Ear Discharge in Cats: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

Pete Wedderburn / Cats.com

This article aims to explain the details of ear discharge in cats, a problem that can happen for a number of reasons. The aim of this article is to provide a simple, clear explanation about ear discharge for cat owners.

What is Ear Discharge?

Normally, a cat’s ears are clean, with no extra discharges or materials visible in or around the ears, on the inside of the ear flap or pinna, or around the top of the opening of the ear. When ear discharge is present, these appear as crusty, scabby, brown, yellow, or green-tinted material gathering around the inside of the ear and often spreading to the adjacent skin.

How Common is Ear Discharge?

Ear discharges are common, especially in kittens or in feral-type cats that have been living in groups. They can develop in any cat, however, at any time.

How Do Cats Get Ear Discharge?

Cats develop ear discharge for a number of reasons, primarily irritation of the ear lining. Pete Wedderburn / Cats.com

Ear discharge develops as a consequence of a number of different ear problems. If the lining of the ear is irritated (i.e. so-called otitis externa), the ear canal produces extra secretions.

This is part of the immune system’s response (e.g. to bacteria), as the secretions have an anti-microbial effect. As these secretions build up, they can be seen by the owner as a waxy build-up, and sometimes they move upwards so that they gather around the opening of the ear.

Symptoms of Ear Discharge in Cats

When an owner examines their cat’s ears, there should normally be a clean, dry skin surface, and when the ear canal itself is checked, the lining is usually clean and empty, with no liquid or solid material in sight.

Some cats may have a very light brown material in the absence of any odor, itching, irritation or other signs of disease. While this build-up isn’t seen in every cat, it may not be abnormal or hint at any concerns for disease. This type of discharge is commonly referred to as ear wax.

Beyond some ear wax, if ear discharge is present, this may be seen as dark brown, yellow, or even green colored material around the opening of the ear. If the ear is examined closely, sometimes this type of discharge may just be seen inside the ear canal.

Ear discharge may also be accompanied by other abnormalities of the ear pinna skin, including redness, flaking, and crusting. Often affected cats may be head shaking, or pawing at their ears, because of the ongoing ear disease.

Some cats may not show obvious signs of ear problems in passing. But when the ears are touched or massaged when petting and a back foot starts to kick at the ear with a little leaning in of the cat’s head into your hand, a medical concern is often present.

A foul odor is sometimes present, but this may only be noticeable with more severe ear infections.

Most often, the outer ear is the only affected area, but if there is also disease of the middle ear (otitis media) or inner ear (so-called otitis interna), there may be other signs, such as a head tilt, or loss of balance. There may also be hearing loss.

Causes of Ear Discharge in Cats

The most common causes of ear discharge include:

• Ear mite infestations
• Infections of the external ear canal – so-called otitis externa — caused by bacteria or fungal yeast
• Polyps or growths inside the ear canal
• Foreign bodies in the ear canal, such as grass seeds

Diagnosis of Ear Discharge

The diagnosis of the presence of an ear discharge is easy to make, as it is a visual observation. However it is important that an accurate diagnosis of the cause of the ear discharge is made by your veterinarian, and a series of steps may be needed to do this.

1. Detailed History Taking
   Your vet will discuss every aspect of your cat’s life and health care. There are other causes of ear discharge, and this history will help to differentiate the various possible causes.
2. General Physical Examination
   Your veterinarian will check your cat over carefully, noting any other physical signs of illness. For example, allergy responses in the skin can be one cause leading to ear infections. Finding other skin concerns may help with knowing the underlying cause of an ear problem.
3. Otoscopic Examination Of The Ears
   It is impossible to properly examine the inside of the ear in detail without the use of an otoscope (also called an “auroscope”) which is a hand-held instrument with a light source, a cone to insert in the ear, and a magnifying lens that allows clear visualisation of the ear canal, right down to the eardrum. Sometimes this may be connected to a screen allowing your veterinarian to show you what they are looking at. This equipment allows direct diagnosis of many of the causes of ear discharge, including ear mites, polyps, and small foreign bodies. In some cases, sedation may be needed for this examination to be done effectively if your cat’s ear canal is very uncomfortable from the cause of the ear problem.
4. Other Tests
   Your veterinarian may wish to take samples from the ear canal, including pieces of the discharge for direct examination under the microscope (so-called “cytology), and perhaps taking a swab for bacterial and fungal culture in the case of an outer ear infection. If a polyp is seen, a biopsy may be taken, and radiographs (x-rays) of the skull may be recommended to check for abnormalities of the middle and inner ear. A more advanced imaging test called computed tomography (CT scan) may be needed for more advanced testing of the middle or inner ear. In some cases, tests for systemic diseases (such as FIV or FeLV – leukemia) may be suggested.

How Much Does It Cost To Treat a Cat With Ear Discharge?

It is impossible to estimate this cost, as there are so many possible issues that can cause ear discharge. You should ask your veterinarian for a detailed estimate before agreeing to proceed with treatment.

The cost could be less than $100 to treat a simple case of ear mites, or over $1000 in severe cases e.g. if your cat has an ear polyp requiring complex surgery and follow-up treatment.

Treatment for Ear Discharge in Cats

Regardless of the discharge’s underlying cause, ear cleaning is generally recommended to remove discharge. Pete Wedderburn / Cats.com

Treatment options for ear discharge depend on the underlying cause. As examples:

• Mite infections may require an anti-mite ointment to be applied regularly for up to three weeks.
• Bacterial infections of the external ear canal – so-called otitis externa – may need antibacterial and anti-yeast ointment to be applied, as well as some investigation of the underlying cause in the first place, especially in chronic ear infections. If no other physical concerns in the canal are seen (like a polyp or foreign material), environmental or food allergy responses can cause chronic inflammation that contributes to overgrowth of bacteria or fungal yeast in the ears.
• Polyps or growths inside the ear canal may need complex surgery to remove the polyps or growths.
• In all cases, ear cleaning may be recommended, to remove any discharge so that this does not further complicate the underlying primary problem. Ear drops can be used to soften the wax, and cotton buds (q-tips) or a cotton ball can be used carefully to wipe away accumulated wax, as long as care is taken not to push wax deeper down into the ear canal. Care needs to be taken when selecting and using ear drops: deafness is a possible consequence if the wrong drops are used, especially if your veterinarian has not examined the ear to rule out a ruptured eardrum.

Monitoring and Prognosis

Ear discharge can be easily monitored by regularly inspecting the ear. With the right treatment, most ear discharge can be fully resolved.

Conclusion

Pete Wedderburn / Cats.com

Ear discharge is not normal for a majority of cats, so if your cat has evidence of discharge, it’s important to identify the cause so that appropriate treatment can be given. In nearly all cases, it’s best to make contact with your veterinarian immediately if your cat has an ear discharge.