My cat has scabby bumps on his ears - advice?

[Hilary Dilary]

Hi ~ My cat is having an allergic reaction to something in the summer months. It isn't a flea allergy. He eats raw meat and certain meats (beef & pheasant) make it worse. He gets bumps, which scab over, also bloody spots on the tips of his ears (looks like something is eating them!) I've been to 4 vets; last year one found what she thought were lice, so I gave him the drug ivermectin, which did the trick last September. It didn't work this year in late May (when it started again). The last vet (Dr. long) couldn't find anything - he recommended Revolution, as it appears to be an allergic reaction to a parasite. I put off giving him the Revolution , as I like to use drugs as a last resort, preferring herbs and supplements. But it just wouldn't clear, so I gave it to him and it helped, but he's still getting lesions on his ears, particularly the tips.
If anyone has experienced such a thing and has luck in curing it - or has any insight - I'd so appreciate hearing from you!
Many thanks,
Hilary

[Barbara]

Hilary, it has been suggested by my well respected veterinarian (not in Sonoma County) that your cat may have poor circulation in the ear tips caused by diabetes. Have any of the 4 veterinarians you have visited tested for diabetes? She wonders why any vet would suggest Revolution, etc for this condition when mites can be seen and would not treat them anyway???

[Moon]

You can consult a vet at Tuft's Feline Medicine; TU's #: (508) 668-5454.


Hi ~ My cat is having an allergic reaction to something in the summer months. It isn't a flea allergy. He eats raw meat and certain meats (beef & pheasant) make it worse. He gets bumps, which scab over, also bloody spots on the tips of his ears (looks like something is eating them!) I've been to 4 vets; last year one found what she thought were lice, so I gave him the drug ivermectin, which did the trick last September. But it just wouldn't clear, so I gave it to him and it helped, but he's still getting lesions on his ears, particularly the tips.
If anyone has experienced such a thing and has luck in curing it - or has any insight - I'd so appreciate hearing from you!
Many thanks,
Hilary

[dcwil86]

Hi Hilary...
:idea: If you cat is white or has white ears it could be his ears are sunburned and may have cancer if it doesn't heal...you can put zink oxcide ointment on them to protect them in the sun but you might want to have the vet take a look.
Connie

[Cat Swan]

Wow, I just wrote you a long letter and it disappeared when I tried to edit it.

In a nutshell:

Your cat probably has Chiggers. The only permanet cure is to break the life cycle of the chigger, which is dependent on living part-time in a bush, and part-time on the host animal's ears.

I have one cat that loves to nap under a chigger bush. I don't know which bush it is, but the other cats don't sleep there and don't have chiggers.

So, keep you cat indoors during the warm weather months, or move to a new location, or do the tempoary alternative: Drench his ears in garlic olive oil, or some other oil to drown and discourage the tiny blood-suckers.

Good luck!
-Cathy