RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
Thanks guys, this has been very helpful. Chris is correct, I put the flea tratment on as a response to the head shaking so it can't be a reaction.
I think a vet visit is imminent. The cats are OKish once I've got them into their boxes but it's the getting them in there that I struggle with. It makes me feel a bit ill at the thought of doing it. They don't enjoy being picked up so I can't slip them in without them noticing. It's a real battle to literally squish them in!
Maybe I' should use the vet's home visit service. It's an extra £25 but will be much less stressful for Kurt & Bernie.
KW
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
Hi Kittenwarrior,
If we leave our cat carriers open, but covered over with a towel, Pagan, Tarot and Shadow (the Maine Coons) will just go and lie in there, like it's a little cave! Then it's just a matter of quietly closing the door and putting them in the car...
Oh, yes, and it's also a matter of putting up with the plaintive meowing all the way to the vets!
Chris
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
Hi Chris
Hopefully not too far off topic, since it's about small dogs, but certainly so far as cages go, I've used them for years in the home and car as well as at shows, for the safety afforded as much as anything else.
I always kept at least one cage in the sitting room, propped open with an old flat iron mostly, and covered over with a throw or blanket. When I had a number of dogs they'd pile in on top of each other, they loved the 'little cave' as you put it! 
Certainly an idea worth trying by KittenWarrior. 
Holistic
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
I've had a cat with ear mites and they do shake their heads and paw at their ears and as yours both seem to be shaking their heads it is a highly possible answer. Have you had a look inside? Their ears will normally be completely clean, but with ear mites they will have a brown wax. You can try cleaning out their ears with ear mite drops and a cotton bud (or warm olive oil if you are happier, but it won't kill the mites). One vet I had actually gave my cat an injection specificially for ear mites, which were very bat, at the time it wasn't licensed for cats in the UK, so I don't know if it is yet common practise. It worked incredibly and certainly took the hassle out of applying drops, especially if you have a spiky cat!
Some on-spot flea treatments such as Stronghold also treat mites, but you will probably still have to clean their ears.
Hope all goes well.
RE: Pussy cats are shaking their heads
Hi KittenWarrior,
Our cat recentlyhad the same problem, everytime we stroked him over the head and ears he'd then shake his head and his ears were really sensitive. We took him to the vet because he had fleas also (the stuff we bought from the shop didn't work). The vet gave us an anti-flea treatment that also works against ear-mites and worms (Stronghold). We bought a 6 month treatement, it did cost us, but it's preventative,he's protected against everything, the ear mites/fleas were gone in about 2 days and he's a muchhapper puddytat.Hope that helps.
Love and light
ShinyCat