My kitten's ears are dirty, but he's not scratching. Is it mites?

It is difficult to diagnose an ear infection without examining the discharge under a microscope to see if there are any bacteria, yeast, or mites. Based on the pictures, it does not appear to be a large amount of discharge. There aren't any OTC ear medications for infections but you could clean the ear with just an ear cleaner labeled for cats and see if that helps. Clean three times a week for now and then once weekly and see if that gets rid of all the discharge. If not, he really needs to go to a vet for treatment.

Hi and thanks for posting. An ear mite diagnosis is made when the material in the ears is put on a slide and evaluated under a microscope. I can't tell from just a picture alone. Usually ear mites are incredible itchy and cats who have ear mites will often have a great deal of brown or black debris in the ears and they will itch at their ears frequently. Sometimes they will have a secondary skin infection around their ears due to the intense scratching. If you are concerned about ear mites, my recommendation would be to see your veterinarian for a definitive diagnosis.

An appropriate ear cleaner would be strongly recommended. Most veterinary clinics and pet stores will have several options. Do not use water, hydrogen peroxide or alcohol to clean ears. If you have no other options, a dry cotton ball or soft washcloth can be used to clean what can be reached. Do not insert anything into the ear canal. Read more about ear cleaning at the link below. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-clean-your-cat-s-ears-what-you-need-to-know/

Hello. This ear looks like a normal, healthy ear with some wax buildup. Ear infections typically will have classic symptoms of odor, redness, inflammation and often discomfort or itchiness. Your cat’s ear looks good, but if he is experiencing any discomfort or rubbing/scratching at the ear, have your vet check it out. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It is possible that Motu may have a bacterial and /or yeast infection of the ear. It is also possible, but less likely that he has been reinfected with ear mites. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. Do not clean the ear so that your veterinarian had debris present to assist in making the diagnosis. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If he truly has mites, they are not going to completely go away with the peroxide so if the ears get dirty again as before, I recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. If properly diagnosed, ear mites can be easily treated. Best of luck!

If you are referring to the small circlular dot on the skin in front of the opening to the ear, it is possible this is just a spot of pigment in the skin- like a freckle. I cannot tell for certain with a photo, but if the area is not raised or irritated that would be my suspicion. With ear mites or infection we see redness and discharge down inside the ear canal/ear hole. If it is a raised scab in that spot, and inside the ear hole looks clean and not red at all, it could just be a small wound. If you notice redness or discharge in the ear canal, an exam is needed. Or if your cat is scratching at the ears or shaking his head, he should be examined.