Ear infections in cats – signs and vet treatment

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Book a vet visit

Book a vet appointment if you think your cat has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. An ear infection is an infection in a cat's ear.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet.
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
Let your cat rest somewhere calm.

Don't

Do not give any human medicine.
Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Ear infections in cats usually develop when there is an underlying problem with the ear, such as ear mites, skin allergies or perhaps a polyp inside the ear canal.^[1] Ear infections in cats rarely develop without an underlying cause.^[1]

Signs

An itchy ear
Heat and swelling around the ear
Pain around the ear
A smelly ear
Head shaking and face rubbing
A swollen, droopy earflap
Discharge, dirt, excess wax or blood from the affected ear
A head tilt
Loss of balance
Flickering eye movements

Causes and risk factors

Ear mites
Skin allergies
A polyp inside the ear canal

How vets treat it

Ear drops to combat infection and reduce swelling

What the experts say

“Overview. Ear infections in cats usually develop if there is an underlying problem with the ear(s), for example, ear mites, skin allergies or perhaps a polyp inside the ear canal - they rarely develop without an underlying cause.”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

What signs can ear infections cause in cats?

Signs can include an itchy, painful or smelly ear, heat and swelling around the ear, head shaking and face rubbing, discharge, dirt, excess wax or blood, a head tilt, loss of balance, flickering eye movements, or a swollen, droopy earflap.

What can lead to an ear infection in a cat?

An underlying ear problem can lead to an ear infection, such as ear mites, skin allergies or perhaps a polyp inside the ear canal.^[1]

How are ear infections treated by a vet?

Ear infections usually require ear drops to combat infection and reduce swelling; most ear drops contain antibiotics, anti-fungus and anti-inflammatory ingredients.^[1]

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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