Persian Cat

　　Ear mite disease in cats is mainly caused by Otodectes cynotis and Notoedres cati, which is a highly contagious parasitic disease in cats.

　　The male ear mite measures 0.32–0.35 millimeters, and the female measures 0.43–0.48 millimeters. It has four pairs of legs and belongs to hemimetabolous arthropods.

　　Ear mites parasitize the surface skin of the cat's ear canal and do not penetrate into the deeper skin layers. They have a tough horny cuticle and strong resistance.

　　They feed on lymph fluid and skin cells and rely on tissue debris and nourishment for survival.

　　They can survive for more than 2 months under conditions of 6–8℃ and 85%–100% humidity. Their developmental stages include egg, larva, nymph, and adult.

　　Clinical signs appear 2–3 weeks after infection of the cat's ears by ear mites.

　　Ear mites mainly use their mouthparts to pierce the skin and feed, causing mechanical damage to the epidermis of the ear canal. During feeding, they secrete toxic substances that chemically irritate the nerve endings of the epidermis, leading to intense ear itching in the animal. When a secondary bacterial infection occurs, it can cause suppurative otitis externa and otitis media, and in severe cases, secondary encephalitis. (Source：PetsZone)