Does Your Cat Have a Discharge Coming from Its Ears?

Does your cat scratch its one or both of its ears? Does it shake its head frequently? Does the cat's ear appear swollen or red? Does its ear or ears smell terrible or have a discharge? If the answer is yes to any of these questions then you will need to examine the cat's ear or ears closer as they may have an infection, an injury, parasites, a disease, allergies or even a tumor that is causing the trouble with the ear. If this is the case, the cat will need to be treated either by a veterinarian or by the owner or person who takes care of it.

If a cat is scratching at its ear or ears excessively because it does have one of these ear problems, such as parasites, then the more it scratches, looking for relief, the more likely that it will damage the afflicted ear. The ear scratching can lead to the ear becoming swollen and to the discharge that is inside the ear moving to the outside of the ear where it will be noticed. This is why it is important to pay attention to what your cat does on a regular basis as each cat is a little different, just as people are different. Your cat may scratch his head or ears more often than your neighbors cat, so you will need to know when it is scratching more often than normal in order to see the signs that something is wrong.

Even though there are several causes for a discharge from the cat's afflicted ear, there are signs to lead to the particular cause of the discharge. For example, the color of the discharge will often lead to the cause. If the discharge is black or yellow in color, then the cause of the discharge is probably a bacterial infection. If the discharge is brownish-pink in color then the cause of the discharge is probably a yeast infection. If there is a bloody discharge then the cause could be a middle ear infection that is severe.

If ear the causes for the drainage in the cat's ears is not treated it can lead to the cat becoming deaf or it can even be fatal. But, cat owners need to realize that some discharge may be normal as some cats can have more ear wax in their ears, just like people. If you are unsure if it is normal or not, take a trip to the vet. It is better to be safe than sorry anytime.