mites when I adopted her from the shelter. The vet used a one-time treatment of Milbemite, which took care of them in just that dose. Something to check into for your babes.

When I first got Mittens he had several infections and ear mites. At the time I thought the mites were just really bad ear wax and so I cleaned his ears daily. Once I realized it could be mites I used an OTC Hartz remedy and that was a BAD idea- all it did was make his skin and hair peel off his ears and the mites still flourished. I have never used an OTC remedy for my pets ever again. The vet ended up giving him something for his ear mites and they were gone and have never returned.

Originally Posted by sunnicat

You may remember, Luna had a horrible case of ear mites when I adopted her from the shelter. The vet used a one-time treatment of Milbemite, which took care of them in just that dose. Something to check into for your babes.

Click to expand...

My last foster had them bad. The vet gave me something else, though. I had to put it into his ears and massage them for 7 days, I think. I forget what it was called, but it's around here somewhere.

the vet told me that he didn't see any ear mites but that it was possible that they had a few that was causing them to itch he cave me double doses of revoloution to use on them they havenst been scratching the past couple of days so im thinking it worked thanks for all the help and suggestions