For the last year, my 1.5 year old cat has had a persistent itching in and around his ears. He never had any issues when he was a kitten. December 2020 I started letting him outside. Few months later tick season started and he got a few ticks. At that time he started scratching his ears a lot. He also kept scratching the spots where ticks had been, to the point where he had scabs all over his neck and head. My vet gave him meds for the itching, which helped for about 2 weeks. The scabs had healed nicely, but he'd scratch them open right away. This went on for a couple of months. Every time he'd scratch the scabs open, they'd heal within a few weeks and he'd scratch them open again.
September last year he got into a car accident unfortunately and had to be crated for 2 full months. Since he had broken both his hind legs, he couldn't scratch himself and everything healed nicely. He never showed signs of itching or discomfort around the ears during his crate rest, so I was hoping the itching would just go away.
Well that was a false hope. He's now walking around freely again (inside obviously) for a little over a month and the scratching around his ears has returned. He's got some scabs already on his right ear because of all the scratching. For his left ear he needs my assistance, so no scabs on that side at least. It seems the itching (on both sides) is either on the part between his eye and ear, or deep inside the ear. That's the only places he'll scratch and he sometimes puts his claws inside the ear.
I have thought about it being a food allergy, because at the time he was allowed outside, I also switched his food from kitten to adult version. The difference in ingredients is minimal and because he didn't have issues as a kitten I'm not sure it's a food allergy. He doesn't have itching around his mouth or paws either. I've also thought about it being ear mites, but his ears are clean and odorless. His ears aren't red or painful either. Gave him dewormer, which also kills fleas and ear mites, a few days ago, but I see no difference in the itching. He doesn't have any other itching body parts. Just the ears and the area between his ears and eyes. The only thing I notice is that his ears are a little damp inside:
Any ideas what's going on? If necessary I'll take him to the vet obviously, but with the weekly vet visits for the past few months, I'd rather not put him through that kind of stress again right now.
September last year he got into a car accident unfortunately and had to be crated for 2 full months. Since he had broken both his hind legs, he couldn't scratch himself and everything healed nicely. He never showed signs of itching or discomfort around the ears during his crate rest, so I was hoping the itching would just go away.
Well that was a false hope. He's now walking around freely again (inside obviously) for a little over a month and the scratching around his ears has returned. He's got some scabs already on his right ear because of all the scratching. For his left ear he needs my assistance, so no scabs on that side at least. It seems the itching (on both sides) is either on the part between his eye and ear, or deep inside the ear. That's the only places he'll scratch and he sometimes puts his claws inside the ear.
I have thought about it being a food allergy, because at the time he was allowed outside, I also switched his food from kitten to adult version. The difference in ingredients is minimal and because he didn't have issues as a kitten I'm not sure it's a food allergy. He doesn't have itching around his mouth or paws either. I've also thought about it being ear mites, but his ears are clean and odorless. His ears aren't red or painful either. Gave him dewormer, which also kills fleas and ear mites, a few days ago, but I see no difference in the itching. He doesn't have any other itching body parts. Just the ears and the area between his ears and eyes. The only thing I notice is that his ears are a little damp inside:
Any ideas what's going on? If necessary I'll take him to the vet obviously, but with the weekly vet visits for the past few months, I'd rather not put him through that kind of stress again right now.
