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Why is my cat growling, licking, and acting drugged after ear meds?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 7 years and 2 months old | 12.5 lbs

Caspian is a 7yr old orange tabby/white mix cat. I adopted him 2 weeks ago. I noticed a weird behavior about an hour ago. He was upset & growling for seemingly no reason. He is a really happy cat that purrs almost 24/7, so this behavior felt very weird to me. I added an attachment of the symptoms I noticed. He gets upset or kind of docile (like on a drug) & then will excessively lick his crotch region. I'm concerned for his health. We've been giving him medicine for ear mites over the past week.

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

Veterinarian

Published on August 27th, 2018

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thank you for the cute picture and also the detailed list of his symptoms. There are a few of possibilities here. Sometime urinary tract issues or urinary blockages in males can cause discomfort and excessive licking near his private area. Seizure activity due to a metabolic condition or underlying neurological disorder could be another possibility. Sometimes animals that have focal or partial seizures can elicit sudden odd behaviors like the behaviors Caspian is experiencing. I would recommend Caspian see his veterinarian very soon for the exam and evaluation. Your veterinarian will do a physical exam and may recommend taking blood work and urine to help determine a cause so he can receive the most appropriate treatment. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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    Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hello. The first thing to do is to stop the ear mite medication as this may be causing his symptoms. If he does not correct this behavior within a day or so, I would encourage you to see your veterinarian. This could be seizure-like activity, or it could be something we call Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome. Hopefully, Caspian will be back to normal soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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