Why is my young cat suddenly shaking its head or bobbing?

Ear mites is possible but in an indoor only kitty it is less likely and the more likely cause would be a bacterial or yeast infection of the ear, or a foreign body stuck in the ear. I would recommend a vet visit. The vet can look in the ear with an otoscope and can take a swab from the ear to check under the microscope for mites, bacteria or yeast and prescribe medications to treat this.

I would definitely have his ears swabbed and have them look under the microscope for signs of an infection. Otherwise, this could be a sign of a neurological issue and he may need to see a specialist.

Poor Toby! He could have a middle ear infection caused by yeast or bacteria that you cannot see. His symptoms do indicate a problem with his ears, and I would take him into the vet today or tomorrow for an exam. The vet can look down his ears with an otoscope to see if he does have an infection, and can treat him for it. It's important to have any ear problem examined and treated promptly as leaving it untreated can lead to hearing loss.

The picture is a little fuzzy on my end, but the ear itself looks a little puffy. If Arnold shook his head/ears so much he may have busted a small blood vessel in the ear and there could be blood trapped under the skin (called an aural hematoma). These can be very painful and often need treatment. Ear mites and ear infections are common causes of head-shaking like this. I would recommend that Arnold see a vet to diagnose the cause of the head-shaking and to see if there is a hematoma that also needs treatment.

Poor baby. He could be suffering from allergies or a upper respiratory infection (URI). He could also have an ear infection or ear mites. You can try Benadryl to see if that helps. See link below. If he isn’t improving, I would have your vet take a look at him. Your vet will be able to determine if there is any type of infection or mites in his ears and get him started on the proper ear meds. They will also be able to get him on some antibiotics for his URI if needed. I hope this helps. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/cat/benadryl/

Ear infections are relatively common in both cats and dogs. Some are more persistent than others. As you said, your vet took a look at the contents of the ear to determine what course of treatment might be required. Without a true bacterial / fungal culture, I could only speculate as to what the exact organism might be. The majority of ear medications, tresaderm included, are traditionally quite broad spectrum in an attempt to cover as many bugs as possible. The reason Fatboy is shaking his head is likely a combination of both the drops and the discomfort associated with the infection. If after six days of effective treatment, you are not seeing any improvement at all, you might want to call you vet and let him know. He may want to obtain a new sample to see if any progress is being made. If not, a true culture could be sent out to better target his therapy and change medications if needed be.

It is possible that Tiger Lily's ears may be bothering her or she could have oral/jaw discomfort. I'm glad to hear that she seems to be fine other times, but her vet should examine her to check for the presence of an ear infection and oral changes.