Are your cat’s ears hot? I did a ton of research into what veterinarians and feline health experts know about why this happens after noticing the same thing about my cat. While hot ears aren’t always reasons for worry, they can tell you a lot about your cat’s state at any given moment. Read on if you want to know what’s going on with your cat’s ears.
Here’s Why Your Cat’s Ears Might Be Hot
Congratulate yourself for being an attentive, caring cat owner if you’ve noticed that your cat is running hot around the ears. Most cat owners never pick up on the nuances of feline ear temperature.
Several things could be causing your cat’s hot ears. Some have to do with basic feline biology. Some could even be cause for concern. Let’s investigate.
Your Cat Has a Fever
I’m listing this one first because it’s the most urgent. A fever will sometimes cause noticeably hot ears in cats.
According to Carolina Veterinary Specialists, a cat’s normal body temperature ranges from 100.4 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything above 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit is considered a fever.
Feline fevers can generally be managed at home. However, you’ll want to take your cat to the veterinarian if her temperature rises above 106 degrees Fahrenheit because this is the dangerous zone where high fevers can cause damage to vital organs.
You should also consider seeing a vet if a fever lasts for more than 24 hours to rule out an acute issue. Don’t let a fever linger for more than a few days before definitely talking to your veterinarian.
Of course, this leads to the question of how to take your cat’s temperature. The vets at Carolina Veterinary Specialists say that using either a digital thermometer aimed at the ear or pediatric rectal thermometer will create the most accurate reading. Avoid thermometers containing mercury. Applying a little bit of Vaseline to the thermometer first is recommended.
According to Veterinary Emergency Group, some telltale signs that your cat is sick that may accompany a fever include:
- Lethargy.
- Hiding.
- Loss of appetite and thirst.
- Shivering.
- Rapid breathing.
- Loss of grooming habits.
Fevers in cats can be caused by both viral and bacterial infections. In addition to getting the common cold, cats can also experience fevers caused by everything from urinary tract infections (UTIs) to infected wounds. While a visit to a vet will be necessary if the situation looks serious, there are some simple things you can do to make your cat more comfortable at home if you suspect she has common cold symptoms.
“While your cat is sick, it would be beneficial to increase the humidity in your house by keeping a humidifier or vaporizer running,” shares St. Francis Veterinary Clinic. The clinic also shares that the best way to soothe a cat’s runny nose is to clean it with a damp cloth or cotton ball soaked in warm water.
An Ear Infection Is Brewing
While many people associate ear infections with human children, cats, and kittens are also somewhat susceptible to ear infections. If you’ve ever had an ear infection yourself, you know just how painful they can be.
An ear infection can indirectly heat up your cat’s ears. While a cat’s ear may feel painfully inflamed to the cat, infected ears don’t necessarily feel any hotter than healthy ears to the touch. However, the “heat” you’re feeling coming off of your cat’s ears could be caused by the fact that she is making her ears warmer by constantly pawing at them in response to the pain.
You can sometimes spot ear infections in cats just by gazing at their ears. A healthy cat ear will look lively and pink. It will be free of debris, odor, or excessive wax. An infected ear will often be red, swollen, and smelly.
There are many causes of ear infections. In some cases, yeast builds up in a cat’s ear. If it’s determined that yeast is the cause of your cat’s ear infection, consider gently cleaning the inside of your cat’s ears with a cloth more frequently.
If your cat has a bacterial infection in the ear, your veterinarian will need to prescribe antibiotics for recovery.
One rare cause of ear infections in cats is a foreign object. Cats that spend time outdoors can sometimes get grass and organic debris stuck in their ears. If you have children in the home, it’s also possible that a toy or household item has been lodged into the cat’s ear. Cats with foreign objects stuck in their ears will often agitatedly shake their heads, paw at their ears, or hide from humans.
What are the signs of ear infections in cats? According to Veterinary Specialist Center Tucson, these are the signs to look for:
- Yellow or black discharge.
- Constant head tilting.
- Constant head shaking.
- Constant pawing at the ear.
- Dark, thick ear discharge that resembles coffee grounds.
- Hearing loss that causes your cat to stop responding to voices and sounds.
- Swelling or redness in the ear canal.
- A strong odor coming from the ear.
- Thick, waxy buildup.
- Disoriented behaviors.
- Loss of balance, unsteadiness, or wobbliness.
- Swelling or redness along the ear flap.
When left untreated, an ear infection can lead to deafness in cats. It’s important to see your vet to make sure that the root of the infection is being treated. Medicated ear drops can often help to clear up ear infections pretty quickly.
Allergies
Your cat’s hot ears might be caused by an allergic reaction. It’s not uncommon for cats to react to mold and dust in a home. In addition, pollen and grass cuttings in the spring and summer can also trigger allergic reactions in cats.
It’s also possible that your cat ate something that caused an allergic reaction while you weren’t looking. Hot ears that are caused by allergies will generally be accompanied by sneezing, watery eyes, and noticeable signs of “itching.”
Your cat’s allergic reaction could also be caused by bug and flea bites.
Allergies can be tough to pin down with cats. It’s recommended that you take your cat to the vet to be tested for specific allergens. If allergies are confirmed, your vet will be able to prescribe special antihistamines for pets.
She Just Runs Hot
It’s possible that your cat’s ears are hot because she simply runs hot. We’ve all known people who wear shorts and sandals in the summer because they run a little hotter than average. It’s actually the same with cats.
With a cat’s base body temperature spanning from 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, cats in the same household may feel noticeably different to the touch. Make sure you’re comparing your cat’s body temperature to the average range for cat body temperature instead of getting caught up on how hot she feels compared to another cat. It’s possible that you simply never noticed just how warm your cat’s ears feel on any given day before.
She’s Regulating Her Body Temperature
This next explanation for why your cat’s ears feel hot is actually pretty cool. Did you know that cats use their ears to balance their body temperature?
It’s easy to get caught up on how adorable a cat’s ears are. However, ears do more than just sit pretty.
You might notice that your cat’s ears feel a little hotter on hotter days. If you have an outdoor cat, you may also notice that her ears feel like little furnaces that are all revved up when she steps inside from the heat. It’s not an accident.
“When temperatures plunge, vasoconstriction works in the opposite manner, to conserve body heat,” according to information shared by MetLife Pet Insurance.
A cat’s ears are covered in a network of veins that help to regulate body temperature. In colder conditions, these veins tighten as a way to retain heat. On hot days, they dilate to release heat from the body.
Cats use a cycle of constriction and dilation to naturally regulate their body temperature. If you’re noticing hotter ears on your cat, she may simply be balancing her temperature by releasing body heat from her ears.
You’re also likely to notice that hot ears are accompanied by a hot nose!
While you’re probably reading this because you’re concerned by the fact that your cat’s ears are hot, the truth is that “cold” ears aren’t necessarily the default. If your cat’s ears are normally a little icy, this is a sign that your cat is in a constant state of conserving body heat.
Do your cat’s ears constantly feel like little ice chips? She might appreciate a blanket, heated cat bed, or slight change in thermostat that makes your home just a pinch warmer.
When Is It Time to Worry About Your Cat Overheating?
While cats have elegant and complex mechanisms for regulating their body temperature, they are still vulnerable to overheating.
“Without adequate ways to cool down, cats can get too hot, and can suffer from heat exhaustion or even heatstroke (which can be fatal) during hot weather,” according to BondVet. Longhair cats, older cats, overweight cats, and short-nose breeds all have elevated risks for overheating.
If your cat’s hot-to-the-touch ears are accompanied by a slowdown in activity, this may be your cat’s attempt to reduce her body temperature because she’s overheating. If left unchecked, being overheated could lead to a fatal condition called heatstroke. Symptoms of heatstroke include glazed eyes, rapid heart rate, breathing troubles, unsteady walking, red gums and tongue, vomiting, and collapsing.
There is also one telltale sign that things have gotten too hot to handle for your cat. Are your cat’s hot ears accompanied by panting? Unlike dogs, cats don’t typically pant under normal conditions. Panting should be considered a sign of distress.
One of the easiest ways to determine if your cat could be overheating is to simply stop to “feel things out.” If your house feels too hot for you, it’s definitely too hot for your cat. Cooling your home is often enough to stop your cat from overheating. If heatstroke has already kicked in, a call to your veterinarian will be necessary.
Mites
Yes, dreaded ear mites could be responsible for your cat’s hot ears. Of course, a little extra heat is the least of your cat’s worries if she has mites. Mites can be torturous for cats.
“Ear problems in general are uncommon in cats, but among the afflictions that do occur, ear-mite infestation is frequently diagnosed,” according to the Cornell Feline Health Center.
Also known as Otodectes cynotism, ear mites are crawling critters that like to enter a cat’s ear to make a home for breeding. These miniscule, incessant parasites can cause major problems for cats if they aren’t removed as quickly as possible.
Ear mites don’t usually begin their assault in the ear. Most simply hitchhike to the warm, secluded ear that is perfect for breeding after crawling along a cat’s belly or backside. During grooming, a cat will lick up the nearly invisible mite with its tongue before swallowing it. Once in the body, the mite will make its way to the ear undisturbed.
You didn’t do anything wrong if you failed to notice mites on your cat. Each mite is about the size of a pin’s head. However, you can sometimes see their bodies with the naked eye when looking closely.
One of the worst things about mites is how contagious they are. While they don’t fly, they will crawl from cat to cat with ease.
There’s a chance that your cat’s hot ears could be caused by mite activity if you’re also noticing these accompanying signs and behaviors in your cat:
- Your cat is using her paw to hold her ears against her head.
- Your cat is incessantly scratching her ears.
- Frequent head shaking.
- A dark, gooey accumulation of wax in the ear canal.
- A foul smell coming from the ear canal.
An ear mite infestation in your cat requires veterinary care. In addition to driving your cat batty, ear bites can also cause your cat to scratch her ears and face to the point of infection. Seeking veterinary care can also protect your cat against a serious mite-related ear disease called otitis externa that can affect hearing and balance if left untreated.
When you bring your cat to the vet for ear mites, the doctor will look into the depths of your cat’s ears using an otoscope. If your cat is in too much pain for an examination, a swab can sometimes be used to collect ear debris samples for a microscopic examination. In addition, your veterinarian will be able to provide a thorough cleaning that removes mite debris before prescribing a topical or oral medication.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Ignore Hot Ears on Your Cats
It’s amazing that ears can provide such a window into a cat’s health! The big takeaway is that you should take your cat’s temperature if her ears feel hot to you. Assume that some type of infection or health issue is responsible if the reading comes back higher than 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. If your cat’s temperature looks normal, closely monitor with an understanding that she may simply be regulating her internal body temperature at the moment by emitting heat.
Brian is a proud cat parent and animal enthusiast who lives in the Northwestern United States with two cats. In his spare time, Brian likes traveling around with his pets, exploring new places, and writing. Sharing what he learned over the years of cat ownership brings him joy, and the cats teach him something new every day.