Ear Infection (Otitis)

Otitis simply means inflammation of the ear, and in cats it most often affects the outer ear canal (otitis externa). While dogs are the classic ear-infection patients, cats get them too — and when they do, there is almost always an underlying reason that must be found and fixed, or the infection will keep returning.

The feline ear canal is long and L-shaped, with a vertical section that drops down before turning horizontally toward the eardrum. This shape helps protect the delicate inner structures but also means that wax, debris and moisture can accumulate deep inside where you cannot see. A healthy ear keeps a natural balance of yeast and bacteria in check; anything that upsets that balance — mites, allergies, a polyp, trapped water or a foreign seed — lets those organisms multiply and trigger infection.

In young cats, ear mites are the overwhelming favourite culprit, producing a characteristic dry, dark, coffee-ground-like discharge and intense itching. In older cats, allergies and inflammatory polyps rise in importance. Because the signs overlap, it is a mistake to simply buy an over-the-counter drop and hope: using the wrong product, or cleaning aggressively with cotton buds, can drive material against the eardrum and make matters far worse.

The right approach is always to have a vet examine the ear and, ideally, look at a swab under the microscope to see exactly what is present. Treatment then combines a proper cleaning, the correct medicated drops, and — most importantly — management of whatever underlying condition allowed the infection to take hold. Caught early, most ear infections clear up quickly and completely; left alone, they can become chronic, thicken and narrow the canal, and in the worst cases spread inward to affect balance and hearing.