My stray cat has a head tilt. Is she deaf or has an ear infection?

If you are worried about her balance and the head tilt I would recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian. They will be able to take a full medical history and perform a thorough physical examination. They will be able to determine if your kitten has a neurological condition which could account for what you are seeing or if there is a possible ear infection or if what you are seeing is completely normal. In some instances they suggest further diagnostic tests such as X-rays or blood tests to investigate underlying causes. They will also be able to dispense any medications needed if there is an ear infection or any kind or if there is another treatable condition. Best of luck!

Head tilt could be caused by deep inner ear infection (or polyp), stroke, infection such as toxoplasmosis, stroke, or even tumor although that would be rare at her age. If the toxo test comes back normal then I would consider requesting a referral to a neurologist where an MRI of the brain can be done. If that is not possible then I would trial treat with antibiotics and steroids. I am so sorry that she is going through this. I am sure you are very worried. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

I'll start with the spay question - that sounds pretty normal. However if it's warm, red, or has any discharge, having a quick exam with her vet to make sure it looks ok (or even posting a picture here) is a good idea. As far as the head tilt goes, if she's doing it consistently, I would be worried about an ear polyp, which are very common in young cats. Sometimes we can get a good look in the ear during an exam, and sometimes we can't tell. Either way, if it's consistent and continues, she needs to be evaluated by her vet for a full neurologic exam. Very rarely, anesthesia can cause deafness, but I'm not aware of any connection between anesthesia and a head tilt. Good luck!

Many white cats are deaf but i suspect the falling ear has nothing to do with it, it's probably due to some sort of trauma, possibly an ear infection, i would recommend having it checked by a vet ASAP.

In any cat this can be a sign of a neurological problem, vestibular disease or an inner ear infection. No one knows what causes vestibular disease but it does often get better with time and treatment. Inner ear infections are also treatable with medication. At your cats age I would be worry about a brain disease such as a tumor or vascular disease to cause these symptoms. She does need to see a vet as soon as possible to see what the problem is and your potential prognosis. They can start medicine to help calm her and minimize the symtpoms

It appears that your kitten has an ear infection. This could be caused by mites, bacteria or a fungus. She will need to be seen by a veterinarian who will examine the ear with an otoscope, and he will take a swab of the discharge of the ear and look at it under the microscope. This should help with diagnosing the cause. Your kitty will then get medicine according to the diagnosis, usually ear drops. The ear will also need to be cleaned by the vet

The next steep would be a test for toxoplasmosis and an x-ray of the head. She could still have an inner ear infection. Unfortunately should als suffer from a brain tumor. You may want to get a referral to a veterinary neurologist..