Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Ear lice (Scientific name: Otodectes cynotis) are microscopic parasites that can cause ear infections in cats. They like to live in a dark, warm environment like the ear canal to eat the debris. Ear lice can be irritating and itchy, causing your cat to scratch his ears repeatedly. When cats are constantly scratching their ears, cats are susceptible to skin problems such as inflammation or swelling of the earlobes and should see the vet immediately. You should identify and treat the cat's ear lice quickly to avoid future problems and keep the cat healthy and happy.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Identifying your cat with ear lice

1. 

   Clean the cat's ears. Before you administer the drops, you need to clean the cat's ears. It is advisable to consult your veterinarian about a cat's ear cleaning routine before children.
   • Buy an ear cleaner that is labeled as safe for the cat and follow the instructions.
   • Be careful if there is too much earwax in your cat's ears, as earwax can act like a cocoon that wraps the ear lice so the drops won't get in.

2. 

   
   
   Small pills. Position the cat across from you and have someone gently press down on the cat's shoulder to prevent it from moving. Cut off the tip of the bottle and place each drop of the correct dose into the cat's ear canal.
   • Use your thumb and index finger to gently rub the cat's ear to let the drops through the wax and deeper into the ear canal.
   • If your cat is resistant to the instillation, wrap the cat in a towel to keep it still.

3. 

   
   
   Clean your ears. Use a cotton ball to wipe off any excess surface of the ear.
   • Do not push the cotton pad into the ear canal. If your cat moves while cleaning the ear, the cotton ball will easily go deep into the ear and cause injury.

4. 

   
   
   Repeat instillation according to the instructions. You should administer the drops to your cat every day for the allotted time. If your cat still shows signs of irritation at the end of treatment, then you should take your cat for follow-up.
   • Stop treatment and contact your veterinarian if the cat continues to tilt its head during treatment.
   • Some cats may be sensitive to the ingredients in the ear drops and become unbalanced by the medication even if the eardrum is not damaged. If this is the case, take your cat to the vet immediately.
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Part 3 of 3: Preventing re-infection of ear lice

1. 

   Use Selamectin for all cats. Selamectin is a powerful parasitic control drug available for both cats and dogs. This medication helps to fight lice, fleas, filariasis and some intestinal helminths. You should use topical for all cats in the house with Selamectin-containing medications such as Revolution (or Stronghold from the UK).
   • Selamectin helps prevent reinfection and protects other cats from parasitic infections.
   • You should apply Selamectin on the nape of the cat's nape. Do not apply Selamectin to cat ears.

2. 

   Take the dog to the vet. Selamectin is not licensed to treat ear lice in dogs. If your dog gets ear lice from a cat, you should see the vet for preventive treatment.

3. 

   Protect the cat's paws. You should spray Fipronil topical medication on your cat's hind legs to kill ticks, fleas, lice and other parasites. This medication can directly kill the lice that got on the fur after the cat scratched the ear.
   • This medication will help prevent reinfection from occurring when cats scratching clean ears with their feet with lice still attached.
   • Fipronil is found in many drugs such as Frontline, Effipro, Barricade and EasySpot. You should consult your veterinarian about antiparasitic drugs and a trusted supplier.
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Advice

• Do not be too concerned, as cat ear lice cannot be transmitted to humans.
• You can also treat cat's ear lice with a topical medication that contains selamectin to prevent reinfection. Once applied to the skin, Selamectin will be absorbed into the bloodstream and placed in the ear canal to kill lice that eat debris. Selamectin alone is enough to treat the infection caused by ear lice. Although this method is very convenient, ear drops are still preferred for their anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties to fight secondary infections.

Warning

• Ear lice infections can become serious if left untreated. Severe ear lice infections can damage your cat's ear canal and eardrums. Ear lice are very contagious and can be spread from cat to cat or cat to dog and vice versa, so you should treat all pets in the house at the same time.
• Over-the-counter medications are generally ineffective and dangerous for cats. These medications can cause serious nerve damage in your cat.