# Can I Use Dog Ear Mite Medicine on a Cat?



## Freeholder

I have a kitten who has probably got ear mites, and I have some ear mite medicine left over from the last time I had to treat one of my dogs. We won't be in town again for a couple of days, and if this stuff is safe to use on a cat, I'd rather not make her wait, as her ear seems to be bothering her a bit. But the instructions on the bottle say it's for dogs ONLY. So I thought maybe someone here could help me figure this out. 

Active ingredients are .05% pyrethrins and .5% piperonyl butoxide, technical (equivalent to .4%, it says). Would it be safe for a kitten if it was diluted?

Thanks!

Kathleen


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## GoldenMom

How old is the kitten? Most ear mite medicines can't be used in kittens under 12 weeks.

That medicine *should* be safe for a cat.

If you can't use it because the kitten is too young or you don't want to use it because it's only labeled for dogs-clean the kitty's ears out (with ear cleaner if you have it or use hydrogen peroxide) and put a couple of drops of mineral oil in the ears every day.


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## Freeholder

She's three and a half months old, so should be old enough? We are more or less snowed in (until I get the driveway shoveled!), so I couldn't get to town to get anything different right now even if I wanted to. Not sure we have any mineral oil -- Grandma thought a little vegetable oil might work. We'll see if Silver will even let me mess with her ears!

Kathleen


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## GoldenMom

3.5 months is just old enough. Vegetable should work too-I might put that in twice a day because I think it's a bit thinner than mineral oil. You're looking to smother the little buggers.


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## Freeholder

Thank you, Sarah! This kitten is my baby, so I want to take good care of her. She started out wild, which is probably where she picked up ear mites. None of our other animals have them right now.

Kathleen


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