Earwax in cats - 5 causes and consequences

Structure and physiology of the ears

A cat's ears are a very important organ. With their help, the animal is perfectly oriented in space and hears what is happening in the surrounding world. The ear performs the function of the vestibular apparatus, maintaining the cat's balance. Therefore, it is very important to ensure that dirt does not accumulate in it and to clean it in a timely manner.

In cats, a lot of wax can accumulate in the ears due to their complex structure. The ear consists of 3 sections :

Read also: Why did saber-tooth tigers become extinct?

Outer ear . The auricle passes into the external auditory canal. The latter has a tortuous structure, and its surface secretes a softening secretion.
Middle ear . Represented by the eardrum and the connection of several bones. On them, the membrane transmits sounds through vibrations.
Inner ear . It contains a large number of tubes containing liquid - a labyrinth. The tubes are filled with liquid, which moves through them evenly. Thanks to this, the cat does not lose its balance.

Discharge from cats' ears should not cause concern to the owner, because it serves a protective function. If the released sulfur is odorless, light with a yellowish tint, this is normal and does not require treatment. A moderate amount of sulfur protects the inner surface of the ears from drying out, and prevents dangerous microorganisms, dust, and dirt from penetrating into the depths of the shell.

Owners often notice that their cat loves earwax. The animal likes the smell of the discharge. This is due to the varied chemical composition of sulfur. After all, it contains alcohol, mineral acids, cholesterol, and a special ester. The latter has a beneficial effect on the condition of the animal’s coat, making it smooth and shiny.

A way to communicate with “friends”

One of the main ways animals communicate is through chemicals called pheromones. Smell plays a big role in a cat's life. There are a huge number of glands on the cat's body that produce odorous substances. They are concentrated on the temples, in the corners of the mouth, on the chin, at the base of the tail and along it. The glands on the head secrete substances that carry more individual information, while the glands in the tail secrete group information.

By licking its owner and then applying new marks, the kitty leaves messages for us and its relatives.

Headband with veil

Such decoration will add mystery to the image, sexuality and romance, and is very easy to do. So, how to make a headband with cat ears and a veil:

prepare a familiar decoration as a base;
black lace;
threads with a needle;
wire;
mesh for veil.

If the base is black and looks good, then you don’t need to wrap it with a satin ribbon; if you want the product to look finished, then wrap it for beauty.

Now twist two cat ears from wire and cut them out of lace according to their size.

They will need to be sewn to the wire, and very carefully so that the accessory does not have a wrong side.

After you have finished with the stage of attaching the “locators” to the rim, you can proceed to the final stage - attaching the veil. Simply cut a rectangle of the required size and stitch it to the base. You will get this beauty:

Oh, how fashion models and stars love such accessories. And it really looks very interesting!

We invite you to watch another master class - a headband with ears to consolidate the result:

Folk remedies

If for some objective reason a visit to the doctor is temporarily impossible, then traditional medicine comes to the rescue. Herbs and lotions are unlikely to be able to completely cure otodectosis, but they may well be able to alleviate the animal’s suffering until the time of visiting the veterinary clinic.

Green tea based drops. A tablespoon of dry leaves is poured into a glass of water and left for 5-10 minutes. After cooling to a warm state, the solution is taken into a pipette and a few drops are instilled into each ear.
Garlic has powerful antiseptic properties. In the case of ear mites, it is infused in oil for 24 hours, and then the resulting solution is instilled into the ears once a day. Olive, flaxseed, sunflower, almond and other oils are used as the basis for the tincture.
Celandine juice is instilled into the ears in the morning and evening, two drops per ear. Freshly picked herbs are ground in a meat grinder and then squeezed in gauze to prevent any remaining leaves or stems from getting into the juice ready for use.

And the last thing you should not forget about is to try to give the cat maximum attention and care in order not only to alleviate its suffering, but also to speed up the recovery process.

The cat eats earwax - reasons

Is your cat such a foodie that she hunts your earwax like crazy? Some tailed animals go so far as to, while a person is sleeping, begin to crawl into his ears with their paws and lick them in order to get a little “drug”. What is the reason that a cat eats sulfur?

It turns out that it is not the taste that attracts him, but the smell. After all, cats do not have as many taste buds as humans do. But they have much more olfactory receptors, and it is they that encourage the animal to hunt for sulfur. The fact is that sulfur is dead cells consisting of protein and a special aromatic secretion. This blend of scents reminds cats of a nourishing source of protein that can fill them up. This is what the cat does.

In fact, sulfur actually contains a lot of useful substances, so you shouldn’t scold your cat for such addictions. It's another matter if she hurts you. Then, at the very moment when the cat begins to tear your ears, start hissing at her. This is a great move that helps without yelling or hitting. Cats instinctively know that the one who hisses is desperate and is ready to take the most drastic measures if the harassment does not stop.

“I’m in charge”

A cat, by licking its relatives and humans, can show its position in the pack. Since a person cannot distinguish all the shades of odors applied to him, one should try to read the “body language”.

When a cat is relaxed, happily licks the hair or face of the owner, gently rubs her face or head against him, then in this way she marks her ward, showing other cats that she is the boss in the house, and the person is under her care. This is how a mother cat licks her kittens.

Diseases accompanied by the appearance of brown plaque in a cat’s ears

The most common diseases accompanied by the appearance of brown plaque in the ears of a pet are otodectosis and otitis media. Both pathologies are deadly, but with timely detection and referral to a specialist, they can be treated quite successfully.

Otodectosis

Otodectosis or ear scabies is a parasitic disease caused by microscopic sarcoptoid mites otodectos cynotis. It is impossible to see the parasite with the naked eye; the arthropod measures 0.2-0.5 mm. Carnivorous arachnids parasitize the external auditory canal, eardrum and auricle, feeding on epidermal scales, blood and lymph. To lay eggs, female mites make multiple punctures in the skin and penetrate into the subcutaneous layers.

When do cats have their ears cleaned?

These procedures are divided into preventive and therapeutic. The first ones are carried out monthly to remove contaminants and excess sulfur. However, the frequency largely depends on the cat’s breed, nutrition, and individual characteristics.

Medical procedures are required when infected with a tick along with taking antifungal drugs and antibiotics. If the veterinarian has prescribed rinses or drops of the drug, the ears are first cleaned with lotion (saline). Cleaning is necessary every time medications are used, since parasites and microorganisms produce a large amount of byproducts that interfere with the absorption of medications.

The procedures are carried out according to the veterinarian's recommendations until he says that the cat is healthy.

Why does a cat scratch his ears and shake his head?

Cats take care of their own hygiene. However, four-legged pets are not able to take care of the cleanliness of their ears.

If you occasionally notice that your pet is scratching its ears, then you should not panic. In this way, the pet tries to get rid of the accumulated wax in the ears. However, if your cat scratches its ears and shakes its head more intensely than usual, or becomes irritable and nervous, you should be wary. Most likely, there is a problem with the pet's hearing organs.

The main reasons why a cat scratches its ears:

Getting water or a foreign object into the ear;
Bruise and hematoma of the auricle;
Absence or improper ear hygiene;
Anatomical features of the auricle;
External parasites (fleas, ticks);
Skin diseases;
Ear infection.

In this article, we will help you figure out why your cat is scratching his ears and what to do in such a situation.

Stress management

The cat carefully licks itself not only to clean and comb its fur. The animal's tongue has hard papillae that massage the skin and stimulate the production of endorphins - the hormones of happiness. In addition, on the surface of the animal’s fur there is a substance similar to B vitamins, which normalize mental balance and calm. If a cat is not allowed to lick itself, it will get sick and die.

In the same way, a pet takes care of its owner. The cat is very sensitive to the emotional state of a person. Scientists believe that during stress, biochemical processes in the body change, and substances released to the surface of the skin also change. A cat can “smell” when its owner is sad, afraid or angry. The only available way to calm him down is licking, massage, sound vibrations - rumbling.

The cat not only treats some diseases, as bioenergetics claims, but also monitors the mental balance of its owner, curing stress, depression, and bad mood.

Number of allocations

Some cat breeds have large ears, for example, Maine Coon, Abyssinian, Oriental, Somali. The ears of these breeds collect more dust and dirt, which settles on the inner surface of the ear, which stimulates additional wax production to protect the inner ear from infections.

This is a normal defense mechanism established by nature itself.

However, some types of cats have dirty ears all the time because they produce more wax than other breeds. We are talking, for example, about the sphinxes. Hairless cats do not have ear hairs that could prevent dust, dirt and infections from entering the ear.

These cats can have their ears cleaned more often than others. Some owners do this every day. However, in fact, cleaning the ears of a Sphynx cat is really necessary only before the exhibition, and on weekdays the question of how often to clean the animal’s ears is decided depending on the situation.

Taking care of hygiene

Well, of course, when licking a person, a cat tries to clean his “skin”, just as she is used to caring for her kittens. In the wild, a strong smell can give away an animal and attract an enemy. To destroy it, the cat will carefully lick hands washed with scented soap or neck or hair scented with shampoo.

Cleansing a person from sharp, unpleasant or alien aromas, the cat exchanges its pheromones with the owner, so that the person, even at a distance, feels an emotional connection with his pet and does not forget about him.

How to do it right

Kittens need to be taught hygiene early. Very small children are picked up, their ears are touched, and then they are carefully examined. This teaches a calm attitude towards cleaning. The first time the procedure can be performed at 8 weeks. The steps are the same as when treating an adult animal.

Veterinarian advice:

choose a moment when the animal is not sleeping, not eating, not washing, and is completely relaxed;
sit somewhere (can be on your lap), stroke it to calm you down;
fix your head, drop about half a milliliter of warm lotion into your ear (remove from the refrigerator in advance);
massage gently (for a minute), distributing the liquid evenly;
release the cat (due to strange sensations, she shakes her head);
then take the animal in your arms and wipe the inside of the ear (do not try to get deeper, this may be painful and cause injury).

Although cleaning your ears at home doesn't actually cause any discomfort, cats protest. They do not tolerate any intervention well. During cleaning, it is advisable to talk to the animal to calm it down. If the cat breaks out, she is swaddled or put on overalls, and an assistant is brought in. After cleaning, the animal should be praised and given a treat. In the process of getting used to the procedure, it is divided into 2 stages: do not clean both ears at once.

There should be no moisture in the ear. It will not be able to evaporate; there is a risk of inflammation due to the fact that bacteria will feed on the lotion.

It is important to remain calm during the procedure if the cat breaks out or meows. If you yell at the animal, the situation will worsen. Later, the cat uses all means to avoid the procedure.

Otodectosis or ear mites

Otodectes (ear mites) is a common parasitic disease caused by the Otodectes cynotis mite. Mites infect the inner surface of the cat's ear, ear canal, and even the eardrum. In advanced forms of otodectosis, parasites invade the meninges, causing disturbances in the central nervous system.

Symptoms of the disease:

the cat shakes its head, crusts and dirt fly out of its ears;
an abundant dark brown or black wax deposit forms in the animal’s ears (this plaque is similar in structure to instant coffee);
lethargy, increased body temperature in the cat, and bowed head may be observed;
in advanced stages of the disease, the eardrum bursts, and the cat develops neuralgic disorders (fits, convulsions).

Otodectosis has pronounced symptoms, but the final diagnosis can be made by a veterinarian after testing for the presence of ear mites.

Treatment for ear mites in cats

Otodectosis therapy consists of three main measures:

mechanical cleaning of the ears;
use of acaricidal drugs;
strengthening the cat's immunity.

The purpose of mechanical ear cleaning is to remove mites, their eggs and waste products, remove crusts and wax deposits from the ear canal. For this procedure, you need to use disinfectant solutions - furatsilin solution or 3% hydrogen peroxide. To more effectively clean the ear from parasites, it is recommended to use an acaricidal drug, acaromectin, in combination with disinfectants.

After cleaning the cat’s ears from mites and dirt, the ear canal is treated with acaricidal drugs - acaromectin, otoferanol or stronghode. To distribute the medication evenly, gently massage the cat's ears.

To strengthen the cat’s immunity, immunomodulators and vitamin therapy are used:

ribotan;
immunofan;
gamavit;
mineral and vitamin complexes.

When treating ear mites in a cat, it is necessary to carry out a complete disinfection of the house:

wash and treat the animal’s bed, rugs and toys with disinfectants;
Do wet cleaning with disinfectant solutions every day.

If you have several pets, then they also need to be shown to a veterinarian and prevent the disease. After the cat is treated for otodectosis, the veterinarian conducts a repeat test for the presence of parasites. Only if the test result is negative, the cat is considered healthy.

Prevention of otodectosis

Any disease is easier to prevent than to treat. Ear mites in cats are no exception. To prevent otodectosis it is necessary:

regularly inspect the animal’s ears and clean them if necessary;
treat the cat with antiparasitic agents in a timely manner;
observe the rules of hygiene and cleaning of premises;
Provide the cat with proper nutrition and proper care.

If you find one of the symptoms of otodectosis in your ward, immediately contact your veterinarian to diagnose the disease and prescribe treatment.

What you need to clean your ears

To carry out hygiene procedures you need:

Cotton swabs, disks, clean napkins (not wet)
Special lotions and gels that can be purchased at a pet store. Remember that there are preventative ear cleaning products, as well as medications that are prescribed only by doctors.
Hygienic powder for cats, which can be used for heavy discharge, as well as for ear disease of the pet. There is no need to use powder for preventive measures.

Cat treatment

A veterinarian should treat a cat with ear pathologies after conducting a comprehensive examination and identifying the cause of the formation of brown plaque. Self-medication is fraught with aggravation of the animal’s condition or the death of your beloved pet.

For otodectosis the following is prescribed:

mechanical cleaning of the animal’s ears from plaque, pus and dried crusts using disinfectant solutions;
acaricidal drugs;
vitamin and immunostimulating agents;
disinfection of premises and care items;
treatment of other pets.

When otitis of the external, middle or inner ear is detected, therapy consists of the use of the following drugs:

disinfectant solutions for cleaning the ear;
antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drops and ointments;
painkillers;
novocaine blockades;
injectable antibiotics;
vitamins;
immunomodulators;
diet.

Otitis and ear mites in a cat

Otitis media is a very common condition in cats and its symptoms are often confused with normal ear contamination.

Contrary to popular belief, this disease is very dangerous and can lead to hearing loss, meningitis and the death of the animal.

Essentially, this is a bacterial inflammatory process in the animal’s ear canal.

There are the following types of otitis media:

Otitis externa;
Otitis media;
Otitis of the inner ear.

Chronic otitis media manifests itself in periodic pain in the animal, which makes it nervous and aggressive during exacerbations.

Otitis may be progressive, requiring surgical intervention.

There are several causes of otitis media:

Injuries;
Fungi;
Allergy;
Parasites;
Infections.

Most often, otitis of the external auditory canal occurs due to the presence of otodectosis, or ear mites, in the cat.

This is a very common disease in cats.

The result of ear mites is a characteristic “dirt” mixed with wax

Typically, ear mites appear in young cats.

At the same time, purulent masses accumulate in the auricles of the sick animal and become covered with a dark crust.

Since mites cause the ears to become covered with dark spots, otodectosis can be detected visually with regular ear checks.

This disease is caused by ticks Ototdectes cynotus.

The mite feeds on skin particles, which causes severe itching in the pet.

Otodectosis is transmitted only through contact of one animal with another. Therefore, pets are not at risk.

Ear mites are also safe for humans.

Signs of the disease appear quite clearly.

During otodectosis, the cat constantly and forcefully scratches its ears, worries and shakes its head.

There is a lot of wax in the ears.

Due to the itching and discomfort, the cat scratches the ears themselves and the skin around them until there are bloody scratches.

If the disease is not treated, other bacteria will develop in the ear canal, making the disease worse.

Before treatment, the cat must be shown to a veterinarian

Otodectosis is quite easy to treat, especially if the disease is detected in a timely manner.

Although this disease is easy to diagnose, it is still better to consult a veterinarian who will provide comprehensive information about the disease itself, its stage and extent of damage.

For the most accurate diagnosis, you need to examine the cat's ear secretions under a microscope.

Only after this the doctor prescribes treatment.

As treatment, the veterinarian usually prescribes anti-mite (for example, Frontline), antifungal and antibacterial drugs.

For example, cat ears are washed with various antiseptics, including chlorhexidine.

Before using these drugs at home, you should thoroughly clean all dirt and wax from the animal’s ears so that the drug can effectively act on the inner wall of the ears.

Treatment usually lasts no more than a month, after which the cat should be re-examined by a veterinarian.

Diagnostics

When a stink appears from an animal's ear, it is recommended to begin the diagnosis with a visual examination. To see better, you can shine a flashlight into your ear.

What you should be wary of:

strong smell of rot;
smells like rotten meat;
pus, black, brown discharge;
blood, scabs;
redness of the skin.

It is impossible to make an accurate diagnosis at home. For any alarming symptoms, contact a specialist.

Veterinarian actions:

taking a blood test to identify the inflammatory process;
examination using an otoscope;
ear smear, bacteriological analysis of discharge;
biopsy (used as a last resort).

If necessary and the disease is severe, the cat is left for treatment at a veterinary clinic. In milder cases, the doctor prescribes medications for home therapy.

How to identify ear mites:

Discharge from the ears has a brown tint.
The cat constantly shakes his ears and does not allow himself to be stroked.
Body temperature rises, the animal becomes lethargic and restless.
In the acute stage of the disease, touching the ears causes pain and tremors in the hind legs.
Test: Use a cotton swab to take a small amount of discharge and shake it onto a black sheet of paper. If white moving dots appear, this is an ear mite.

Timely treatment prevents unpleasant consequences, hearing loss. The tick can cause inflammation of the brain, leading to death.

Use in the diet of pets

In veterinary medicine, a feed sulfur additive is widely used, which is not applicable for cats and dogs. This sulfur is mainly used to feed cattle. For pets, medical or purified sulfur is produced in powder form, packaged in bags weighing 20, 50, and 100 g. Instructions for using the food additive “Sulfur for Animals” familiarize the cat owner with how and in what doses to add the substance to food for the cat. In addition, the owner should pay attention to the terms and rules for storing the product, which are indicated on the package. Mainly storage duration is 2 years. The powder must be kept in a hermetically sealed container or vacuum packaging. The place should be cool and protected from light. Should be kept away from children. Before adding this substance to your cat's diet, you should consult your veterinarian.

The easiest way to give your pet this remedy is by adding it to a portion of food.

Any cat will perceive sulfur as a treat. According to the instructions, complementary foods are administered as a food additive daily, 1 time per day, 0.05 g per 1 kg of pet. The daily dose should not exceed 1 g. If the drug is used in combination with medications for scabies, the dose is reduced to 0.04 g per kilogram of the cat’s body weight. Sulfur powder is added to dry food or cooked food. It should be noted that the product does not dissolve well in liquid, however, this does not prevent the cat from consuming it with pleasure. The course of treatment with this substance should not exceed 1 month.

In addition, sulfur-based ointments are widely used to treat skin diseases in cats. They promote rapid healing of wounds and the speedy restoration of healthy skin.

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Special Moments

An important additive is feed sulfur; the instructions for use contain contraindications and features of administration. Do not forget about hypersensitivity and individual intolerance to the substance, so give a test dose and observe the reaction. In general, no side effects were identified during clinical trials.

Feed sulfur requires careful storage, away from light and drafts. You should not place it next to food or give it to children as games. Since the drug is in powder form, it does not need to be placed in places with high humidity.

The method of using the supplement is simple: depending on the type and weight of the animal, sulfur is added to a regular portion of food. It does not change the taste of the food, so you don’t have to worry about refusing to eat. For preventive purposes, feed sulfur is used during molting periods.

Causes and consequences of earwax accumulation

If wax appears in your cat's ears, you need to find out why it occurred. There may be several reasons :

natural ear contamination;
intensive work of the sulfur glands (depending on the breed);
excessive cleaning of the ear;
diseases of the pet (mites, otitis media);
foreign object in the ear.

When examining the ears, special attention should be paid to the color of the wax. If it is black or dirty green in color, and even has an unpleasant odor, this is a symptom of a dangerous disease.

The black color of wax may be due to dried blood from an ear injury. Another reason is an infested tick. Its waste products give it a black color. Brown purulent discharge with an unpleasant odor is a consequence of infectious diseases. The fungal nature of the disease also produces dark discharge. For a correct diagnosis, it is recommended to contact a veterinary clinic.

Regular care of your pet's ears will relieve him of unpleasant consequences . Excessive accumulation of sulfur can lead to complete or partial loss of hearing, disorientation of the animal in space, nausea, and vomiting. An inflammatory process may begin that will affect the animal’s brain, since the ears are directly connected to it.

Proper ear cleaning technique

If your cat categorically does not want to undergo the ear cleaning procedure, and tries in every possible way to escape from your hands, then it is better to secure the animal with a towel in advance.

Next you need to slightly turn the ear out. Moisten a cotton pad with a special cleanser, then wipe the inner part of the ear that is accessible to visual inspection with the cotton pad. Then, using a clean cotton pad or napkin, you need to remove any remaining wax and cleanser residue from the surface of the ear. In this case, all movements should be directed outward, but not inward, since there is a risk of damaging the deeper parts of the ear and causing infection there. Remains of lotion or gel can be removed from deep sections using hygienic cotton swabs.

What not to do when cleaning cats' ears?

The fundamental point during the entire procedure is that only the visible part of the auricle can be cleaned. Attempting to penetrate deeper will only harm the animal.

It is undesirable to use various folk remedies or self-made solutions. Their use will harm the cat: it is possible to dry out the epidermis of the inner surface of the ear and develop allergic reactions.

Do not clean your pet’s ears at home, on your own, if upon examination you find purulent discharge, crusts, bumps, or dark spots. In this case, you need to contact a specialist, because most likely the cat has a specific ear disease. In this case, professional help from a veterinarian is required.

Some owners, when carrying out a hygienic procedure, strive to achieve absolute, impeccable cleanliness of their ears. But this is also not entirely correct. Earwax, as mentioned above, has protective properties; a moderate amount of it is simply necessary.

You should not use self-made products instead of hygienic cotton swabs. This is dangerous, because their use can lead to traumatic damage to the ear and infection.

If you regularly carry out preventive ear cleanings for your pet, but this does not lead to the desired result, wax and dirt constantly accumulate, or suddenly you find purulent discharge on a napkin or cotton pad, you need to urgently contact a specialist.

So, the procedure for cleaning cats’ ears, it turns out, is not as simple a manipulation as it might seem at first glance. You still need to be aware of certain features and rules. But now, after reading this article, you know the general rules and subtleties of caring for cats’ ears. By following these simple instructions, you can properly care for your pet's ears.

Manipulation

A cat, like any domestic creature, can manipulate its owner using various signals. By licking a person, the fluffy dog demands attention or treats from him. When a cat wants to play, she begins to lick her hands, ears, even clothes.

Begging for a tasty morsel can begin with carefully sniffing your fingers, cheeks, and lips. If you like the smell and the animal finds it appetizing, then it starts licking these places - you need to taste what smells so tempting.

You can name several more reasons why a cat enthusiastically licks a person, but it is impossible to decipher the intentions and signals of this mysterious animal with 100% certainty. Signals differ in meaning among domestic, yard and wild animals. Animal psychologists are just beginning to decipher the “language” of an animal that has been walking hand in hand with humans for thousands of years.

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Original article:
https://porodakoshki.ru/pochemu-koshka-lizhet-cheloveka/

Cats are very smart, graceful and beautiful animals. But, on top of everything else, they are also the most mysterious. Many habits of cats are not understandable to humans. Such behavior also includes the habit of cats to lick their owner, and sometimes even lie down to sleep on him. It will be useful for any owner of a tailed pet to know why a cat licks its owner.