My stray cat is falling. Should I treat for ear mites or see a vet?

The first thing I would do is treat her with Advantage or another flea prevention product until you can get her in for an exam. Fleas can cause some of these lesions and she most likely has ear mites also. If you are able to take her in they can examine her ears and skin and give her medication to stop the scratching and antibiotics or an antibiotic injection to treat the skin infection. If she is a stray I recommend a blood test first for feline leukemia and FIV as these are serious cat diseases that there is no cure for and are infectious to other cats. If she is negative for those getting her skin treated and getting her neutered are important for her health. I'm glad you are taking care of Baby as she certainly needs veterinary care. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Baby.

Without knowing exactly what is wrong with the cat, it is difficult to provide accurate advice. It may be a severe infection based on your description. The medication you purchased may or may not work depending on the underlying cause. Ideally, Oreo should be seen by a veterinarian to diagnose infection or other conditions. If you can coax her into a carrier, you can take her to the vet.

Your cat should be seen by a vet as she may have an ear infection with bacterial or fungal involvement and ear mites as well. Here is some financial help available. I suggest you contact each and every one until you find one that helps. There are quite a few ways to get financial help with vet bills: https://www.youcaring.com/blog/2016/need-help-with-vet-bills https://www.avma.org/public/YourVet/Pages/Financial-assistance-for-veterinary-care-costs.aspx https://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets https://www.paws.org/cats-and-dogs/other-services/help-with-veterinary-bills/ http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html?credit=web_id98635957 American Animal Hospital Association  http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/ "Through the AAHA Helping Pets Fund, veterinary care is possible for sick or  injured pets even if they have been abandoned or if their owner is experiencing  financial hardship." Angels 4 Animals  http://www.angels4animals.org/  "Our services range from financial aid to complete treatment  to those pets and pet owners in need." Care Credit  http://www.carecredit.com/  A credit card company for health care, including veterinary care.  "With a comprehensive range of plan options, for  treatment or procedure fees from $1 to over $25,000, we offer a plan  and a low monthly payment to fit comfortably into almost every  budget." Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP)  http://www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/door/  "Seniors, People with disabilities, People who  have lost their job, Good Samaritans who rescue a cat or kitten - any of these  folks may need financial assistance to save a beloved companion." The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit 501  (c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and  kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save  their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes. God's Creatures Ministry  http://www.all-creatures.org/gcm/help-cf.html  "This fund helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help." Help-A-Pet  http://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html  "Our efforts focus on serving the elderly, the disabled, and the  working poor." IMOM  http://www.imom.org/  "We are dedicated to insure that no  companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker  is financially challenged." The Pet Fund  http://thepetfund.com/  "The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit association that  provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need  urgent veterinary care." United Animal Nations  http://www.uan.org/lifeline/index.html  "The mission of LifeLine is to help homeless or recently rescued  animals suffering from life-threatening conditions that require  specific and immediate emergency veterinary care. We strive to serve  Good Samaritans and rescue groups who take in sick or injured  animals. In certain cases, LifeLine can also assist senior citizens  and low-income families pay for immediate emergency veterinary care."

Because ear mites cause severe itchiness and can lead to more serious bacterial ear infections it is best to treat Mozart. It is also possible that Mozart already has a bacterial or yeast ear infection as this can look similar to ear mites. I recommend taking Mozart to see a veterinarian so they can take a swab from his ear and determine the cause of the ear infection. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Mozart is feeling better soon!

It sounds more like he probably has ringworm. Very common in kittens. If you don't have the funds to properly care for him then you should relinquish him to the local shelter/humane society so he can get the proper care. I don't mean to sound harsh but this is a kitten and will need vet care through it's life so you really need to make a plan to have money or a credit card set aside for his care if you plan on keeping him. You could also check into getting him some pet insurance. The humane society in your area may have a low cost vet clinic you could take him to. ( https://www.houstonhumane.org/clinic ) ( https://northlinevet.com/ ) ( https://www.thrivevet.com/locations/texas/houston/fm-1960-w/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=web ) ( https://trupanion.com/ )

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.

As he was a stray i believe it is important that you take him to the vet for a checkup, vaccination and deworming treatment. you can de-flea him with Advantage spot on, a very effective over the counter flea treatment.