There’s some greasy, brownish discharge in the ear, no odor. The picture shows cotton swabs after cleaning both ears.

Hello. From the photo, your cat’s earwax is abnormal and darker than normal, which could mean ear mites or a Malassezia infection. I suggest a vet ear exam to guide treatment based on the findings.

Whatever the ear disease, the ears need cleaning, only the medication differs. For Malassezia, use an ear drop with compound nystatin; for ear mites, use a mite-specific medication.