How to clean a cat's ears - a review of devices and means for effectively cleaning a cat's ears

Structure of a cat's ear

A cat's ears resemble human ears in structure and include:

• external, consisting of a funnel-shaped shell covered with wool with guard hairs inside and the auditory canal;
• in the middle there is an eardrum and a bone cavity with three bones, important in the perception of noise;
• internal - the most complex section, in which the vestibular apparatus and sound receptors are located.

In animals, the auditory canal, unlike the short human one, is curved and forms an angle. Improper cleaning can lead to wax buildup and blockage of the passage.

Cats can hear sound vibrations in the range of 20–100,000 Hz. Muscles and cartilage are able to rotate the shell to pinpoint the source of sound vibrations during hunting.

Drawing - diagram of the structure of a cat's ear

Why do animals scratch their ears?

Scratching your pet's ears is a common hygiene procedure to remove dirt and particles. It is normal to itch several times a day.

What should alert the owner:

1. When an animal constantly itches, shakes (shakes) its head vigorously, trying to free itself from an invisible object, and presses its ear with its paw.
2. Anxiety, aggressiveness, irritability of the pet.
3. Growling, hissing, meowing, and other sounds when scratching.
4. Sores, sores, scratches behind the ears (near) and inside.

Such actions can be caused by domestic or pathological reasons.

Household problems are determined by the owner, go away on their own and do not require the intervention of a doctor. These are, in particular:

• water that got in while swimming;
• foreign object;
• minor hematoma from injury;
• scratches the neck - most likely fleas;
• accumulation of earwax due to insufficient care.

There may be cases when the pet lies down. So before you sound the alarm and take your cat to the vet, it’s better to make sure that there really is a problem.

Pathological causes are dangerous to health. The animal needs medical attention if the cause of scratching is:

• abscess;
• allergic reactions;
• fleas;
• fungal infections;
• benign or malignant neoplasms;
• otitis media of various origins;
• ear mites;
• eczema or dermatitis, going bald;
• swollen ear.

Cat's ears. Bazhov

In those years there was no trace of Verkhny and Ilyinsky. Only our Polevaya and Sysert. Well, in the North they also rattled iron. Yes, just a little. Sysert lived the brightest of all. You see, she came across the Cossack side on the road. People walked and passed here and there. We ourselves went to the pier near Revda with iron. You never know who you meet on the road, or what you hear. And there are many villages around.

Here in Polevoy there was absolutely no opposition to Sysert living. At that time they made little iron; they mostly smelted copper. And they took her in a caravan to the pier. It was not so easy for people on the road to talk to one or the other and ask questions. Try it under guard! And there are villages in our direction - one Diagon Ford. There are forests, mountains, and swamps all around. To put it bluntly, our old men sat in the pit and saw nothing. The master, of course, needs this. It’s calm here, but in Sysert I had to look.

That's where he moved. Sysert became his main plant. We only added more guards to our old people and strictly punished the servants:

- Make sure that people don’t wander around from the outside, and hold your own tightly.

And what kind of alien people are here, if our plant is located on the outskirts? They cut a road to Sysert, of course, but in those years, they say, it was very thin. I walked through the swamps. Send miles. My stomach will ache if I shake the pole. And few people traveled along this road back then. Not like nowadays - back and forth. Only the lord's servants and the guards traveled. These are taller, and it’s not enough for them that the road is bad. The master himself only went to Polevaya on a skid. As soon as the toboggan road is established, he will begin to make up for what he missed in the summer. And he kept trying to swoop in unexpectedly. He will leave approximately in the evening, and by lunchtime the next day he will be back to Polevoy. Apparently, he was eager to catch someone. So everyone knew that in winter you should expect a master at every hour. But I didn’t travel on a wheeled road at all. He doesn’t like to bounce around on sleds, but apparently he’s not capable of riding. In years, they say, he was. What a horseman! It was easier for the people before winter. No matter how much the clerk is angry, the master will come and find out more guilt.

Only now the master arrived in the very autumn thaw. He arrived not to the factory or to the mine, as was usual for him, but to the clerk. He immediately demanded all the clerks from the office, including the priests. The orderlies arrived before evening, and the next day the master left for Severna. From there, on the same day, I dragged myself to the city. He was impatient for the dirt itself. And there seem to be a lot of protective people with him. The people started talking: “What is this thing? How can I find out?

In modern times it’s simple - just run away or go to Sysert, but with fortress (serfdom - Ed.) how? You have to find the place, and even then they won’t let you go. And you can’t leave secretly either - all people are accounted for, held in your hand. Well, one guy finally showed up.

“I,” he says, “on Saturday evening, when they lift me out of the mountain, I’ll run away to Sysert, and on Sunday evening I’ll come running.” I have friends there. I'll find out everything quickly.

He left and never came back. A little later the clerk was told, but he didn’t even bother to look for the guy. At this point I started to get really curious - what’s going on? Two more left and also ended. The only thing new in the plant is that the guards started going from house to house three times a day, counting the men to see if everyone was at home. If anyone needs to go to the forest for firewood or hay for hay, ask too. They began to let them go in their breasts and with guards.

“You can’t,” says the clerk, “one by one.” Three of them have already escaped.

And the family stopped going into the forest. The clerk set up outposts on the roads. And he has a guard to choose from—you won’t get any use out of any of them. It was then, as expected, that something was going on in the Sysert side. And they, the lord’s assistants, are very upset. People whispered in the factory and in the mine.

- Whatever you want, you need to find out.

One girl from the mines says:

- Come on, uncle, I'll go. They don't count women at home. Grandma and I don’t come to see us at all. They know that there is no man in our hut. Maybe it’s the same in Sysert. It’s better for me to find out.

She’s a smart girl... Well, she’s a miner, she’s experienced... Still, this is not the custom for men.

“How can you,” they say, “bird Dunyakha, walk forty miles through the forest alone?” Autumn is full of wolves. No bones will be left.

“On Sunday afternoon,” he says, “I’ll run away.” During the day, I guess the wolves won’t dare to run out onto the road. Well, I’ll take an ax just in case.

“In Sysert,” they ask, “do you know who?”

“Bab,” he answers, “you never know.” Through them I find out what is needed.

Some of the men doubt:

- What does the woman know?

“That,” he answers, “knows what a peasant knows, and when and more.”

The men argued a little, then they said:

“That’s right, Dunyakha bird, it’s more convenient for you to go, but it’s just a shame for us to send one girl to this task.” The wolves will devour you.

Then the guy ran up. He found out what the conversation was about and said:

- I'll go with her.

Dunyakha blushed a little, but did not deny it.

“It’s more fun together, of course, but just so you don’t get caught in Sysert.”

“They won’t catch him,” he answers.

So Dunyakha left with that guy. Of course, they didn’t get out of the plant along the road, but through the back streets, and then they also walked through the forest so that they couldn’t be seen from the road. We reached Diagon Brod so calmly. They look - there are three people standing on the bridge. Apparently it's a guard. Chusovaya is not frozen yet, and you can’t take it somewhere higher or lower either - it’s cold. Dunyakha looked from the forest and said:

- No, apparently, dear friend Matyusha, you are not allowed to go with me. You'll ruin yourself here in vain and let me down. Go home quickly, before the bosses miss you, and I’m the only one who’ll try to use a woman’s cunning.

Matyukha, of course, began to persuade her, but she stood her ground. They argued and decided that he would watch from the forest. If they don’t stop her on the bridge, she’ll go home, but if they stop her, she’ll run out and fight back. Dunyakha got closer, hid the ax tighter, and ran out of the forest. She runs straight at the men, and she screams and screams:

- Oh, guys, a wolf! Oh, wolf!

The men see that the woman is scared and laugh. One of them tripped her up, but, apparently, Dunyakha kept her eyes open, flew past, and she kept shouting:

- Oh, wolf! Oh, wolf! The men follow her:

- He grabbed me by the hem! He grabbed it by the hem! Run - don't stand!

Matyukha looked and said:

- A bird flew by! Here's a girl! She won’t disappear on her own and won’t let her friend down! Then it will lightly pass by the side. No matter how late she was, she wouldn’t wait for the wolves. Matvey returned home before his rounds. Everything went smoothly for him - they didn’t notice. The next day I told the mine workers. Then they realized that those first ones had been captured at Diagon Ford.

“They’re probably sitting there locked up and in chains.” The clerk doesn’t even look for them - he knows, it’s obvious where they are. No matter how our bird gets there, how will it go back!

We talked like this and parted ways. What about Dunyakha? I walked calmly through the forest to Sysert. Only once did I see field guards on the road. We were driving home from Sysert. She buried herself, and when they had passed each other, she started walking again. I was tired, of course, but still managed to get to Sysert in the light. There were also guards on the road, but it was quite easy to get around them. She turned into the forest and went out into the vegetable gardens, and there was a well nearby. There were women here, Dunyahu, and it became unnoticeable in public. One old woman asked her:

- Whose girl are you going to be? Exactly not from our end?

Dunyakha trusted this old woman.

“Polevskaya,” she says.

The old lady marvels:

- How did you get through it? There are guards posted everywhere. Men can't get to yours. The one who leaves is the one who will be lost.

Dunyakha told her.

Then the old woman says:

- Come on, girl, to me. Live alone. They don’t even come to me to search me. And if they come, you will say that you are my Zarechensk granddaughter. She looks like you. Only you seem to be more husky. What's your name?

“Dunyahoy,” he says.

- That's okay. Mine is also called Dunya.

It was from this old woman that Dunyakha learned everything. The master, it turns out, has run away somewhere completely far away, and messengers go to and from him every week.

The master sends all some instructions, and the clerk Vanka Shvarev reads those instructions to the people. The iron plant is completely closed, and the men on the Shchelkunskaya road are digging deep ditches and filling up embankments. They are waiting on the other side for arrival. They say that the Bashkirs are rebelling, but in reality that is not the case at all. In distant factories, in villages and among the Cossacks, the people rose up, and the Bashkirs with them. They take the breeders and the bar by the throat, and the main boss of the people is called Omelyan Ivanovich. Whoever speaks - he is a king, who - from ordinary people, only the will of the people is his, and for the factory owners and bars - death! It was our cunning fellow who ran away. Scared!

I found out that in Sysert, he also goes to men’s homes and places of work and checks them three times a day. Only they are even stricter. Almost anyone will happen, now all the family members are in chains and even in jail. The man will come running:

- Here I am, a little late for work!

And they answer him:

- Don’t be late ahead! - and it only lasts two or three family days.

They completely screwed up the people, and the clerk is worse than a chained dog.

Still, as soon as the evening rounds were over, the men came running to that old woman. Let Dunyakha ask what and how it’s going with them. Told by Dunyakha.

“And we,” they say, “no matter how many people we sent to yours, not a single one returned.”

“It’s the same,” he answers, “with us.” Those who left are lost! Apparently they are all intercepted on Chusovaya.

We talked and talked, then began to think about how Dunyakhe could return to Polevaya. Surely they are waiting for her at Diagon Ford, but how can you get by?

One here says:

— Through the Tersut swamp and to Galyan. It would have worked out well, but she doesn’t know these places, and there’s no one to guide her...

- Don’t we really have any brave girls? - the hostess says here. “Also, gosh, they’re not counted from house to house, and many have been to Tersutsky to buy cranberries.” Conducted! Just tell her the way so she doesn’t get lost or be late. Otherwise the wolves will get their prey.

Well, he told me about the road. First, they say, along the Tersut swamp, then along the Mochalovka river to the Galyan swamp, and it approaches Chusovaya itself. The place here is narrow. It will get over somehow, and then the Polevsky mines will go further.

“If,” he says, “you happen to be late, there’s less danger.” In those places from Galyan to the Dumnaya Mountain itself, an earthen cat (a mythical creature living in the earth sometimes shows its “fiery ears.” - Ed.) walks around. She is not harmful to our brother, but the wolves are afraid of her if she shows her ears. They don’t really flock to those places. Just don’t hope for this either, run quickly to get to the plant before dark. Maybe something about a cat is an empty conversation. Who saw her?

There were, of course, brave girls. They decided to take us to Mochalovka. In the morning, while it was still dark, we sneaked past the guards behind the plant.

“The wolves won’t devour us in droves.” They'll be afraid, I guess. We’ll return home early, and it will be better for her, our guest.

This girl's team is walking, talking like this. After a little while they started singing songs. The road was well-traveled, we went to Tersutsko for cranberries - why shouldn’t they sing?

We reached Mochalovka and began to say goodbye to Dunyakha. It's not too late yet. It was a sunny day. That's okay. That guy said that from Mochalovka through Galyan it’s no more than fifteen miles to Polevaya. It will get there before dark, and there will be no wolves. There was no reason to be afraid.

We said goodbye. Dunyakha went alone. It immediately got worse. Unfamiliar places, scary forest. At least she wasn’t afraid, but she looked around. Well, I got a little lost.

While she was getting confused and heading, you see, things came to darkness. There was chanting in all directions. There were a lot of wolves in our area in those years. Now in the autumn they howl right under the plant, but then they were strong! Dunyakha sees that things are bad. She’s learned so much, and she won’t even get the news across! And I also feel sorry for my young life. I remembered about that guy - about Matvey. And the wolves are very close. What to do? If you run, they will immediately attack you and tear you to shreds. If you climb a pine tree, everyone will wait until you fall.

Along the slope, he sees that the swamp has begun to descend towards Chusovaya. That's how the man explained it. So he thinks: “If only I could get to Chusovaya!”

He walks slowly, and the wolves are on his heels. Yes, and there are many of them. The ax, of course, is in the hand, but what’s in it!/

Only suddenly two blue lights flashed. Neither give nor take - cat ears. Wider at the bottom, gone to nothing at the top. There are about fifty steps ahead of Dunyakha.

Dunyakha did not wonder where the lights were coming from - she immediately rushed towards them. I knew that wolves were afraid of fire.

She ran up - exactly, two fires were burning, and between them there was a small hill, like a cat’s head. Dunyakha stopped here, between those lights. He sees that the wolves have fallen behind, and the lights are getting bigger and bigger, and the hill seems to be higher. Dunyakha marvels at how they burn, since no firewood is visible. She laughed, extended her hand, but didn’t feel the heat. Dunyakha brought her hand even closer. The fire darted to the side, like a cat shaking its ear, and again burned evenly.

Dunyakha became a little afraid, but she couldn’t run towards the wolves. He stands between the lights, but they still move upward. They became really big. Dunyakha picked up a pebble from the ground. It smells like sulfur. Then she remembered about the earthen cat that the Sysert man had spoken about. Dunyakha had heard before that in the sands, where copper is flecked with gold, there lives a cat with fiery ears. People have seen ears many times, but no one has ever seen a cat. She walks underground.

Dunyakha stands between those cat ears and thinks: “What next? The wolves ran away, but for how long? Just move away from the lights - they will come running again. It’s cold to stand here, you won’t be able to survive until the morning.”

As soon as I thought, the lights disappeared. Dunyakha was left in the dark. I looked around - were there any wolves again? No, I can't see it. But where to go in the dark? And then again the lights flashed ahead. Dunyakha ran towards them. He runs and runs, but cannot catch up. So she ran to the Chusovaya River, and her ears were already burning on the other side.

The ice, of course, is thin and unreliable, but you can’t take it apart. She knocked down two light poles and began to move with them. She crawled with all her might and never failed, even though there was a lot of crackling. The perches helped her.

I didn't stand. I ran for the cat ears. After all, I took a closer look at the place and recognized it. This is sandy. There was a mine. She happened to be here at work. I could find my way alone at night, but everything is running behind my ears. She herself thinks: “If they rescued me from such trouble, will they really lead me to something wrong?”

I thought, and the lights were swept away. Brightly tanned. That's how they shimmer. It’s as if they’re giving a sign: “Okay, girl, like that!” Well judged!”

They took Dunyakha's cat ears to the Povarensky mine, and he was right next to Dumnaya Mountain. I was in that place. To put it bluntly, in the factory.

It's night time. Dunyakha went to her hut, making her way with caution, of course. Just where there are people, he will bury himself: he will hide behind a gate post, or even wave across the garden. I got close to the hut and heard someone talking.

She listened and understood that they were guarding someone. And they were guarding her. The clerk ordered the old woman to be kept on constant guard in her hut. “Here,” he thinks, “Dunyakha will appear if she is lucky enough to sneak back.” This guard itself checked that they did not leave either day or night.

Dunyakha did not understand this. He just hears that someone else is sitting next to his grandmother. I was afraid to show up. And she herself was frozen, unbearably so. So she snuck down the alley to that guy, Matvey, with whom she walked to Diagon Ford. She knocked quietly on the window and hid herself. He ran out the gate:

- Who?

Well, she had her say. The guy was happy.

“Go,” he says, “quickly to the bathhouse.” She's drowned. I’ll bury you there, and tomorrow we’ll find a safer place.

I locked Dunyakha in a warm bath and ran to reliable people to say:

- Dunyakha returned, a bird flew in. They quickly came running and started asking questions. Dunyakha told them everything. At the end I mentioned cat ears:

“If it weren’t for them, the wolves would have devoured me.”

The guys missed it. They think our bird is tired, so he took revenge (it seemed. - Ed.) on her.

“Come on,” they say, “eat and go to bed!” We'll watch you until the morning and then we'll figure out where it's best to hide.

That's what Duna needs. She was exhausted in the warmth and could barely sit.

She ate a little and fell asleep. Matyukha and about five other guys remained on guard. Only it was night time, quiet, and Dunyakha brought such news. The guys, apparently, were talking loudly. Well, other people who came to listen also couldn’t resist telling one or the other, advising what to do. In a word, the anxiety has gone. The guards noticed. Let's do a check right away. One is missing, the other is missing, but Matvey turned out to have five strangers.

- Why did you come?

They make excuses, of course, whatever comes to mind. The guards didn’t believe it and rushed to search. The guys have nothing to do - they took up the stakes. The linemen, of course, are armed, but in the dark they are more capable of using a stake. The guys drove them away. Only others came running to take the place of those linemen. Three or four times more. Guys, it means the turn has come. One was shot by the linemen, but the others are still fighting back.

Dunyaha has long since slipped away. She ran out of the bathhouse and looked - two terrible blue lights had risen above Dumnaya Mountain, just like a cat was hiding behind the mountain, its ears stuck out. He's about to rush to the factory. Dunyakha and shouts:

- Our lights! Mine! Look at them guys!

And she ran there herself. There was a commotion in the factory. The alarm sounded in the bell tower. People jumped up. They think there is a fire behind the mountain. Let's run there. Whoever runs closer will stop. They are afraid of these lights. One Dunyakha flies straight at them. She ran, stopped between the lights and shouted:

- Grab the masters! Their time has passed! Other factories have long since run out of such people!

Here the linemen and all the guards had a hard time. It is known that people gathered in large numbers. The guards ran in all directions. But will you go far from the people? Many were captured, but the clerk drove them away along the city road. We missed it - it was a mistake. Those who were in chains were freed, of course. Then the lights went out.

The next day all the people gathered on Dumnaya Mountain. Dunyakha told me what she had heard in Sysert. Here others, more of the old people, began to hesitate:

- Who knows what else will happen! You shouldn't have given us hope last night.

Others are again behind Dunyakha Mountain:

- The right girl! That's how it should be! What else should you expect? We need to go to the people where this Omelyan Ivanovich showed up.

Who shout again:

- We need to run to Diagon Ford. Looks like our guys are sitting there. Forgot them?

The gang of guys now ran. They shot down the guards there, rescued their own people and five people from Sysert. Well, all the people in Diagon Ford were raised. They told them what was going on with people.

The guys ran home, but on Dumnaya Mountain they were still arguing. The old people, without the young ones, took away all the power and intimidated the people. They just say:

“Did we do a good job tonight, beat the guards to death?”

The young people shout:

- Serves them right!

The prison inmates from Diagon Brod are on this same side, of course. They say to old people:

“If you’re scared, then stay here, we’ll go get our fair share.”

On this we parted ways. The old people, to their misfortune, stayed behind, and they also brought others under the whip. Soon the clerk came with soldiers from the city, and guards also came from Sysert. The people were quickly squeezed. The clerk began to become even more vicious than the old man, but soon stopped short. Apparently, he heard that something was wrong for himself. The old men, those who led the people astray, began to cajole in every possible way. Only those backs haven’t healed, they remember that they made a mistake. The clerk sees, they look askance - he’s escaped! Since then, it has not been seen in our factories. Apparently, he hid himself tightly, and maybe he fell into the hands of good people - they turned their heads.

And the young people then left the Dumna Mountain for the forests. Matvey became their leader.

And the bird Dunyakha flew away with him.

They said a lot about this daring bird, but I don’t remember...

One thing stuck in my memory - about Dunyakhin’s whip.

Dunyakha, they say, lived in our area even after Omelyan Ivanovich was knocked down by the bars and taken away for execution. The factory management was very keen to catch Dunyakha, but it still didn’t work out. But she, no, no, will show up out in the open somewhere on the road or in some mine. And always, you know, on a nightingale (yellowish-white color. - Ed.) skate, and the skate is such that you can’t catch up with it. She swoops in out of the blue and takes someone she needs with Bashkir Kamcha - and it’s gone. The authorities will be alarmed, they will start looking for Dunyakha again, and lo and behold, she will show up in another place and teach some mine boss with a whip how to deal with the people. Some people are so petted that they cannot get up for a long time.

It is known that using Kamcha from a horse, not only can you knock down a person, you can beat a wolf to death, if someone knows how, of course. Dunyakha, apparently, got used to using a sack and left her notes for a long time. And everything, they say, is to the point. And most of all, those miners got it the most when they oppressed young girls. She did not spare these at all.

At the mines, such people were threatened with:

“Make sure Dunyakha doesn’t stroke you with a whip.”

Of course, they shot at Dunyakha more than once, but she was apparently born happy about it, and people also said that the cat’s ears would flash like lights in front of the shooter and Dunyakha would no longer be visible.

How much truth there is in those words, no one will say about it, because I haven’t seen it myself, but how can I believe the arrow?

It wouldn't be nice for anyone if he fired a bullet into the white light. He always comes up with some excuse for this case. It was against the sun, they say, a midge got into the eye, darkening happened in the eyes, a mosquito got into the nose and injected into the causative vein just at that time. Well, you never know what else they say. Maybe some shooter brought in fiery ears to cover up his penalty. It's not so embarrassing after all. From these words, apparently, the conversation began.

Otherwise, maybe Dunyakha really was lucky as hell. It’s also not for nothing that old people say:

“The brave one will stand on a hill, bullets fly past, the timid one will be buried in the bushes, and the bullet will find him.”

The factory management certainly could not shield their backs from Dunyakhina’s whip. The master himself, they say, was afraid that Dunyakha might hit him somewhere. Only she, too, did not operate without ingenuity.

Why would she rush with one whip, if the master is always on guard and everyone is armed?

What diseases do ticks cause?

Ear scabies, also known as carnivore otodectosis, is a parasitic disease in which a mite lives in or on the pinna of the ear and infects the eardrum or ear canal. The blood-sucking insect causes itching, causing the cat to shake its head and meow. The ear may become scabby and fester. Without intervention, the disease causes complications: otitis, meningitis - or lead to the death of the animal.

Notoedrosis is caused by the sarcopid mite Notoedres cati. The ears, nose, and area under the eyes are affected. The tick affects the nervous, cardiovascular, and reticuloendothelial systems. First, the disease spreads to the muzzle and head, and then moves on to the rest of the body. The animal feels severe itching, scratches its ears, the skin dries out and becomes rough, and bleeding cracks and crusts form.

Otitis is an inflammation of the middle ear. The cat scratches its ears until wounds appear and shakes its head. At the same time, serous fluid with pus is released. This disease is caused by (where does it come from):

• ticks - as a complication of otodecosis;
• bacteria - with a weakened immune system or allergies, the yeast fungus Malassezia develops in the ears;
• both reasons at once - in this case mixed type otitis occurs.

Ear cleaning procedure

Before starting the procedure, prepare everything you need.
The upper part of the ear is cleaned with a cotton sponge or neutral wet wipes.

For the lower one, it is advisable to use children's cotton swabs with limiters - this way there is less risk of injuring the animal. You need from 2 to 4 of them for each ear, depending on the degree of contamination. You should not use the same stick for different ears, even if it seemed to remain clean.

Prepare enough blades and chopsticks so that you don't have to take a break because you don't have enough.

Do not use homemade matchsticks - the cotton wool can easily slip off and remain in the ear. In addition, in this case there is a high risk of scratching the animal.

If possible, prepare a small flashlight - it will allow you to better examine the auricle. If necessary, warm the cleanser to room temperature.

It is best to carry out cleaning when the cat comes on its own and asks for attention or is half asleep. During the procedure, talk quietly and gently to your pet to calm him down.

How to clean a cat's ears:

Place your pet on a table or in your arms

If he is calm about the procedure, you can simply hold him with your hand; if he breaks out, carefully swaddle him in a towel or call an assistant. Gently turn the ear outward - this is not painful and will not harm the animal. With fold-eared cats, as well as those with curled ears, for example, curls and lefties, you need to act especially carefully.

Carefully examine the ears for symptoms of disease. Place 5-7 drops of lotion or saline solution into your ear - the exact dose should be indicated by the manufacturer. For kittens, 2-3 drops are enough. Gently massage the base of your ear for a minute. Allow the cat to shake its head and shake the liquid and loosened dirt out of the ears. For light contamination this is sufficient. If it is very dirty, wipe the upper part of the ear with a sponge, and clean the lower part with a cotton swab. It can be immersed to a depth of up to a centimeter, for kittens - half a centimeter. Don't be afraid to puncture your eardrum - this is impossible due to the curves of the auricle, although you still need to act carefully. Move the wand outward rather than inward to remove dirt rather than push it deeper. After cleaning is complete, praise and pet the animal and reward it with a treat.

Accustoming kittens to the procedure

It is very important to teach your pet to calmly endure the ear cleaning procedure, otherwise in the future, by struggling and resisting, he will complicate the owner’s task, and besides, by jerking at the wrong moment, he can seriously harm himself. It is advisable to play with the baby in advance so that he gets tired and calms down.

It’s not worth interrupting the game in the midst of it - the kitten will be too excited and will probably resist, and the procedure in this case will cause unpleasant associations for him

It is advisable to play with the baby in advance so that he gets tired and calms down. It’s not worth interrupting the game in the midst of it - the kitten will be too excited and will probably resist, and the procedure in this case will cause unpleasant associations for it.

An animal accustomed to the procedure from childhood most often perceives it calmly.

Stroke the prepared animal, talk softly and affectionately to it to calm it down

If the kitten still resists touching its ears, you can restrain it by gently wrapping it in a towel.

Please note that you cannot express your dissatisfaction with the animal or scold it, much less act rudely. Even when swaddling a kitten, speak friendly

Praise him in moments of calm and obedience.

After completing the cleaning, be sure to give the kitten a treat and, if he wants, play with him - the procedure should be associated with pleasure.

The attitude towards ear cleaning largely depends on the character of the animal. Our first cat never struggled or showed aggression during the procedure; he only pressed his ears to his head with force, so it took some effort to straighten them. Since at the same time he usually sat quietly next to her, without trying to escape, it seemed that he saw this as a kind of game.

If your pet reacts aggressively to the procedure, trim the nails in advance or attach anti-scratch guards to them.

How to determine when it’s time to clean your ears, what happens if you don’t?

Hygiene is one of the main components of caring for a pet. It is better to examine your pet every day: when playing or petting, you can carefully bend the ear and then look. The pet's health is fine if the sink is light pink, clean or with a small amount of sulfur, not dirty (no blackness).

Excess wax accumulates in the ear canal, attracting bacteria and parasites. The sulfur plug leads to irritation of the mucous membrane and begins to put pressure on the eardrum. This spoils hearing and disrupts vestibular functions: leads to impaired coordination of movements, nausea, and vomiting.

Accumulations of dirt can clog the glands, and the contents of the ears can be absorbed into the blood, leading to allergic otitis media. Without treatment, the inflammation spreads deeper and can lead to the death of the animal. With tick-borne otitis media, the parasite eats dead skin cells and causes itching. Scratched areas appear around the cat's ears, and dark spots of pus and sulfur appear inside.

If your pet shakes its head, itches or worries, and black plaque, redness, discharge or spots appear in the ears, this is a reason to contact a veterinarian at the veterinary clinic.

Photo - this is what an ear mite looks like

How does wax form in cats' ears?

Sulfur production is a natural process. Ear secretions produce earwax for several reasons:

1. To lubricate and moisturize the skin in the auricle;
2. To protect against bacteria entering the ears;
3. To prevent the spread of fungi;
4. To protect against the entry of foreign objects: dust, insects and other debris.

Basically, debris that enters the ear clumps in the wax and is eliminated from the body naturally. In healthy cats, sulfur has a paste-like consistency, is brown in color, and has no odor. If sulfur begins to acquire a pungent odor and changes color and consistency, this may indicate the onset of a disease.

When to clean your ears

Cleaning is divided into preventive and therapeutic.

For preventive purposes, cleaning is carried out every 2–4 weeks, depending on the breed, as well as the body of a particular animal. The large ears of Maine Coon, Savannah, Cornish Rex, Abyssinian, Oriental, Somali, Siamese cats, Devon Rex, elves, and Sphynx cats get dirty faster.

Sulfur is especially actively secreted in breeds without hair inside the hearing organ, since the hairs protect against pollution.

It is difficult to clean the ears of the Scottish Fold on your own, so it is recommended to clean them once every two weeks. A small amount of secretion protects your pet from disease, so there is no need to clean it more often.

Therapeutic cleaning of a Scottish or British cat is carried out before treatment against ticks, the use of antibiotics or antifungal drugs. Before each use of drops or rinses, the sink should be cleaned with saline solution or lotion. Parasites and bacteria produce their own byproducts that interfere with the action of medications. Cleaning is prescribed by a veterinarian and is carried out until complete recovery.

Healthy clean ears of a British cat

Scottish fold cat

The history of the Scottish Fold began in 1961, when a cat with flattened ears was born on one of the farms. She received the nickname Susie and became the founder of a new breed. Because cats with folded ears are prone to genetic abnormalities and various diseases, they have not been recorded in the UK. The breed was popularized only when American specialists learned about it.

Scottish Folds are medium to large sized cats weighing between 3-8 kg. Their body is covered with short, plush fur with a well-developed undercoat. Representatives of the breed are easily recognized by their rounded heads with full cheeks and large, widely spaced eyes. But the main distinguishing feature of Scottish Folds is their small, forward-curved ears. They must have from 1 to 3 folds. Sometimes the shell fits so tightly to the skull that it seems that the cat is without ears.

Scottish Folds are calm, unobtrusive animals with a gentle and peaceful disposition. They easily adapt to new conditions and quickly become attached to people. Big-eyed cats with folded ears love to take unusual poses and have no problem getting along with children.

Symptoms of diseases

It is worth paying attention to the health of your pet if:

• redness of the skin;
• increased temperature in certain parts of the body;
• narrowing of the auditory canal;
• tumors;
• change in the color of sulfur;
• unpleasant strong odors;
• squelching sound when pressing;
• excessive sulfur secretion;
• accumulations of pus and fluid;
• various secretions with blood;
• decreased ability to perceive sounds;
• changes in behavior: the cat shakes its head or tilts it to one side, pulls its ear away or runs away when touched, often itches;
• black sulfur, streaks with impurities are a sign of a mite.

Black inclusions in sulfur are often ordinary dirt. If, after cleansing, minor inflammations remain on the skin, you should seek help from a specialist.

Colorless or milky discharge indicates a lack of microelements or vitamins.

Dry ears and waxy scales indicate dermatitis, as well as a lack of fat in the diet.

Allergies are indicated by colorless discharge from the nose, eyes, and ears.

The ears smell like fish if there is a staphylococcus infection, and rotten meat when there is suppuration.

Only a veterinarian can indicate the true cause of ill health and prescribe the correct treatment, so any of these symptoms require consultation.

Photo of bacterial otitis media

Tumor of the seruminous glands

Preparing for cleaning: what to buy

To care for pets, only specialized preparations are used, especially when cleaning the ears. The products protect against fungus and bacteria, prevent infection, and are safe for pets. The instructions for the product should indicate cleaning, not instillation. Under no circumstances should you take anti-inflammatory drugs if there is no indication for it. For cleaning it is recommended to use:

• AUROCLEAN with chamomile extract softens sulfur;
• Leopard, Dewdrop for cleansing ears;
• EAR cleaner cleans;
• Euracon Pharma Otoklin removes dead skin cells, softens sulfur, moisturizes;
• Doctor Vic softens sulfur, used before using medications;
• Veda acts as an antiseptic, heals, removes inflammation;
• Vetoquinol Otifri eliminates impurities, relieves itching, and improves the condition of microflora.

Instead of lotion, you can use saline solution, boiled water, or chamomile decoction.

What is not allowed during processing is prohibited

The ears of adults and kittens are sensitive and need careful attention. Doctors do not recommend when cleaning:

• use soap, iodine, vinegar, alcohol lotions, hydrogen peroxide. These drugs can cause irritation and dryness;
• use cotton swabs, wrap cotton wool around matches. This can damage the eardrum or push debris into the ear canal instead of out.

Lumps or discharge in the ears are a signal to consult with veterinarians at veterinary clinics.

Ukrainian Levkoy

These hairless cats, with forward-curved ears, were bred in 2004 thanks to the efforts of Kyiv felinologist Elena Biryukova. To obtain a new breed, the woman used Don Sphynxes and Scottish Folds. As a result of the experiments, unusual, almost hairless kittens with huge eyes and curled ears were born. The new breed was called the “Ukrainian Levkoy” and quickly gained popularity among residents of many countries.

Ukrainian Levkoys are medium-sized hairless cats with well-developed muscles and a stepped profile. A distinctive feature of the breed are small deformed ears with curved tips with one or two horizontal folds and a thin mouse tail.

You can find out more about the breed in a separate article “Ukrainian Levkoy”.

Ukrainian Levkoys are affectionate and gentle animals with a good-natured and peaceful disposition. Curious and highly intelligent, cats with folded ears are easy to train and try to participate in all household activities.

Cleaning the ears of adult cats

Before the procedure, your pet should be calmed down. Screenings will not cause concern if done from a young age. To prevent the animal from harming itself and its owner when cleaning, the cat can be restrained by wrapping it in a soft towel, leaving its head outside.

Cleaning (washing) the ears of animals is not painful, but it is unpleasant. Wiping the inside of the ears of cats and dogs is not enough. Contaminants should be removed from the ear canal without damaging the organ. How to clean it properly:

1. Place your pet on your lap or other comfortable surface.
2. Apply the cleansing agent until the canal is filled.
3. Press the edge of your ear to the ear canal and massage in a circular motion. The liquid inside should be audible.
4. Make the cat shake its head. This will remove contaminants out.
5. Wrap your finger in a paper towel (can be replaced with a napkin or gauze), remove any remaining dirt. There is still dirt left, repeat steps 2-4, move to the other ear.
6. At the end of the procedure, give your pet a treat.

If there is too much contamination, a home procedure may not be enough. If an unpleasant odor appears, contact a specialist who will use professional cleaning products and also prescribe the necessary treatment, if necessary.

How to measure a cat's temperature

Health problems cannot always be determined visually, so it is recommended to regularly measure basic physiological indicators.

To measure the temperature , lubricate the tip of the thermometer with Vaseline or baby cream. Place the pet on its side, calm it down, lift its tail and insert the thermometer 1–2 cm into the anus.

To measure blood pressure, you can use a blood pressure monitor, which consists of miniature cuffs that are attached to the animal's hind limb and a highly sensitive Doppler sensor that detects the slightest appearance of blood flow. Pressure measurements should be taken several times, as there may be an error caused by the cat's nervousness during the procedure.

More accurate blood pressure readings can be obtained at a veterinary clinic using procedures such as oscillometric measurements and ultrasound devices.

To take the pulse, press your fingers against the cat's chest behind the elbows or in the hollow where the hind limb meets the body. Gently press on the indicated areas until you feel a pulse, then count the number of beats per minute using a watch with a second hand.

How to clean a kitten's ears

Kittens' ears require inspection and cleaning no less than those of adults. At the same time, the kitten behaves unpredictably and experiences stress.

How to care? The baby must be restrained before the procedure to avoid injury (usually, the kitten is not allowed to have its ears cleaned). An active kitten can be swaddled so that only the head is exposed. Do not tighten your pet's paws to avoid further scaring. After the procedure, give the kitten a treat to compensate for the stress caused. If you clean your kitten regularly, it will get used to it and become calmer. To clean, you will need cotton pads and cleansing lotion or boiled water.

1. Gently open the ear with your thumb and forefinger.
2. Wet the disc with cleaning fluid.
3. Wipe the ear from the inside to the exit.

American Curl

This breed of cats with ears bent back appeared in America in the 80s of the last century. Her story began when a couple from California took pity on a stray animal with an unusual appearance. The found cat received the nickname Shulamith and a few months later brought offspring.

At first, the owners thought that the kittens did not inherit their mother’s curled ears. But two of them, at 10 days of age, unexpectedly showed this sign. In 1983, cats with ears bent outward caught the eye of specialists, and from that moment serious work began with them. In 1987, the breed received official recognition from TICA.

The American Curl is a medium-sized cat, weighing between 2.5-5 kg. She has expressive almond-shaped eyes, the shade of which matches the color of her coat, and high-set ears, gracefully curved outward at an angle of 90-180 degrees.

The harmonious cat's body is covered with short or semi-long hair, which has several color options, including color point, tabby, tortoiseshell, links point, bicolor and solid.

The American Curl is distinguished by its sociable character and high intelligence. A cat with inverted ears is easy to train, quickly becomes attached to people and remains optimistic until old age.