What should I do if my cat has a rash on the outside of its ear?

I would definitely be suspicious of an ear infection from the pictures and what you are describing. Ear infections usually have a primary cause that allows it to be infected. Common primary causes are allergies, excessive moisture, ear mites, or something stuck down in the ear. It's always best to have her evaluated by a veterinarian, so they can have a good look in the ear and provide the necessary medication to clear this up. For now, it will be good to gently flush the ear once every two days to help remove the debris from the ear - this will help with treating the infection. Below are a few links that give helpful advice/tutorials about cleaning ears. The rash on the cheek is likely due to scratching and will get better when the ear infection is dealt with. I recommend cleaning the rash with a medicated wipe or shampoo (can get this at the pet store) once a day until it's better. If it seems to get worse, then you'll want to take Simba into the vet for an exam. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-clean-your-cat-s-ears-what-you-need-to-know/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5Dh3mJBzts I hope that helps and Simba gets better soon.

Hi, I am sorry to hear about Sparrow's ear. The inside of his ear looks clean as you have shown in the picture. The back/base of his ear unfortunately looks quite infected. It is great that you are keeping the Ecollar on to prevent him from scratching the ear. Sometimes topical treatment alone will not be able to heal this type of infection. The area looks very moist, either from infection or the ointment(s) that are being applied. Typically when cats have an infected area on their skin, we want the area dry and do not put on topical treatments. This wound would most likely heal very quickly with a visit to Sparrow's veterinarian. The doctor can clip and clean the wound with medical grade gentle cleansing solution and get Sparrow on antibiotics. The antibiotics (which needs a doctor prescription) is the main treatment to get this to heal. I cannot recommend any further over the counter treatments that would allow this to heal. I am sorry about that. I would recommend to keep him indoors only, keep the ecollar on, and hold off on the ointment so the area can dry up. The veterinary appointment can hopefully happen soon and Sparrow will be on his way to healing quickly. Best of luck.

Unfortunately, without seeing it in person, I can't say for certain what is causing this rough and bumpy patch beneath Shiki's ear. I can say that if she is scratching below her ear, that can be a sign of an ear infection, and I do think she should see a vet for it. Ear infections in cats can be caused by ear mites, yeast, or bacteria, and can only be treated by medications from the vet. I recommend having Shiki seen by a vet tomorrow to diagnose if she does have an ear infection, and to get medications to treat it if she does. It's important to treat any ear infection promptly, as leaving it untreated can lead to hearing loss.

The most common reasons that cats scratch at their ears are infections or infestations with ear mites. Ear mites can be treated by several different medications, some of which are over the counter and others that are prescription only. If there is an infection, an antimicrobial flush plus cleaning would be needed to clear up the affected ear. Steroids might also be warranted to assist with some of the inflammation and discomfort associated with the infection. Keep the e-collar on for the time being until you have resolved the problem. Sparrow will only make it worse as soon as you remove it, as you have already noted.

I would recommend having your vet check to make sure she doesn't have an ear infection first. Otherwise, this could be a bacterial infection, ringworm, or even something cancerous. Your vet can take a sample from the surface to look for sources of infection and then do a biopsy (under sedation at a later date) if it's not clear what is going on. Good luck!

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria but fungal infections are possible as well). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any scratching (if any). Hope this answer was helpful, but 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Hello. This is definitely a very irritated ear, but your veterinarian really needs to see what is going on in the ear canal to make an actual diagnosis. The vomiting should be unrelated to what is going on in the ear, but Cafe could have more than one issue at a time. With having an ear this possibly infected, & vomiting, you really need to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Without knowing exactly what is medically going on with the ear & why she is vomiting, there really is not much you can do for her at home. I do hope you can have her seen soon. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.