A cat suffering from an ear infection will frequently demonstrate unusual behaviors such as scratching or shaking her head in an effort to remove unwanted debris. In severe cases, cats have been known to lose their sense of balance. Though veterinarians can prescribe antibiotic medications to manage the ear infections, owners can also administer less potent solutions in an effort to avoid possible side effects of stronger medications.
Things You'll Need
- • Cat toy (optional)
- • White vinegar
- • Water
- • Mineral oil
- • Pau d'arco herb solution
- • Olive or almond oil
- • Cotton balls
- • Rubbing alcohol
Instructions
Instructions
Determine the cause of the irritation in the ear. If a brownish-pink wax is present in the ear, the cat may have contracted a yeast infection that simply needs a thorough cleaning with diluted white vinegar until the infection has been eliminated. Use one part water to one part vinegar to make the solution. For a more intense infection, consider administering a mixture of equal parts mineral oil and the herb pau d'arco. Pau d'arco is a natural remedy used to treat bacterial infections and should be used in limiting quantities. When ear mites are suspected, olive or almond oils are both extracts that are able to kill the mites and allow the infection to gradually heal.
Using a dropper, administer a few drops of the properly chosen remedy into the inner-ear by gently pulling the outer ear flap up and holding it with one hand while gently and comfortably cradling the cat in your arm. Apply the drops to the outer canal, the visible part of the ear, and hold the position long enough to allow the drops to flow to the inner ear.
Massage the ear canal with your thumb and forefinger until you hear a squishing sound indicating that the solution has reached the correct part of the canal.
Cleanse the outer ear canal and ear flap with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol to disinfect any debris that may have been dislodged after the administration of the solution.
If using the vinegar solution for yeast infections, repeat the above steps on a daily basis until the infection has subsided. For more intense infections using the pau d' arco solution, administer two to three times per day for the first two days and once per day for each additional day until the infection is gone. Administer the mineral oil solution for ear mites for three to four weeks using three to seven drops each day.