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My indoor cat has new ear wax and a cut in his ear. What should I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 6 years and 9 months old | 14 lbs

Hi! I recently noticed my cat has what appears to be ear wax in his ears, which I never noticed before. He doesnt seem to have the symptoms of ear mites (scratching or head shaking), and hes an indoor cat, but I did notice a cut in his ear. I just trimmed his nails in case they were too sharp. I have attached a picture of the wax in one war and cut in the other. I would love any advice. Thank you!

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on February 12th, 2019

Ear wax can be wiped out with something soft like a cotton ball. Using a commercial ear cleaner that is meant for cats can also help. You could clean out his ears and then monitor to see if it returns. You should also watch for any signs of infection such as itching, head shaking, redness to the ears or an odor.
That cut may be from his back claws and that’s good that you trimmed them. Most healthy cats can heal this on their own but monitor it for any problems.
Some ear wax is normal in cats but it should be equal in both ears. If one ear has it and the other doesn’t, this could indicate a problem.
I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth
Veterinarian
Published on September 25th, 2019
Unfortunately, it's impossible to know if this is a waxy, itchy build up or related to infection. You may try smearing the wax on a white, clean piece of paper and looking for movement (the mites moving) with a magnifying glass. Cats can also get bacterial or yeast infections. Your best option is to have the material examined under a microscope by the veterinarian. Then you will know if an infection is present or not. I hope this helps and please feel free to post ay additional questions.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
Published on January 13th, 2018
Poor Milo! His ears do look quite sore and painful. In most cases, a large amount of sticky brown wax and pawing or scratching at the ears indicates an ear infection of some kind - normally either yeast, or bacteria. You will need prescription ear drops from your vet to treat the infection effectively, so I would definitely try to make an appointment to have him seen as soon as you're able to.

In the meantime, you can try gently cleaning his ears to remove the excessive wax and soothe the itching. Get an ear cleaner labeled for use in cats from your local pet store - you can gently squirt a bit of this into each ear, massage the ear to loosen the debris inside, and then wipe it out with a cotton ball or damp washcloth. This will not treat the underlying infection, but it may help to make Milo a bit more comfortable until you are able to see the vet.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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