My cat has ear discharge and is sleeping more. Does he need a vet?

Ear infections in cats can be caused by ear mites, yeast, or bacteria. Unfortunately without seeing Notie in person, I can't diagnose what is causing it and can't say what treatment is needed. She does have to see a vet for this, as leaving it untreated can lead to hearing loss. Vets are seeing pets now for illnesses, and this counts. Please call around to find a vet to see her today. Best of luck.

Unfortunately it's illegal for us to write a prescription from this site without seeing Ginny in person, so we cannot give you a prescription. It does sound like she has an ear infection, and she needs to see a vet for this. If you cannot leave the house, see if you have a friend or family member who can take her into the vet for you now. You can leave her outside in her crate, then your friend can pick her up and take her in.

Yes it looks like the ear must be examined by your veterinarian to have the most appropriate treatment prescribed. There could be an infection there and antibiotics drops may be needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Poor Spookette! It sounds like she may have a pretty bad ear infection. Ear infections can be due to mites, bacteria, or yeast in cats. I'd recommend scheduling an examination with a veterinarian so Spookette can have her ears checked out. A swab can be taken from the ears and evaluated under the microscope to determine if the cause is mites, bacteria, or yeast. She will likely need prescription ear medication to treat. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Spookette's ear issue resolves quickly!

Your cat may have an ear infection or Earmites. This really should be seen by a vet to get the correct treatment. Try cleaning her ears with a solution of 50% water/50% white vinegar. Moisten a cotton ball and wipe only the visible portion of the ear. DO NOT push the cotton ball down into the ear canal, and DO NOT fill the ear canal with liquid, this can cause nerve damage. This may make her feel a little more comfortable, but probably won't cure her condition. If you are in financial difficulty, there are ways of still getting your pet treated by a veterinarian. Ask if they take Care Credit and apply online. This is a credit card that is used specifically for medical, dental, and veterinary expenses. GiveForward is a crowd funding website that helps you raise money to help take care of your pets Call your local animal shelter and ask if they have or can direct you to a low-cost pet clinic that works with people with limited incomes. If there is a college of veterinary medicine in your area, call and ask them about a low- or no-cost veterinary care program. Many run low-cost clinics for limited income clients. The Humane Society website has a lot of links to other organizations that help with veterinary expenses. Some are for working/service animals, some are breed-specific, some are by start or location. Hopefully there is something available in your area.

It is difficult to diagnose an ear infection without examining the discharge under a microscope to see if there are any bacteria, yeast, or mites. Based on the pictures, it does not appear to be a large amount of discharge. There aren't any OTC ear medications for infections but you could clean the ear with just an ear cleaner labeled for cats and see if that helps. Clean three times a week for now and then once weekly and see if that gets rid of all the discharge. If not, he really needs to go to a vet for treatment.

Ear infections in cats can also be caused by yeast or bacteria, and are more common causes of ear infections in adult cats. Ear mites are more common in kittens. In order to treat Belle properly, she does have to see a vet, and vets will see pets for sickness. This counts, as leaving it untreated can lead to hearing loss. Give her vet a call to make her an appointment.