Pattico - is it just cosmetic as you mention or is it medical to heal the ear? If cosmetic, I wouldn't do it. If it's to heal the ear, I would. If you don't, there's every possibility that it'll get worse, causing more pain and costing more money. Poor little thing; I'm glad she came home to you!

No...the doctor said "it's nothing she'll die from, so if you choose to do it..this is how much"

I have a cauliflower ear on my right side because I sleep on my right side and my ear keep getting bent over while I sleep.

I wouldn't use a needle,I would use a razor blade. Makes a bigger spot for the gunk to come out. Then keep it clean and put some antibiotic salve in it.I've done this years and years ago on a pony that had a huge abcess on her side.(A starved one,that someone gave to me) Depending on how she is about being held and treated,you may have to wrap her in a towel to restrain her. I just had to take Buddy for shots and they found his ears were infected.No mites.They think it's from the sand blowing in them. Cost me 140 but that was his shots too.Meds alone were 50.Plus the test for infection.Geesh! These vets get you coming and going.Just spent 245 getting Kissy spayed last week.Cost extra because she's so tiny and had to get fluids (65 for fluids).

Here's what you do below

Here is a link that might be useful: get rid of ear mites

I wouldn't do it yourself. If it gets infected or if you do some other damage (having a needle or razor around an ear and a scared cat could be disastrous if she moves suddenly), it could end up costing you far more than $300.

My cat also had a hemotoma a few years ago. It was a giant swelling on his ear and my vet said he probably scratched some of the blood vessels there and it swelled. She told me to just leave it alone and his body would reabsorb the blood, and it did over a week or so. His ear is crinkly now but I think it's kind of cute and gives him character. :) I would just leave it alone if it were me but please don't try to do it yourself. Cats don't understand how to stand still and it can be very difficult to restrain them properly. Not to mention traumatic for the cat to have that done with no anesthetic.

I'm glad she showed back up, Patti.

When I worked at a vet's office, we did a lot of hematoma surgeries, mostly on dogs. The blood that came out when the vet sliced it open was mostly clotted and lumpy like cottage cheese, I don't think a pin-prick would do much to alleviate the problem. Used to be, the vet would remove a small slice of skin and sew it down again so that the problem wouldn't come back. I don't know if they still do that.

Your vet is expensive! I wonder if you could call around and find one that would do the surgery cheaper or ask at the local shelter if their vet helps out when money is an issue.

A friend of ours has a dog with a hematoma on his ear flap and it's been almost 2 years and that thing is still swollen and I don't think it'll ever go away. I wouldn't be able to live with it, personally.

Years ago my dog had a similar ear infection. Vet gave me drops that did nothing. Then her ear canal got infected, swollen,inflamed and it cost $2000 in surgery. I would take Miss Kitty back to the vet. I'm too squeamish to ever poke a sore on an animal. My current dog has a small growth on top of her head. My husband threatens to "pull" it off. I say, no , leave it and her alone. She doesn't scratch it or even seem aware of it. When I get my inheiritance from my Mother's estate, I'll get it removed.

I had that very same thing happend to a cat.. he was a big cat and we tried everyway possible to get that ear mite medicine in his ears but he was so big and strong we just couldn't. even wrapping him in a towel didn't help. The medicine stung I'm sure.. I did have the ear surgery done but his poor ears never looked the same. The vet said basically it's like the lining getting separated and that it would not go back to normal on it's own. Poor kitties.. I feel sorry for them when they get ear mites..

So glad she is back! I would try to relieve the pressure and would then use a bit of peroxide and/or neosporin.

If you have trouble controlling her scruff her, that's an old breeders secret. Our Moosie hates to be groomed so I have to scruff him, if I need two hands I pull the skin taut and put 2 or 3 alligator style clothespins on it, he settles down immediately.

Oh, I forgot to mention- there's a new treatment for earmites, it's a one time treatment called MilbeMite and it's a liquid for inside the ears. Usually one treatment is enough. No more of the drops every day for 10 days, which our cats always hated with a passion. Your vet should have this. It's a little pricey, but worth it for not having to torture the cat every day, IMO.

The $80 seems high, too, for an office visit and exam and ear mite meds, unless he gave you the MilbeMite. Did they do a smear or some kind of test, too?