My cat's ear is red and he's shaking his head. Should I see a vet?

Question

My cats ear is red inside and he’s constantly shaking his head. It looks like there’s possibility drainage Must he be seen by a vet or are there over counter ear drops? Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | unneutered | 9 months and 29 days old | 10 lbs

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA · Accepted Answer

The picture is a little fuzzy on my end, but the ear itself looks a little puffy. If Arnold shook his head/ears so much he may have busted a small blood vessel in the ear and there could be blood trapped under the skin (called an aural hematoma). These can be very painful and often need treatment. Ear mites and ear infections are common causes of head-shaking like this. I would recommend that Arnold see a vet to diagnose the cause of the head-shaking and to see if there is a hematoma that also needs treatment.

My cat's ear is red and he's shaking his head. Should I see a vet?

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