What is going on with my cats earwax?

Question

My husband and I adopted a cat from the SPCA a few weeks ago. It was a little sick from colds it caught from other kitties there, but we took it to the vet and now all of that is cleared up. However, when we first got him, he had a lot of wax in his ears (brown color). I cleaned it out the best I could and the next day when I took him to the vet, there was already a little more there. The vet noticed his ears were a little dirty but claimed it was not ear mites. However, I have cleaned his ears out every two to three days since we have had him- thats how much wax he has!!! Isn't that a little abnormal??? I have never owned a cat before, so I'm not sure. Could the vet be wrong? His ear doesn't stink, it just gets dirty. Let me know if you have had a similar experince with your cat- what it was, and how to treat it. Thanks!

Answer 1

No, that's not normal. I would get a 2nd opinion on the ear mites. Or ask to have them treated anyway, it wont hurt if he doesn't have them.

Answer 2

Three cheers for getting a rescue cat!!

There is a definite difference  between normal ear wax, or drainage, and ear mites.  Ear wax is usually a brown color but can vary from an almost oily consistency to a firm wax, either way they are a moist drainage from the ear.  

The material that is from ear mites is usually a dryer consistence.  It can appear sort of flaky at times.  Material from ear mites can practically pack the entire ear canal if not treated, or it may be a slight case with only some debris.  In either case treatment with an ear miticide is necessary.  

Good Luck!

Answer 3

One of my rescue cats had a dirty ear also. Now after cleaning it out every week for 2 years, it finally is ok now. It is really normal, a lot of cats have this problem, just stick with it and sooner or later it will be clean. I used q-tips and a ear cleaning solution from the vet to clean the ear. Good luck, hope this helps.

Also, my cat was checked by the vet and I got a second opinion and it wasn't ear mites. Please do not treat the ear for something it doesn't have.