Could my kitten have ear mites, bad breath, and swollen gums?

Question

My kitten has swollen red gums and they are also black. His breath smells horrible like he has an infection. He has white patches in his mouth that might be abscesses. He also has patches of hair missing and when I clean his ears the stuff that comes out look like coffee grains. Could he have ear mites? I've only had him for two weeks. He was a stray when I brought him in. Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | unneutered | 5 months old | 5 lbs

Ann Dion, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Coffee grain type material from the ears is usually associated with ear mites. These can be treated with any broad-spectrum deworm/deflea product, please ensure it is designed for cats. Redness on the gums that you are displaying could be a sign that this cat could have a condition where the immune system attacks the teeth, and the gums become red as bystander damage and inflammation. The treatment is to remove the teeth. The other option is that Leo could just have very bad dental disease. Both of these are consistent with bright red gums and bad smelling mouth. Both are also very painful and uncomfortable. I recommend you have Leo seen by a vet in order to assess the teeth and make a plan for either removal or cleaning. Best of luck with Leo!

Could my kitten have ear mites, bad breath, and swollen gums?

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