Ears

Thirty-two individual muscles in each ear allow for a manner of directional hearing: the cat can move each ear independently of the other. Because of this mobility, a cat can move its body in one direction and point its ears in another direction. Most cats have straight ears pointing upward. Unlike dogs, flap-eared breeds are extremely rare. (Scottish Folds are one such exceptional genetic mutation.) When angry or frightened, a cat will lay back its ears, to accompany the growling or hissing sounds it makes. Cats also turn their ears back when they are playing, or to listen to a sound coming from behind them. The angle of a cat's ears is an important clue to their mood.www.wikipedia.org

Ear Cleaning
Ear cleaning routine is necessary for your cat,this a few tips for ear cleaning:

• Have all of the materials close at hand before you begin so that the session is short, and you do not give her an opportunity to go off and hide under the bed while you fumble for things!

• If she is the type to bring the front claws up or is ready to run off before you start, consider having a family member or friend help to steady her. As well, a soft bath towel wrapped firmly but not tightly around her body, with the head exposed can protect you, make the cat feel more secure, and keep her from skittering away! As a bonus, it will absorb any dribbled cleaning liquid!


• Do not proceed if you think she might bite . Contact your veterinarian for advice in this instance.
  
• Be gentle! Cats have very sensitive ears. Avoid pulling hard on the pinna (the ear flap that sticks out from the head).
  
• Avoid pushing fingers or cotton down too deep into the ear canal as the delicate lining can become irritated or damaged, or the pressure may lead to pain.
  
• Do not pull out and up on the ear as this straightens the ear canal and makes it easier to go too deep—position the ear flap on top of the head to maintain an angle in the ear canal.
  
• As you steady the ear, take a little loose skin in your grasp between your fingers of the same hand you are holding the ear with. This allows you to stay with the cat if she moves away suddenly. If you hold the ear flap only, you can end up pulling the ear as she moves away, which causes pain and may make her shy about having her ear handled in future.
  
• If kitty seems to be particularly sore when you clean the ears or instill cleaning solution, contact your veterinarian promptly as a broken ear drum can occur. In this case, the medication can enter the middle ear, causing extreme discomfort. As well, some cats have hypersensitivity, or even an allergy to some medicinal components, so the medication might need to be switched. Some cats may have deep ulcers of the lining of the ear canal, and the liquid may sting as it contacts that exposed surface.
  
• Praise her when she sits quietly for the procedure.

Medicating Ears
Before medicating ears, one cleans them out. This is so that debris is removed and the medication can then contact the ear canal properly. Your veterinarian may prescribe medication for ear infections or other ear conditions. As long as Kitty is not too painful, she should tolerate ear treatments quite well.
Ask your veterinarian to demonstrate ear cleaning while you and the cat are still at the veterinary facility, and try ear cleaning yourself while there too! That way, any awkward aspects of the procedure can be worked out, and your questions can get answered.

A few tips for ear medicating:

• Have the medication within easy reach.
  
• Warm it up to room temperature (or even body temperature) before instilling it to help reduce the “cold shock” reaction .

• It is ideal to have a family member or friend help by holding Kitty. A soft bath towel wrapped snugly around, with only the head out can help too. Steadying the cat will make her feel more secure, and keep her from skittering away! A towel (or your capable assistant) can also help keep those claws out of commission!
  
• Be gentle when handling the ears as they are delicate and highly sensitive!
  
• If you are going to be handling her for medicating ears regularly and she is the scratching type, keep her claws trimmed short or covered with Soft Paws ® so the likelihood of a scratch to you or your assistant is reduced.
  
• Do not proceed if you think she might bite you or your assistant. Contact your veterinarian for help.
  
• Do not shove the medication nozzle tip down deep into the canal as it may go too far and damage or tear the ear canal lining if she moves quickly and vigorously.
  
• Avoid hitting the small ear hairs with the nozzle tip as this tends to make her shake her head-- it tickles!
  
• Avoid pulling out and up on the ear. This straightens the ear canal out. That can lead to the nozzle going too far in —take the ear up and over the head instead.
  As you instill the medication, take a little bit of the loose skin located in the area between the ears and steady it between your fingers of the hand you are holding the ear with. This helps you move along with the cat if she suddenly moves. Otherwise, you might find yourself pulling the ear as she moves away, hurting her!
  
• Count the number of drops prescribed to avoid under-medicating or overdosing.
  
• Give all doses prescribed.
  
• Massage the base of the ear gently after the medication is instilled. This will help distribute the drops of medicine evenly over the tissues.
  
• Choose a location for the ear treatment that has a surface that can be easily cleaned. Cats will commonly shake their head vigorously after the medicine has been instilled. This can lead to droplets spraying around the area—your clothes, your fine rugs, furniture or drapes are all easy targets! Some medicines stain so it is essential to watch out for valuables or delicate fabrics.
  
• If Kitty seems to be particularly sore when the drops go in or right after treating, contact your veterinarian promptly as this might indicate a broken ear drum or ear canal ulcers. If the medication goes too deep, it can lead to serious pain. As well, some cats have sensitivity, or even an allergy to some ear preparations. In that case, your veterinarian will try another brand or type of therapy.
  
• Praise her when she sits quietly for the procedure.

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