Is It Really Dirt?

• You may look inside your cat's ears and see what appears to your eyes like dirt--or fine coffee grounds. If you see dirt in a cat's ears, you may also notice excessive scratching and/or shaking her head from side to side. Your cat's ears may also be malodorous. If you extract a small sample of this dirt from her ears and examine it under a magnifying glass, you'll probably find that it's not dirt at all, but a small parasite with a crablike appearance: the ear mite.
  
  

Otodectes Cynotis

• Otodectes cynotis, or ear mites, are common in cats, dogs and other mammals. Kittens are more prone to getting ear mites, as their immune systems are not yet fully developed; ear mites are also no stranger to strays and outdoor cats. These tiny parasites, which grow in three weeks from eggs to larvae to nymphs and then adult mites, aren't blood-suckers. Rather, they live on the skin surface and feed off the tissue and secretions in your cat's ears. The waste ear mites leave behind what looks like dirt. It's not uncommon to note excess cerumen (wax) in your cat's ears, and the inside of the ears may be distinctly inflamed as well. Ear mites are contagious and can be passed from one pet to another, but they will not infect humans.
  
  

Treating Ear Mites

• The Merck Veterinary Manual lists ear mites are a primary cause of otitis externa, a condition in which your cat's ears become excessively inflamed--and painful. Secondary yeast and/or bacterial infections may also accompany ear mites. Ear mites themselves are not the cause of ear drum rupture, but if your cat's ears become inflamed, this could spell trouble. An infection of the middle ear can cause your cat to lose his balance and suffer the same type of vertigo humans experience during a similar infection.
  
  A diagnosis of ear mites is made by a veterinarian, who takes a culture of the "dirt" from your cat's ears and examines it for the presence of ear mites. Your cat's ears will be washed thoroughly, and you will be given prescription ear drops to use at home. If multiple pets reside together, treating all for ear mites simultaneously is advised.