What causes my indoor cat to scratch her bleeding, scabby ears?

Those ears are very red, which indicates that something is really irritating them. Ear mites could be a cause and can be easily treated for. Allergies is another common cause, but it's more likely to be related to the environment than it is food. Food allergies account from 5-15% of all allergies and require a proper elimination diet trial to diagnose the cause, so I wouldn't worry about switching around foods at this time. Bathing is a good idea, because it may remove the environmental allergin that is causing the problem. I would recommend bathing about once a week with cool water; using a shampoo and conditioner labeled for cats with oatmeal or aloe as ingredients. You can also get ear flush at the pet store. This will help treat/prevent ear infections and remove allergins. There are some good instructional videos on youtube that can show you how to properly do this. I recommend flushing once every other day for two weeks. However, this kitty needs some relief from the inflammation and it may be necessary for a trial treatment for ear mites. If the vet you went to before did not offer any sort of treatment options, then I would either ask for a follow-up visit or go to another vet for a second opinion. I hope that helps and Pequenino feels better soon.

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites.

 First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, high quality flea treatment is given. It sounded like your veterinarian has done it already. The next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy.

 Food can be indeed one the most common cause of it. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to stop the chewing and repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics usually). 

There is also a nice topical spray available, it's called Cortavance and you can get it at the vets.

 Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider starting on a long term allergy treatment.

With itching in the face I would be worried about parasites or a food allergy. You can try changing to different formula if fiodbthat contains a different protein source or a hypoallergenic diet. There a promising allergy medicine called Apoquel that can be helpful in cats now. You can apply cortisone cream to the red area until you can talk to your vet about the new options

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to allergies. Benadryl is good as is prednisolone for example. However, these are only going to help with the itch temporarily. However, it is crucial to get rid of the allergic component and treat the allergy as if not, the itch will continue. Also, it is crucial to treat the likely secondary infection. There is no at home treatments as the other medication that can be used in cats for this is a prescription medication called prednisolone. One thing you can do at home besides dealing with the possible allergies is using an e-collar which you can get from your local pet store or online to prevent any further self-trauma. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Fleas or mites would still be at the top of my list. Unless there are a very large number of mites, you may not always see them by just looking. Collecting a sample of ear wax and looking under a microscope can help you find a few, but often ear mite treatment is still used even when there is only suspicion and no actual evidence of ear mites. Fleas don't live on a pet, they only jump on at meal times, so it is easy for a cat owner to miss them - especially since cats are very good at grooming them off before you can see! I would talk to your vet about a prescription topical flea and mite treatment called Revolution. Since Frida Katio (wonderful name, btw!) is indoor/outdoor that lives in Texas (parasites love this state, too!), she should be on a good preventative year round. Other potential causes for the scratching and twitching include bacterial or yeast ear infection (would need diagnosis by looking under a microscope), nasopharyngeal polyp (may need an exam under anesthesia or using and endoscope), or other allergies, like environmental or food.

Hello, sorry to hear about Patchez. This could be associated with allergies or an ear infection. Other causes may include ear mites or skin mites. Cats may be allergic to their environment especially if Patchez is going outside. Other sources of allergies may arise from flea saliva known as flea allergy dermatitis. If you are unable to find fleas and have Patchez on monthly flea control, then you should have her evaluated by your veterinarian. He will likely examine her ears for any infections or ear mites. Your veterinarian may then give Patchez medications to control her itchiness. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Scratching around the ears or eyes may indicate an allergy, or may even indicate a problem with the ears themselves such as an infection or ear mites (very common in cats). Signs of [ear mites](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/ear-mites/) include dark or dirty debris that is black or deep red in appearance, or you may see other debris that is foul-smelling in the ears. Ear mites and infections usually require a sample being taken by the vet to determine the exact cause, as well as a regimen of [cleaning the ears](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-clean-your-cat-s-ears-what-you-need-to-know/) with a medicated cleaner for 7-10 days. Ear mites can be spread to other pets, so treating any other dogs or cats in the house at the same time is best. If the ears are clear but you are seeing redness, it may indicate an allergy, or even possible problems such as [ring worm](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/ringworm/) (which appear as a red "target" ring that will gradually increase in size over time, and IS contagious to other pets and people). Your vet can provide you with an allergy medication dosage to treat minor allergies, or may ask you to bring in your cat for an exam if you suspect ringworm or other skin infections.