Does my cat have ear mites?

[BarbNWasabi]

I recently noticed a black node inside my cat’s ear but wasn’t sure if it was since she it doesn’t look as bad compared to the pictures online. Only one ear has this and it she does not show much symptoms of ear mites besides occasionally scratching her ear. If it is ear mites, can I buy a over a counter medicine and do the treatment at home?

 

[Lari]

How old is your cat? Indoor only? Only cat?

I was worried about ear mites with one of our cats. We have two adult indoor only cats and only one had it. The vet told me they're very contagious and mostly affect kittens and it ended up being yeast in my cat's case. The vet cleaned out her ears and told me an otc cleaner I could use when it builds up again. Not at home, so can't look it up atm.

 

[neely]

Welcome to TCS! From what I see in your pic it looks more like a little ear wax than mites. Is she shaking her head or trying to scratch it which can be an indication of mites? This TCS Article will have some helpful information about treating ear mites and please note they recommend a diagnosis by your veterinarian who can prescribe the correct ear drops for you:
Ear Mites In Cats - Decoding The Itch And How to Stop It - TheCatSite

Good luck and please keep us updated.

 

[Alldara]

There's no way to know without a microscope! Excess wax can be caused by mites. Definitely seek a vet to know and get treatment.

Ear Mites in Cats and Dogs | VCA Animal Hospital | VCA Animal Hospitals

 

[BarbNWasabi]

How old is your cat? Indoor only? Only cat?

I was worried about ear mites with one of our cats. We have two adult indoor only cats and only one had it. The vet told me they're very contagious and mostly affect kittens and it ended up being yeast in my cat's case. The vet cleaned out her ears and told me an otc cleaner I could use when it builds up again. Not at home, so can't look it up atm.

She is 8 years old and is an indoor cat However one of my family members took her outside and left her there so I don’t know if she caught it outside somehow. That was a while ago though!

 

[BarbNWasabi]

Welcome to TCS! From what I see in your pic it looks more like a little ear wax than mites. Is she shaking her head or trying to scratch it which can be an indication of mites? This TCS Article will have some helpful information about treating ear mites and please note they recommend a diagnosis by your veterinarian who can prescribe the correct ear drops for you:
Ear Mites In Cats - Decoding The Itch And How to Stop It - TheCatSite

Good luck and please keep us updated.

She is not excessively scratching the ear and there is no redness or irritation. She seems perfectly fine. I wasn’t sure if it was ear wax because I was told that it’s not usually black

 

[Alldara]

The mites can breed for awhile before anything is caught. I had Nobel home for a few months before there were any symptoms.

Usually, the wax is a yellow colour. Black can be mite poo/shells etc or sign of an infection.