My cat has ear parasites. Are they ticks? How do I remove them?

Question

Hello, Our cat has a lot of these parasites on and next to his ears. They stationary - I haven't seen them move. Are these flees? Ticks? How should we remove them? Thank you! Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered

Debi Matlack · Accepted Answer

They do look like seed ticks to me. They need to be removed. Get a small jar and pour a half inch of so of isopropyl alcohol in the bottom. If you have a set of fine tweezers or forceps, grasp the tick next to the skin and pull, being careful not to pinch your cat. If your cat isn't cooperative, you can dap a bit of petroleum jelly on the tick, which will block their pores so they can't breathe then they will back out after a while. You can also bathe your cat in a good flea and tick shampoo labeled for use on cats (Adams works well). Trim his claws first for your own safety and put a drop of mineral oil or a tiny strip of a non-medicated eye ointment (Artificial Tears is a good one) to keep the shampoo from stinging his eyes. Apply the shampoo generously, work it into a thick lather and let it stay on for at least ten minutes. You may need to use your fingernails to gently scrape the ticks loose from the skin, then rinse him thoroughly, making sure to remove all the shampoo from his coat. Towel dry very well and if he will tolerate it, use a blow dryer to dry him completely, using the warm, not hot setting.

My cat has ear parasites. Are they ticks? How do I remove them?

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