My kitten has an inflamed ear with a scab. Is it an ear infection?

Your cat's eyes appear to be quite inflamed with a clear, watery discharge. The reddish-brown discoloration is more likely a reaction between the enzymes in the tear film with the hair rather than blood. This issue could be related to infection (bacterial or viral), allergic, or due to trauma (such as a corneal ulcer). She will need to be examined by a vet to determine the cause of her eye discharge so that the appropriate medication can be prescribed. Keep an e-collar (cone) on her until the time of her appointment to prevent her from rubbing/scratching her eyes. For your kitten, the picture is quite blurry, so I'm having trouble seeing the white lesions on her ear very well. These scabs could be a result of an ear infection, ear mites, ringworm or other fungal infection. If the scabs come off easily, you can try removing them. However, if they come back or spread elsewhere, your kitten will need to take a trip to the vet for evaluation. I hope that all goes well for both cats!

Poor Juniper. It's hard to get an idea of whats going on without a photo at least. Skin tags are not common in kittens. The ball of wax is also abnormal in most instances and I would be concerned that there is an ear infection of yeast or bacterial or perhaps an ear mite infection. It could also be a combination of infections. I recommend to play it safe and have Juniper examined by her veterinarian today if possible. Ear infections can get worse quickly so it's best to know if one is present so it can be addressed quickly. Best of luck.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Mimi is scratching one ear more than usual, it is likely that she has an ear infection. Ear infections can be bacterial and/or fungal in origin. If left untreated, simple external ear infections can progress to middle or inner ear infections, leading to vestibular disease or even central nervous system signs. I recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian to have Mimi checked for an ear infection. He/she will likely perform an ear cytology, meaning he/she will swab her ear and look at the material under a microscope. This way, your veterinarian can look for evidence of bacteria and/or yeast and treat her accordingly. I hope this is helpful!

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.

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.

Ouch! Those are some major hot spots in that photo. I would recommend having Lili seen by your vet so the area can be clipped and cleaned and any medications such as pain or antibiotics can be given to help it heal a bit faster. I'd also keep Lili from scratching or pawing at it as this can introduce bacteria and more inflammation which can slow healing. If only Lili is affected and you're not noticing other issues like parasites, etc, it is possible there is an allergy underlying. She could be rubbing up against something causing the itchiness, or could have an ingredient allergy to something in her food (or a treat if the spots correspond with intermittent feeding of a treat or wet food). Other issues such as an underlying illness like an immune or metabolic issue can also cause scabbing and skin issues that affect only one cat in the household. A vet visit is a good option at this point both to treat the current scabs and to see if a food trial, allergy meds, or additional testing such as bloodwork to rule out any underlying health issues may be beneficial in finding the cause.

It's probably an ear infection, often it cannot be seen from the outside. Ear infections are very common in cats, it is usually caused by either yeast or bacterial disease. the treatment is usually simple and straightforward, you will have to take him to the vet and get the ears checked, then a prescription ear drops will be prescribed according to the infectious agent.