Why is my cat shaking their head?
A cat shaking their head is usually telling you something is bothering their ear: most often ear mites, a build-up of wax, a mild infection, or a grass seed or bit of debris caught inside. It is rarely an emergency on its own, but it is not something to leave for long, because most causes get more uncomfortable, and harder to treat, the longer they go unchecked.
Usually not urgent
This is common and often manageable at home — but see a vet if it persists, gets worse, or comes with other changes.
What head shaking usually looks like
Most cats who are bothered by their ears do more than shake their head once and forget about it. Expect repeated shaking, scratching at one or both ears with a back paw, tilting the head persistently to one side, or rubbing the side of the face against furniture and floors.
Some cats also pull away when you touch near the affected ear, or the ear itself looks different: redder inside than usual, holding more visible wax, or giving off a noticeable smell. Any of those alongside the shaking points more clearly to a genuine problem inside the ear itself rather than a passing itch.
The common causes
Ear mites are one of the most frequent causes in younger cats and cats who spend time outdoors, and they produce a distinctive dark, crumbly wax along with intense itching. Bacterial or yeast infections are common too, often following on from mites, allergies, or simply a build-up of wax and moisture in the ear canal.
Grass seeds and other debris are a real cause in cats who go outside, particularly in summer, and can work surprisingly far into the ear canal without being visible. Allergies, polyps, and less commonly a foreign body lodged deeper in the ear can all produce the same head-shaking picture from the outside.
Red flags that mean don't wait
Get your cat seen promptly if the shaking is constant rather than occasional, if there is discharge, a strong smell, visible blood, or swelling around the ear, or if your cat is clearly in pain, crying out, refusing to be touched near the head, or holding it persistently tilted to one side.
A cat who is also off their food, unusually quiet, or wobbly on their feet alongside the head shaking needs to be seen the same day rather than monitored at home. These can be signs the problem has spread beyond the outer ear, or that something else entirely is going on.
What a vet will likely do
A vet can look inside the ear canal with an otoscope, take a sample of any discharge to check under a microscope for mites, bacteria or yeast, and rule out a foreign body that is easy to miss without the right equipment. That examination is the only reliable way to tell these causes apart from home.
Treatment depends entirely on the cause, which is exactly why guessing at home rarely helps: an ear cleaner aimed at wax will not touch an infection, and a treatment for mites will not shift a grass seed. Your vet can also tell you which, if any, of the products on the shelf are appropriate once they know what they are actually dealing with.
Keeping ears healthy day to day
Routine grooming and the occasional check of the ears for wax, smell or redness catches most problems early, before they become uncomfortable enough to cause obvious shaking. A cat who tolerates having their ears looked at, even briefly, makes every future check and every vet visit that bit easier.
A gentle, cat-specific ear cleaner used as part of normal grooming can help keep wax from building up in cats prone to it, but it is not a substitute for a vet's diagnosis once shaking or scratching has already started. Ask your vet before using any ear product on a cat with a known or suspected ear problem.
What can help
Things we stock that owners commonly use alongside a vet’s advice — not a substitute for it.
Leucillin Antiseptic Skincare Spray for Cats & Dogs
A versatile, alcohol-free antiseptic spray that cleans, soothes, and helps protect your pet's skin from bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
From£7.99
Absorbent Cotton Gauze Swabs for Pets – Pack of 100
Highly absorbent, low-lint cotton gauze swabs produced in clean conditions — a practical first-aid essential available in three size and ply combinations.
From£4.49
3M Synthetic Under Bandage Padding for Pets
A soft, breathable non-woven polyester padding layer designed to protect and cushion beneath bandages on dogs and cats.
From£9.49
Little Friends Trimmed Dried Cuttlefish Bones
Trimmed dried cuttlefish bones for birds, reptiles and small pets, a natural calcium source
£9.99
Common questions
- Is it normal for cats to shake their head sometimes?
- An occasional single shake, the way a cat might after water gets in an ear, is not usually a concern on its own. Repeated shaking, scratching, or a head tilt that continues over more than a day or two is not normal and is worth having checked by your vet rather than watched indefinitely.
- Can I clean my cat's ears myself?
- Only with a product made for cats, and only if your vet has said the ear itself looks healthy enough for it. Cleaning an already sore, infected or mite-affected ear can make a cat more uncomfortable, so it is worth having the ear looked at first rather than reaching for a cleaner straight away.
- How do vets treat ear mites in cats?
- Treatment is prescribed by a vet once mites are confirmed under a microscope, and it also usually needs cleaning the ear properly and, in multi-cat households, treating every cat in contact since mites spread easily between them. Your vet will explain exactly what your cat and home need.
- Can indoor cats get ear mites or infections?
- Yes, although it is less common than in cats who go outside regularly. Indoor cats can still develop wax build-up, allergies, yeast or bacterial infections, or pick up mites from another pet in the household, so head shaking is worth investigating in an indoor cat too rather than dismissed as unlikely.
- My cat's ear smells, what does that mean?
- A noticeable smell from the ear usually points to an infection, whether bacterial, yeast, or both, sometimes alongside mites or a build-up of wax and debris. It is not something to wait out, since infections in the ear canal tend to get more painful and harder to clear the longer they are left untreated.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.