Scabs on My Cat's Ears



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Scabby and crusty ears on cats are relatively common, especially in feral felines. Being an extremity, they are more vulnerable to their environment and the dangers within it. These dangers include attacks from other animals, abrasions from foliage, opportunistic parasites and even the elements. While these risks are generally reduced in domestic felines living with a human family, many of our beloved cats can develop dry skin and scabs on their ears. Some of these may be due to environmental causes, but pathogenic causes are also a significant problem. This is a problem which is directly influenced by the level of care we provide.
At AnimalWised, we discover the causes and treatment of scabs on my cat's ears. We look at what sort of prognosis we can expect with each, as well as what we can do to best keep our feline's ears safe.
Mange
Mange is a parasitic disease caused by microscopic mites. Certain areas of the body are more prone to the lesions caused by the disease and the cat's ears are one of them. These mites are often present on the skin of healthy felines without resulting in symptoms. Either due to sensitivities in the individual cat or proliferation of the mites for various reasons, the infestation reaches a point where mange develops.
The mites which cause mange in cats bury themselves into the skin of the animal's ears. In doing so, they cause skin flaking and small lesions. As the infestation develops, these lesions can break the skin and result in scabbing. When this happens, we usually see the cat ear has lots of dry skin and scabs. The animal is also now more vulnerable to secondary infection, due to both lesions exposed to bacteria and a weakened immune system.
There are different species of mites capable of parasitizing the skin of felines, each of which produces a different type of cat mange:
- Sarcoptic mange: caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei . It is characterized by intense itching, redness and crusting of the skin.
- Otodectic mange: caused by the mite Otodectes cynotis, which parasitizes the ear canal resulting in dark earwax, itching, irritation and crusty lesions in the ears.
- Notoedric mange: caused by the mite Notoedres cati, which causes crusty lesions on the head and neck, although almost always starting with the ears. Check out our related article to learn more about notoderic mange in cats.
- Demodectic mange: caused by Demodex cati and Demodex gatoi. This is a less common type of mange in cats, although it should also be considered during a differential diagnosis, especially if we observe alopecia and scabs on the head, ears and neck.
Treatment of mange in cats
Scabies is a parasitic disease, meaning it should be treated with antiparasitic drugs such as macrocyclic lactones (selamectin, ivermectin, moxidectin, etc.) or isoxazolines (such as fluralaner). In addition, it is advisable to complement this systemic treatment with a topical treatment that includes anti-seborrheic shampoos and acaricidal baths. Discover more about the uses and dosage of ivermectin for cats.
In addition to treating the individual, infected cats should be isolated from other pets to avoid contagion. Accessories and common areas need to be disinfected and any animal that has been in contact with the infected individual should also be treated preventively.

Ringworm
Known scientifically as dermatophytosis, ringworm in cats may sound like another type of parasitic infestation. It is actually a fungal disease which leaves a characteristic ringed lesion on the skin of the animal. It is this lesion from which the common name is derived.
Ringworm fungal infections will often result in alopecia, but only once the infection has progressed sufficiently. The characteristic lesions are often not visible until the hair has fallen out and the skin exposed. In addition to the ringed lesion, we can see crusty skin, redness and scabs. The tips of the cat's ears are one of the areas most commonly affected by ringworm.
Discover more reasons for localized alopecia with our article on why my cat has patches of hair missing.
Treatment of ringworm in cats
In healthy cats which are generally immunocompetent, ringworm may resolve without treatment. If diagnosed by a veterinarian, the cat may be prescribed antifungal drugs such as ketoconazole or itraconazole for cats to expedite recovery. In addition to oral treatment, topical treatment with antifungal shampoos should be used to disinfect the hair. Infected individuals should be isolated from other pets until complete clinical recovery has been achieved.

Physical trauma
Trauma is another common cause of a cat having scabs on their ears. These can differ from the previous skin lesions because they do not tend to have a lot of scaling. The nature of the scabs will depend on the nature of the trauma. For example, the cat has scraped themselves against a rough surface, we might see multiple small scabs. However, if they have a bite wound from another animal, we may observe larger lesions of a smaller number.
Cats with access to the outdoors are more likely to receive trauma which results in scabs on their ears. This is because they are more exposed to the dangers of the outside environment. Especially since they are so territorial, cats may fight with other felines in the neighborhood. This is especially common in feral cats since there is a greater competition over resources. Dangers such as traffic or falls from heights can also lead to physical trauma.
Treatment of ear trauma in cats
In these cases, it is important to carefully clean and disinfect any wounds to promote healing and prevent secondary bacterial infection. To do so, follow these steps:
- Clean the wound: do so with gauze soaked in saline solution, trying carefully not to remove the scabs since they are a natural part of the healing process.
- Disinfect the area: soak a clean gauze with diluted betadine (10%) or chlorhexidine (40%) and repeat the same process to disinfect the wound.
It is recommended that you clean the wounds a couple of times a day at the beginning. Do so until you observe that they are completely closed and that there are no signs of infection.
Pemphigus foliaceus
Another disease that often causes scabs to appear on the ears is pemphigus foliaceus. This is an autoimmune skin disease in which the lack of adhesion in the superficial epidermis produces lesions on the skin. These can result in pustules and scabs on the ears and other areas, such as the face and paw pads.
The lesions are inflamed due to the response of the immune system, something which usually produces itching. The level of itching varies according to each individual case, but when it appears, it usually leads to the formation of secondary lesions. This is because the cat keeps scratching their ears with sharp claws to relieve the discomfort, often introducing bacteria which leads to infection.
Treatment of pemphigus foliaceus in cats
Most cats suffering from this autoimmune disease usually require long-term treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. These are usually in the form of glucocorticoids. In addition, topical application with medicated ointment can improve focal lesions of pemphigus foliaceus.
You can learn more about the signs and treatment of this autoimmune skin disease in cats with our related guide.

Allergies
When scabs appear on a cat's ear, another differential diagnosis that we must take into account is the possibility of an allergic reaction. Whether due to food allergies, environmental allergies, contact dermatitis or hypersensitivity to insect bites (such as fleas), inflamed skin on and around the ear is a common clinical sign of a reaction.
All these allergic processes usually cause skin irritation and intense itching. As a result of scratching, wounds and scabs often appear in the affected areas.
Treatment of allergies in cats
The treatment of a allergic processes in cats will depend on the severity. Antihistamines may be used to help quell the body's allergen response. In more severe cases, the administration of potent immunotherapy drugs such as glucocorticoids may be used. This helps to reduce the skin discomfort caused by inflammation. Depending on the case, the administration of specific immunotherapy drugs or changing to a hypoallergenic diet may be implemented.
We share the different types of antihistamine drugs for cats in our related article.

Malignant tumors (cancer)
Although less likely, the appearance of scabs on the ears could also be due to the development of a skin tumor. These can be benign, but even benign neoplasms can cause irritation which leads to scratching of the ears and subsequent scabs. More concerning is the presence of cancerous skin tumors such as squamous cell carcinoma in cats.
Squamous cell carcinoma is a malignant tumor that can present in various forms, one of which is the appearance of a superficial crusty lesion. Ear lesions from the tumor usually evolve over time. The tips of the ears become thickened and folded, with later erosions and ulcers appearing.
Treatment of ear tumors in cats
Surgery is considered the treatment of choice for squamous cell carcinoma, although in many cases it is usually combined with other therapies. These can include radiotherapy, chemotherapy and cryotherapy, as well as the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Treatment will depend on the prognosis as advised by a qualified veterinarian.
As you can see, there are many different causes of scabs on a cat's ears, so it is necessary to go to a veterinary center for diagnosis. We share a video below looking at the efficacy of treating scabs with home remedies:

This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to Scabs on My Cat's Ears, we recommend you visit our Skin problems category.