My cat has red splotches on her ear and flicks it. What's wrong?

The spots could be from your cat itching excessively at her ears, or they could be a little bruises under the skin. It is difficult to know which is going on based on the pictures. I would recommend taking your cat into the vet because if it is bruises this could indicate a bleeding or clotting disorder. Hopefully it is nothing too serious going on, but I would have it checked out just to be safe.

This looks like ecchymosis/petechia that are usually from a clotting disorder or vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels). This can be a serious issue and I think you need to take her to the vet for an exam as soon as you can get her an appointment. Check her gums and her belly for any more signs of bruising like this. I really don't think this is due to trauma.

Is your pet itching or scratching at its head/ears? Outdoor kitty with the potential for being in a fight or being wounded? These could be excoriations/superficial wounds. If your pet is scratching/itching a lot than these could be caused by an ear infection (bacteria/yeast/ear mites) or allergy (food, flea, etc.), etc. Some medications older cats take can also cause an itchy face, so if your pet is taking a new medication this could be the cause and you should alert your veterinarian. As the lesions appear raw and ulcerated the best plan would be to have your pet seen by your family veterinarian for an exam and ear assessment. That way if medications are needed to improve comfort they can be prescribed. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From your picture I do not see a wound, it looks like bleeding under the skin or is a bruise. If there is no wound then it doesn't need surgery and the blood should reabsorb like bruises do. If Maya is not acting normal and/or there are other areas of bruising on her body that she see a veterinarian to be sure she doesn't have a platelet or clotting disorder. Now if the ear has a fluidy lump on the ear pinna that is likely a hematoma. Ear hematomas can form from shaking the head and breaking the blood vessels. This is most commonly from an ear infection or ear mites. If she has a lot of dark brown or black wax in the ear and is shaking her head or scratching her ears she should see a Vet. Otherwise there is not much to do besides give it time to go away. I hope this helps and I wish Maya the very best!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to know for sure based on these pictures though this is possibly a normal pigmentation change. If it is not associated with itchiness or discomfort, there is no need to be concerned about this. If you ever notice any discomfort or itchiness, have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from the photos you have provided, I would suspect this to be a severe allergic reaction or something such as a cancerous skin condition of the ear pinna. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine this so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. Vampira may need a course of steroids to treat this if it is a mosquito bite hypersensitivity or other allergy. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I would recommend that you have B examined by a vet. These types of spots can be caused by bacterial infection, allergies, autoimmune disease, cancer, fleas or mange, among others. The vet will do an exam and may recommend a skin biopsy to see what is the cause so that B can receive treatment.