Cleaning kitten's ears

[OnionPatch]

Our new kitten Gracie's ears are a mess. Filthy inside, just caked and who knows, may be some ear mites as well although she hasn't been scratching as much as I would think for that. Anyway, how should I clean them? She has a vet appt. but it's not until Friday. Should I use cotton balls? Q-tips? Some sort of soap or what? I don't think that caked dirt's going to come off with plain water. I don't know where to start.

[newsguyatl]

1. there are cat ear wipes at any local pet store

that's best. otherwise use mild soap and warm water on a washcloth and gently rub...

should come right off.

[superconnected]

2. just don't douse her head under water or pour any in there

like a human she could get it in her inner ear and it could be painful at least, and an ear infection at worst. The wiping is a great idea.

[OnionPatch]

3. Ok, I think I got them clean

Thanks for the advice. I was just freaked out at how dirty they were and felt like I didn't know where to start. You wouldn't believe the black goo I wiped out of them. I used saline solution and cotton balls, then I found some ear mite medicine I had from my previous cat because I'm pretty sure this poor kitten has them. There were little red spots where it was actually bleeding! I feel awful for not noticing before but she wasn't scratching at her ears at all!

Well, the ears are all clean and she's PO'd because they're all oily, too, from the medicine, but I'm sure she's going to feel so much better soon. Thanks, all.

[IndyOp]

4. Isn't this always the way: "and she's PO'd..."

My dogs act like ear cleanings and baths are equivalent to application of a cattle prod -- though afterwards they run circles around the backyard and feel great! No appreciation for me, none at all - just suspicion everytime I grab a towel and head for the bathroom.

:rofl:

[kestrel91316]

6. Cat vet here ................

you bad mom you! You went and removed all the EVIDENCE so now the vet won't be able to find ear mites and show you the damned things in an orgy on the microscope slide, lol!!

There are two EXCELLENT treatments for ear mites but you need to see your vet to get them. treating them NO LONGER requires daily cleaning and putting goop in the ears. My favorite drug is Revolution. It is like Advantage and Frontline, a topical once a month flea product, but it also gets ear mites and roundworms/hookworms. GREAT product. Clears them up with one treatment, but I do it twice, a month apart, just to be sure. There is also an ear medication that has an avermectin, comes in two tubes but it has to be put in the ears and that can be tough. I had a little trouble with recurrence/hard to eliminate the things when I used this a couple years ago.

Don't do any more poking in the ears with q0tips for now, they are raw and sore and will just bleed more.

[madinmaryland]

5. Please see this for recommendations:

This is a very detailed way for cleaning your cat's ears.

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/cat_ears.asp