Although cats are usually great at grooming themselves, they always appreciate being pampered by their owners. Additionally, staying up-to-date with grooming your cat can help keep your cat healthy and happy. Here are a few easy tips to groom your cat at home.
Benefits of Grooming Your Cat
Cats are known for being very tidy groomers and normally do not need their ears cleaned. An occasional cleaning may be necessary to help keep an ear issue, such as an infection or mites, at bay. it's difficult for them to groom the insides of their ears. Because of this, your cat may need occasional ear cleanings to help keep issues like ear infections and ear mite infestations at bay.
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How Do You Know If Your Cat’s Ears Need Cleaning?
If your cat is itching and scratching its head or ears, you need to see your veterinarian. They may have an infection or mites that need medication. Keep in mind that a small amount of wax is normal. Some breeds such as Rex, Sphinx and other hairless breeds may produce more wax. A change in the amount of wax may mean that your cat has a problem, so ask your veterinarian about the changes.
What You’ll Need To Clean Your Cat’s Ears
Cleaning your cat's ears will likely take some practice, but these at-home cleanings can actually be quite easy. Please do not clean your cat's ears if they are anxious or fighting you to try to clean them. Here's what you'll need to begin:
Ear Cleaning Solution This is very important, since putting the wrong solution into your cat’s ears could lead to deafness, balance problems, or other issues. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation.
Cotton Ball Usea cotton ball to clean, wipe, and dry the inside of your cat’s ears. You can pick up cotton ball squares at most human pharmacies. You can also use cotton balls, cotton makeup rounds, or even a tissue. Just don’t use cotton swabs to clean out your cat’s ears, as you could damage their eardrums.
A Towel You can gently wrap your cat in the towel in a “purrito”, but remember – less is better in terms of restraint. Having a towel on-hand is also useful for drying surfaces after your cat shakes the solution out of their ears.
A Partner Depending on your cat, it may be easier for a second person to hold your cat while you clean their ears.
Treats Offer treats throughout the process to reward your cat and help them have a positive association with ear cleanings.
Steps for Cleaning Your Cat’s Ears
If there isn’t too much debris in the ears and your veterinarian has cleaned the ear initially, you can begin cleaning your cat’s ears.
Sit in a comfortable position and hold your cat in your lap.
Grasp the tip of their ear flap and gently pull it back.
“Flood” the ear with solution – you should squeeze in enough to fill the ear canal (some may even spill out).
Massage the base of the ear for 5–10 seconds with your finger wrapped ina cotton ball to allow the cleaning solution to work. Allow your cat to shake their head to get out any of the excess solution.
Wrap a drycotton ball around your finger and gently wipe the excess liquid or debris out of the ear canal.
Repeat with your cat’s other ear.
While it may take some time to get your cat used to having their ears cleaned, with the right supplies, patience, and gentle handling, you can help them keep their ears clean at home (and save yourself some time in the process).If you notice any blisters or red spots after cleaning the ear, please tell your veterinarian. Your cat may be sensitive to this type of clean.
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To do this, soak a clean cotton ball in alcohol and wipe off the tip of the bottle. Do not use alcohol on your cat's ear. Massage the base of your cat's ear for 20 to 30 seconds to help distribute the solution throughout their ear canal. Hold their ear flap, and use a cotton ball or gauze to wipe away any debris.
Cleaning your cat's ears does not require any special equipment. A good quality ear cleaning solution, some cotton balls or gauze, and some treats to reward your cat are all that is needed. Do not use cotton tip applicators (Q-tips®), due to the risk of perforating the ear drum or causing trauma to the ear canal.
If your cat is scratching their ear, you may see some black or brown debris fly out. You may also notice a tiny bit seeping out of their ear. If you look inside of their ear, you may see black or brown coffee-like secretions. All of this indicates that mites are present.
A good ear cleaner is mildly astringent and quick drying. You can purchase an ear cleaner at the veterinarian's office Water should not be used as an ear cleaner because it can sit in the ear and allow yeast to grow. Place a few drops of ear cleaner into the cat's ears.
Can I use baby wipes in my cats ears? The short answer is no, baby wipes should not be used on cats. This is so that your cat won't be exposed to any unpleasant or hazardous ingredients, even in the mildest unscented baby wipes.
Not with vinegar which will burn the delicate skin lining the ears. Even dilute vinegar is dangerous. Not with anything else either. A cat's ears are prone to damage and one accidental slip on your part can mean hurting your cat's hearing.
Always avoid:Cotton swabs, which make it just too easy to push debris and wax into the ear canal. A gentle wipe with a clean cotton ball does a much safer job. Many home remedies and “natural” cures — including tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide — are just not safe for your cat's ear.
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Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and Purified Water. Mixed equal parts. ...
"It could be wax, debris, ear mites, or discharge from an ear infection." In fact, if your kitty has allergies or chronic ear infections, your veterinarian may recommend that you clean your cat's ears on a regular basis.
So how can you tell the difference? Cats that aren't suffering an ear mite infection have a lighter brown earwax color that does not smell. The darkly colored earwax caused by an ear mite infection will often have ear discharge resembling coffee grounds.
You will need cotton pads or balls, a veterinary-approved ear cleaner, and a towel. Do not use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol-based cleaners as they can dry out the ear canal and cause irritation.
Take your pet to the vet if his ears are red, have a bad odor or he is scratching his ears or shaking his head for proper care. Olive oil, mineral oil or coconut oil—oils are relatively safe to use, and olive oil can kill ear mites by smothering them though it takes many weeks to clear ear mites with this method.
While Dawn dish soap may be effective in killing ear mites, it is not recommended to bathe a cat with it. Cats are fastidious groomers and will clean themselves constantly, so bathing them is generally not necessary.
Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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