My two cats have started shaking their heads recently. I used a spot on flea treatment a week ago but it doesn't seem to have worked. Any ideas? The vet receptionist said with ear mites there will be brown wax and it will look inflamed. They look fine apart from a bit of head shaking.
I don't want an unnecessary vet visit (they go into spasms if I try to squish them into their cat boxes) but I don't want them to be driven bonkers.
Any thoughts much appreciated?
KW
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
I don't think fleas go into ears, do they? Could it be a reaction to the flea product itself, I wonder, and not to any sort of insect?
Also, with no disrespect to your vet's receptionist, is she qualified to make a diagnosis, especially over the phone?
Sorry if this isn't very helpful, perhaps just observe for a day or two if they aren't TOO distressed, otherwise I'd recommend the cat boxes and a visit, I think 😀
Holistic
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
Generally with ear mites your cats will be scratching their ears also, and the ear mites look like tiny granules of coffee.
It is more than likely an allergic reaction to the flea treatment you've used on them. Most of the spot on treatments are toxic to animals, regardless of what vets may tell you. They contain chemicals that either the animal will be allergic to soon after application, or the chemicals will accumulate in their bodies, and possibly leading to illness in the long term.
If you are interested in a natural flea prevention product, feel free to contact me, as I have been making natural remedies for animals for 3 years now.
Rosi
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
I used a spot on flea treatment a week ago but it doesn't seem to have worked.
That suggests that your cats were shaking their heads BEFORE you used the flea treatment - were they?
If they were, the spot-on can't have been the cause (though it may not help - as Rosi says, most of these things are toxic), so it might well be ear mites, whichstart deep down in the ear, so brown wax and inflammation doesn't show immediately (also, most flea treatments don't kill ear mites).
Our three Maine Coons sometimes get grass seeds down their ears and that makes them shake their head - in serious cases, the seed may get lodged down there and may need to be removed under sedation but, fortunately, that's very rare.
And it's not always ears that make cats shake their heads; some teeth problems can make them do it too (usually accompanied by drooling), as can some nasal infections (usually accompanied by a discharge).
Like Holistic, I'd be inclined to observe for a while then get the cat boxes out if there's no improvement. [sm=sad2.gif]
Chris
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
Cover the cat carriers with a blanket before putting cats in,then put the cats in and cover the front over,leave them in a quiet area for a little while till they settle.Then visit your vet, ear mites will drive them up the pole and around the twist. Also it's unlikely with it being both cats at same time, but ear abscess's are very nasty things, best get them looked at without delay, it's your fur kid at the end of the day but would you leave a child to suffer ear or tooth irritation?
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
Thanks guys, this has been very helpful. Chris is correct, I put the flea tratment on as a response to the head shaking so it can't be a reaction.
I think a vet visit is imminent. The cats are OKish once I've got them into their boxes but it's the getting them in there that I struggle with. It makes me feel a bit ill at the thought of doing it. They don't enjoy being picked up so I can't slip them in without them noticing. It's a real battle to literally squish them in!
Maybe I' should use the vet's home visit service. It's an extra £25 but will be much less stressful for Kurt & Bernie.
KW
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
Hi Kittenwarrior,
If we leave our cat carriers open, but covered over with a towel, Pagan, Tarot and Shadow (the Maine Coons) will just go and lie in there, like it's a little cave! Then it's just a matter of quietly closing the door and putting them in the car...
Oh, yes, and it's also a matter of putting up with the plaintive meowing all the way to the vets!
Chris
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
Hi Chris
Hopefully not too far off topic, since it's about small dogs, but certainly so far as cages go, I've used them for years in the home and car as well as at shows, for the safety afforded as much as anything else.
I always kept at least one cage in the sitting room, propped open with an old flat iron mostly, and covered over with a throw or blanket. When I had a number of dogs they'd pile in on top of each other, they loved the 'little cave' as you put it! 
Certainly an idea worth trying by KittenWarrior. 
Holistic
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
I've had a cat with ear mites and they do shake their heads and paw at their ears and as yours both seem to be shaking their heads it is a highly possible answer. Have you had a look inside? Their ears will normally be completely clean, but with ear mites they will have a brown wax. You can try cleaning out their ears with ear mite drops and a cotton bud (or warm olive oil if you are happier, but it won't kill the mites). One vet I had actually gave my cat an injection specificially for ear mites, which were very bat, at the time it wasn't licensed for cats in the UK, so I don't know if it is yet common practise. It worked incredibly and certainly took the hassle out of applying drops, especially if you have a spiky cat!
Some on-spot flea treatments such as Stronghold also treat mites, but you will probably still have to clean their ears.
Hope all goes well.
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
Hi KittenWarrior,
Our cat recentlyhad the same problem, everytime we stroked him over the head and ears he'd then shake his head and his ears were really sensitive. We took him to the vet because he had fleas also (the stuff we bought from the shop didn't work). The vet gave us an anti-flea treatment that also works against ear-mites and worms (Stronghold). We bought a 6 month treatement, it did cost us, but it's preventative,he's protected against everything, the ear mites/fleas were gone in about 2 days and he's a muchhapper puddytat.Hope that helps.
Love and light
ShinyCat
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
Thank you all for your helpful tips.I took my two cats to the vets at the weekend and it turns out they haveminor ear infections.I now have to force drops into their ears - they will stop loving me soon!
Got them into their cat boxes with stress free technique that my friend showed me and all went well (until I saw the bill!)
Thanks all
KW