Cat Ear Mite Medicine, Ear Drops and Eye Care
Two rules before you buy anything on this page. Do not put anything into a cat's ear until you know why the ear is sore, because some ear drops cause deafness if the eardrum is damaged and you cannot see an eardrum from outside. And never put a steroid eye drop into a cat's eye unless a vet has looked at it first, because a steroid on an ulcerated cornea can cost the cat the eye. Everything below is written around those two rules, starting with the most common reason a cat's ear is black and itchy.
Ear Mites: What They Are and What Actually Kills Them
A black, dry, crumbly discharge like coffee grounds is ear mites until proved otherwise. The cat shakes its head, scratches the ears raw, and often has a scabby patch behind one ear from its own back foot. Ear mites are extremely common in kittens and street cats, and they pass between cats easily.
The best ear mite treatment for cats is not always a drop. This surprises people. The licensed modern treatments for ear mites in cats are selamectin and moxidectin, and both are spot ons you put on the skin at the back of the neck. They reach the mites through the bloodstream. There are also topical ear preparations that treat mites directly, and we stock those too.
Whichever you use, three things decide whether it works:
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Treat every cat and dog in the house, not just the itchy one. Ear mites move between animals and an untreated pet reinfects the treated one within weeks
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Clean the ear before you medicate it. A canal packed with debris means the medicine never reaches the skin. Use a proper ear cleaner, let the cat shake, then wipe the outer part only
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Finish the course. Mite eggs are not killed by most treatments, so the second and third doses are what stop the cycle. Stopping when the itching improves is why people treat the same cat four times a year
Ear mites are also not the only cause of a dirty ear. Yeast and bacterial infections look different to a vet and identical to an owner. If you have treated for mites and the ear is still bad, stop buying mite products and get it looked at.
How to Clean a Cat's Ear Safely
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Only if the ear is not painful. If the cat cries when you touch the ear base, stop and see a vet first
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Fill the canal with cleaner from the bottle, holding the ear flap up. Do not put the nozzle deep into the ear
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Massage the base of the ear for twenty or thirty seconds. You should hear a squelch. That is the cleaner breaking up the debris
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Let the cat shake its head. This is how the debris comes out. Do it somewhere you do not mind splattering
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Wipe the visible part only, with cotton wool. Never a cotton bud, and never down the canal. You push the debris onto the eardrum and pack it in harder
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Wait for the ear to dry before applying any medicated drop
Stop and see a vet if the ear smells strongly, is bleeding, is very painful, or if the cat has a head tilt, is circling or seems off balance. Those last three mean the problem is deeper than the bit you can see.
Medicine for Ear Mites in Cats: Reading the Label
| Type |
What it does |
What to know |
| Ear cleaners |
Lift wax and debris so medicine can work |
The most underused product in this whole category. Cleaning first is half the treatment |
| Miticidal ear drops |
Kill mites in the canal |
Need repeating to catch the eggs hatching |
| Spot ons with selamectin or moxidectin |
Treat ear mites through the skin, plus fleas |
The licensed modern option. In Fleas & Ticks for Cats
|
| Antibiotic ear drops |
Treat a bacterial infection on top of the mites |
Vet decision. Some antibiotics used in ears can damage hearing if the eardrum is torn |
| Antifungal ear drops |
Treat yeast, which is common in a chronically damp ear |
Vet decision, after looking in the ear |
| Steroid-containing drops |
Reduce swelling in a very inflamed canal |
Vet decision only. Wrong ear, wrong outcome |
Why "just get something for the ear" is bad advice. The wrong drop in an ear with a ruptured eardrum can cause permanent deafness or balance problems. A vet looks down the canal with an otoscope, which takes a minute, and that one look decides which of the six rows above your cat needs.
The Best Medicine for a Cat Ear Infection Is the One That Matches the Infection
There is no single best medicine for cat ear infection, and any page that names one is guessing. An ear infection in a cat is usually secondary. Something started it, most often mites in a young cat, and the yeast or bacteria moved in afterwards. Treat the infection and miss the cause and it comes straight back.
Recurring ear problems in an adult cat with no mites point at allergy, a polyp in the ear canal, or a foreign body. Those need investigating rather than another bottle.
Kitten Eye Infection Drops, and the Mistake That Costs Eyes
A kitten with gummy, weeping or stuck-together eyes almost always has cat flu, usually feline herpesvirus. It is the single most common eye problem in kittens and it is why street kittens so often have one bad eye.
Here is the part that matters more than anything else on this page. Feline herpesvirus causes ulcers on the surface of the eye. A steroid eye drop on an ulcerated eye is genuinely dangerous. Steroids stop the surface healing and can turn a small ulcer into a melting one, and in cats they can also reactivate the herpesvirus itself. Many human eye drops, and some pet ones, contain a steroid, and you cannot tell from the outside of the box in a hurry.
You also cannot tell whether there is an ulcer by looking. A vet puts a drop of orange stain in the eye and it lights up any damaged surface in seconds. That test costs almost nothing and it is the whole reason to go.
So the rule is simple. Lubricating and cleaning products are safe to use at home. Anything medicated goes in after a vet has looked.
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Safe at home: wiping discharge away with cotton wool and warm water, using a fresh piece for each eye, and plain lubricating or tear-replacement drops
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Vet first: anything with an antibiotic, a steroid or an anti-inflammatory in it
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Never: a human eye drop from your own cupboard, or the drops left over from another pet's eye
Get to a vet the same day if the eye is held shut, looks cloudy or blue, is bulging, has a visible dent or spot on its surface, or if the cat is pawing at it. Eyes go bad quickly and they do not recover once the damage is done. Kittens with cat flu also need the rest of it treated, which is in Respiratory Care for Cats.
Everyday Eye Care
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Clean discharge daily with cotton wool and warm water. Fresh piece per eye, wipe from the inner corner outwards
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Tear staining is a cosmetic problem in most cats but a wet face all the time is not normal. Persistent watering means a blocked tear duct or an irritated eye
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Flat-faced cats need daily attention. Persians and their relatives have shallow eye sockets and squashed tear ducts, so they water constantly and are far more prone to ulcers
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Dry eye is under-diagnosed in cats. A dull, sticky eye with thick discharge that keeps coming back may not be an infection at all. There are specific treatments for it and they are not antibiotics
Cat Ear Protection, Ear Muffs and Ear Plugs
Being straight with you: cat ear muffs and cat ear plugs are not a veterinary product and we do not sell them. Written as one word or two, cat earmuffs are not a thing you can buy for a cat's health, and most people searching for a cat with earmuffs are looking for a photograph. We would rather say so than pretend we have something for you.
There is one real thing behind the search, though, and it is worth knowing. Protecting a cat's ears during a bath is genuine practice. Water in the ear canal is a common trigger for the yeast infections that turn into chronic ear problems.
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Put a small ball of cotton wool loosely at the entrance to each ear before you bath the cat, and take it out straight afterwards. Not pushed in, just sitting at the opening
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Tip the head slightly downwards when you rinse, so water runs away from the ears rather than into them
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Dry the ear flaps and the folds properly afterwards
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Do not use a hairdryer near a cat's ears, and never on hot
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If your cat is frightened by noise, the answer is a quiet dark hiding place, not ear protection. Cats cope with fireworks by hiding, and taking that option away makes it worse
At a Glance
| What is here |
Ear cleaners, ear drops for mites, bacteria and yeast, eye drops, lubricating and tear replacement drops, eye ointments and eye supplements |
| What is not here |
Ear muffs, ear plugs and noise protection. These are not veterinary products |
| Prescription |
Required for antibiotic, antifungal and steroid preparations. We are a licensed veterinary pharmacy and we will ask |
| Brands |
Virbac, Vivaldis, Entod, Sava Vet, Corise, Veko, Natural Remedies, Beaphar |
| Price range |
₹30 to ₹1,041 |
| Advice |
Free. Call any branch. Parel is open 24 hours |
Related: Fleas & Ticks for Cats · Respiratory Care for Cats · Medicated Shampoo for Cats · Wound & Pain Relief for Cats · Veterinary Diets for Cats
What This Costs
Prices shown are what you pay on the site today.
| Type |
Roughly |
| Ear cleaners |
₹130 to ₹420 |
| Ear drops |
₹75 to ₹366 |
| Large ear preparations |
up to ₹1,041 |
| Eye drops |
₹30 to ₹333 |
| Eye ointments and gels |
₹243 to ₹270 |
Buy the cleaner even if you are buying drops. It is the cheapest thing here and it is the one that decides whether the expensive thing works.
Buy Cat Ear and Eye Care in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai
Bring the prescription or send us a photo of it. Order online for free delivery above ₹499 in Mumbai and same-day delivery across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
Looking for Something We Do Not Stock?
Ask us and we will arrange it.
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WhatsApp +91 90044 85093 with what your vet has prescribed and your cat's age
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Email bark@animeal.in
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Call any branch. Parel is on +91 90041 57093, 24 hours
We will confirm availability and price before you commit. If you ask us for a medicated eye or ear drop without a diagnosis, we will ask you to see a vet first. That is not us being awkward. It is the one category where guessing costs an eye or an ear.
Go to a Vet Now
- An eye held shut, or a cat pawing at its eye
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A cloudy, blue or bulging eye, or a visible dent or white spot on the surface
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A head tilt, circling, or a wobbly walk. This is inner ear or worse
- An ear that smells foul, bleeds, or is too painful to touch
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A kitten with eyelids stuck shut. Infection can build up behind them and damage the eye. Do not force them open
- Sudden blindness, or a cat bumping into things
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Any eye problem in a flat-faced cat, which has far less margin than an ordinary cat
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An eye or ear that has not improved in 48 hours of whatever you were told to use
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cat ear mite medicine?
For most cats, a spot on containing selamectin or moxidectin, because those are the licensed modern treatments for ear mites and they also cover fleas. Topical ear preparations that kill mites in the canal are the alternative. Whichever you use, clean the ear first, treat every animal in the house, and finish the course, because mite eggs survive the first dose.
What is the best ear mite treatment for cats if I have several cats?
A spot on for every cat on the same day. Ear mites move between animals easily, so treating only the itchy one guarantees it comes back. Dogs in the house need treating too.
How do I know it is ear mites and not an infection?
You often cannot, which is the honest answer. Mites classically give a dry black crumbly discharge like coffee grounds, while yeast tends to be brown and greasy and smells. A vet can tell in a minute by looking at a swab. If a mite treatment has not worked, stop repeating it and get the ear examined.
What is the best medicine for a cat ear infection?
Whichever one matches what is actually growing in the ear, which is why there is no single answer. Ear infections in cats are usually secondary to something else, most often mites in a young cat, so treating the infection without finding the cause means it returns. The wrong drop can also damage hearing if the eardrum is torn, and only a vet can see that.
Can I use human ear drops on my cat?
No. Human ear drops are formulated for a human ear canal, many contain a steroid, and some contain antibiotics that can damage hearing if a cat's eardrum is damaged. You cannot see a cat's eardrum without an otoscope.
What are the best kitten eye infection drops?
The ones a vet chooses after looking at the eye. A kitten with gummy eyes almost always has cat flu, usually feline herpesvirus, which causes ulcers on the eye surface. A steroid eye drop on an ulcer stops it healing and can make it much worse, and in cats steroids can reactivate the herpesvirus. Cleaning with warm water and plain lubricating drops are safe at home. Anything medicated is not.
Can I use my own eye drops on my cat?
No. Many human eye drops contain steroids or decongestants, and neither belongs in a cat's eye without a diagnosis. Leftover drops from another pet are no safer.
Do you sell cat ear muffs or cat ear plugs?
No, and neither does anyone as a veterinary product. If you are trying to keep water out during a bath, put a loose ball of cotton wool at the entrance to each ear and remove it straight afterwards. If your cat is frightened by loud noise, give it a quiet dark place to hide rather than trying to cover its ears.
How often should I clean my cat's ears?
A healthy cat ear needs almost no help. Cats are very good at it. Clean only when there is visible debris, when a vet has told you to, or before applying a medicated drop. Over-cleaning a healthy ear causes the irritation you are trying to avoid.
My cat's ear is itchy but looks clean. What now?
Look further out. Itchy ears with little discharge often mean skin allergy rather than an ear problem, and in a cat the ears are frequently the first place allergy shows. Scratching at the ears is also how a cat with mange behaves.
Can you order an ear or eye medicine you do not have in stock?
Yes. WhatsApp +91 90044 85093 with the prescription and your cat's age and weight. We will confirm price and timing before you commit.
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