My cat is scratching its head a lot and it's red. What could it be?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

• Answered By Elva Ma DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on March 12th, 2018

  Hello, and thank you for your question! Possible causes of ear scratching include an ear infection, ear mites, or allergies. If she has been scratching for a few days and it is not getting better, I would recommend having her checked out by a vet. They can examine the ear canal for debris, and perform an ear swab to see what kind of organisms may be growing in the ear and causing her itchiness and redness. From there, the appropriate medications can be prescribed.
  
  In the meantime, I would put an e-collar (cone) on her head to prevent her from further scratching and traumatizing the ear. You can also try using a gentle ear cleaning solution designed for pets to help remove any debris, although this will not treat the underlying infection - medications from your vet will still be needed for this purpose.
  
  I hope this helps, and that Cenizas feels better soon!

  

  1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

• Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

  Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

  Published on September 17th, 2017

  Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This is possibly allergies. 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!

  

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• Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on February 18th, 2018

  The normal earwax is a dark brown/black substance, but this does appear to be more than normal.
  
  I am 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, mites or something stuck down in the ear.
  
  It's best to have him 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 is a link that gives a helpful tutorial for cleaning ears.
  
  https://youtu.be/9gX3ex9ClUY
  
  I hope that helps and he gets better soon.
  
  

  

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• Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

  Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

  Published on March 3rd, 2020

  I think ear mites are more likely than a fungal infection in the ear of a cat with these symptoms. I would recommend talking to the vet about Revolution or another topical treatment for ear mites. All other cats in the house would also require treatment.

  

  1Pet Parents found this answer helpful