Do I need a vet to look at this? With pics

[Thisisanartattack]

My cat has developed a couple of these red and scabby patches on the skin around his ears. He’s been staying with a relative temporarily as we were moving house, so I’m not sure how long they have been there. Does anyone know what they could be?

We’ve just moved into a new house and driven him back here, he is settled but HATES the car and I really wanted to avoid taking him in his carrier somewhere else for a while! Do I need the vet to look at these? He is mostly fine within himself, eating and drinking etc, sleeping a lot but he is probably a bit unsettled still from moving. I haven’t noticed him scratching them either.

It could be ear mites, what flea control do you use? Some of them cover ear mites. If you are registered with a vet you can get some so long as you have been seen in the last year. Your vet or nurse will advise

You can also get frontline spray which i believe is available without prescription. Useless for fleas but does do ear mites.

He has Advantage flea, and was treated a couple of weeks ago. The patches aren’t actually in his ears though, mainly around his ears where the fur is a bit thinner. I’m wondering if I call the vet whether they can do a consultation from pictures, they did this during Covid and prescribed an antibiotic when he got in a fight!

The patches are likely to be where he is scratching himself

They look like non infected scratches. What is inside his ears like?
And waxy build up?
He may have an ear infection or mites. He'll likely need a consult

Could well be stress related. He's had a massive upheaval with staying with someone else then not going back to the house he knows.