Cats are wonderful pets. When they curl up in your lap, purring their contentment, there is little else that is more soothing. As with people, cats can suffer from various ailments, no matter how well you take care of them. One of the most problematic and common are ear infections. Ear infections are painful for cats and can be difficult to get rid of. Knowing some home remedies, however, can really help the conscientious cat owner.
-
Clean the ear
-
This can be a bit tricky, as most felines do not like to be restrained. Wrap your cat securely in a large towel or blanket, tight enough to render his claws useless, but not so tight as to restrict breathing. Place your kitty under your arm so both your hands are free. With one hand gently restrain the head and fold the ears back to expose the folds of the ear itself. Clean out any dark wax or dirt with cotton swabs and tissue.
Apply the medicine
-
Prepare a mixture of 50 percent water and 50 percent apple cider vinegar. Take a cotton ball and moisten it thoroughly in this liquid. Rub the folds of the ear and squeeze some of the liquid into the cat's ear canal. Massage the fluid deeper by moving your fingers around the outside of the ear to gently squash the fluid back and forth inside the ear canal. Be prepared for your cat to be less than thrilled about this whole experience. Repeat daily for 10 days.
Other Treatments
-
Pau d' arco, an herb from the inner bark of a tree in South America, is another natural cure for feline ear infections. Use a few drops of this tincture in some mineral oil twice a day in the infected ear. A few drops of almond or olive oil in each ear twice a day is another way to naturally cure ear infections caused by ear mites. Each of these treatments needs to be done twice daily for at least 10 days.
-