# My cat's ear is badly swollen :(



## westernrider2991 (Dec 16, 2009)

I woke up today to find that my cat's left ear is very swollen on the inside, and it is floppy like a dog ear. It also has a large scab inside it like she has bean scratching it or something. I haven't seen any mites or anything, and she hasn't been acting any different. She is a very big trouble maker, so she may have had something fall on her or something. Should I take her to a vet? I need to know ASAP 


P.S. She is a longhair, like an Angora, if that has anything to do with it...


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Yes, you should take her to the vet ASAP. It sounds like your cat's ear is seriously injured.

Laurie


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

That sounds like a hematoma and it will cause permanant damage. The amount of damage depends on how you treat it.
Hematomas are caused when a blood vessel bursts in the ear and blood fills up like a balloon between the linings of the ear. Left alone, it will slowly dissipate and it will permanantly crumple the ear. You also run the risk of the kitty *bursting* the 'balloon' and spraying/shaking/dripping blood EVERYWHERE until it stops bleeding.
If you bring the kitty to the vet they can anesthetize the kitty, drain the excess fluid and put in a few stitches to hold the layers together. There will be *some* crinkling of the ear, but nothing as bad as an ear that was not attended to.
I have had two cats get them. One cat had a problem with each ear and was cared for by the vet, with minimal damage and the other cat had one ear, but he had other major health issues and I didn't think it was worth it to put him through the stress when he was so near the end of his life anyways. If he had been in pain, I'd have taken him in, but he was not in pain and per a phone call with the vet, she concurred about leaving it/him alone.
Best of luck for you and your kitty,
heidi =^..^=

Here is a pic of a kitty with a hematoma damaged ear:


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## westernrider2991 (Dec 16, 2009)

Thank you so much! I hope she's okay... I'll make sure she gets to the vet as soon as possible.


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