My cat's ear is warm and he has liquid diarrhea. What's going on?

It sounds like your cat may be dealing with an ear infection. Ear infections can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, or a combination of these, and can be associated with dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. Your cat needs to see a vet. Your vet can look at a sample from an ear swab under the microscope and treat appropriately based on what is found. Your vet will also need to examine the ear with a scope to see if the ear drum is intact, as some medications cannot be used safely if the eardrum is ruptured. Ear infections can be very painful, and can sometimes progress to include the middle or inner ear, where they can cause neurologic signs or permanent hearing loss. Please book an appointment to have your cat seen by a vet as soon as possible. Good luck!

Unfortunately, without a physical exam and diagnostics it is very difficult to determine what is making your cats sick. The discharge from the ears may be an ear infection (mites, bacterial or fungal), but the vomiting can have many causes. The most serious would be viral infection. Supportive care, such as IV fluids and medication to control vomiting, may be indicated while a diagnosis is sought. This will require a veterinarian. There is very little you can do at home other than to keep the warm and as stress free as possible. Offer a bland diet and a 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte to maintain hydration.

It appears that your kitten has an ear infection. This could be caused by mites, bacteria or a fungus. She will need to be seen by a veterinarian who will examine the ear with an otoscope, and he will take a swab of the discharge of the ear and look at it under the microscope. This should help with diagnosing the cause. Your kitty will then get medicine according to the diagnosis, usually ear drops. The ear will also need to be cleaned by the vet

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. This bump on the ear is very round and discrete which lends itself more to being an allergic reaction, a cyst, an abscess or some type of tumor. It does not look like trauma especially if there is more than one of these bumps. The diarrhea could be related if the lump(s) are related to an allergic reaction. Any time a cat has a lump on them it is best to have them examined by a vet. If it is not bothering her you can wait a day or two to see if it resolves on it's own but if it doesn't then she needs to see a vet. For the diarrhea I would start her on a probiotic like Fortiflora: ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/purina-pro-plan-veterinary-supplement-fortiflora-feline-probiotic-powder-for-cats-count-of-30-3348871 ) I hope this helps. Best wishes.

I think the two signs are likely to be unrelated. Those skin lesion may be compatible with a fungal infection (ringworm) and ideally a check up would be needed to confirm this clinical suspicion and treat appropriately. Diarrhoea is likely to be caused by change in the diet, parasite infestation or bacterial infection. Antibiotics may be needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Congrats on your new kitten but I'm sorry Thor isn't doing well! It is concerning that this sore is swollen, which is a sign of infection. He could also have intestinal worms causing his diarrhea. A heavy burden of them can lead a kitten to be more lethargic and not want to eat, as could an infection such as from the sore on his ear. It's serious enough that Thor should see a vet first thing in the morning so his symptoms can be diagnosed and treated.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It sounds as though there are two separate problems going on. The sore in the ear could indicate an ear infection or ear mites if he is scratching at the ear. The intermittent GI issues could be related to the diet or an imbalance of normal gut bacteria. I would recommend switching the diet to something different altogether such as Science Diet, Royal Canin, Purina One or Natural Balance. You can also add in a probiotic such as Purina Fortiflora, which can be found online quite easily. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.