My cat has a sore ear for a week. Should I be concerned and see a vet?

If Bessley is scratching at his ear, then I would recommend having your vet evaluate his ear including his ear canal. There are a few possibilities of what could be going on, but your vet will need to examine Bessley to figure out what is going on and what should be done about it. Good luck! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It looks like Apollo has been scratching that area and maybe made a scratch with one of his nails. I would be concerned if he is continuously trying to scratch his ear that he has an ear infection. I would recommend a veterinarian if he is scratching at his ear more recently to have them check his ear out. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am sorry Muchacho is not feeling well. Yes, you can buy an e-collar typically over the counter at your local pet store. This would be a good idea if Muchacho is causing injury to his skin. However, if he is really itchy I would recommend taking him to the vet for treatment of the ear mites and maybe antibiotics for his skin. Typically the ear mites will not resolve just from being cleaned. I hope that helps

You likely don't need to do anything to Purrcy's ear as they can typically heal the wound without any help. Watch it for any redness, swelling or discharge. If you want to apply a topical antibiotic you will need to put an elizabethan collar on Purrcy so that he cannot rub it off and then ingest it while grooming. If it starts looking infected, take him into the vets for antibiotics. It will likely heal within 10-14 days. I hope this helps!

Tiger needs to see the veterinarian. It is likely already infected judging by the hair loss and redness in the area. You should protect it from further scratching by having him wear an Elizabethan collar at all times. That is the best way to make sure he does not scratch at it which will make it worse. It’s possible he has an infection, an abscess or had a fly larva living in his skin. Best to get it seen today if at all possible. I hope he starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Poor Pip! Looks like he has a little abrasion there. It’s reasonable to put an e-collar on him and wait a few days to see if it starts looking better on its own. Since it is so close to the eye, there’s nothing over the counter that you can safely put on it at home, just keep it clean (water only) and dry and use a cone (ecollar) to keep him from rubbing at it. If it’s not looking better in 3-4 days, take him to the vet. If it starts looking worse, if he starts developing additional clinical signs, or if he starts having additional sores show up elsewhere, don’t wait, take him in. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It looks like a small, scabbed-up wound. As long as it is not bothering Koda, she is not scratching the ear excessively and there is no discharge around the scab, you should monitor her at home. It should fully heal up in 5-7 days. However, if the ear becomes swollen or painful, you will have to take her to your local vets for an appointment.