How often do you clean your cats' ears?

esme

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Hi everyone,

How often do you clean you kitties' ears & what do you use to do it? There are a lot of great "how to clean ears" sites, so I'm more looking to take an informal poll for frequency of cleaning and ear cleaning products...

My specific situation -- I've always cleaned Boo's ears every 2 weeks because that's what was on the generic shelter info sheet I got when I adopted. Or at least I THOUGHT I was cleaning them -- I used to use the premoistened pads, but recently changed to petco earcleaner drops + makeup rounds just because they were out of the premoistened pads. I was SHOCKED have how much gunk came out using the drops compared to the pads. The drops goes into the ear canal and loosens wax, which comes to the outer ear when she shakes her head, so I sweep the gunk out from there. She doesn't have a problem with mites or infections, so I guess the gunk wasn't bothering her before. Now that I realize my previous premoistened pad cleanings were just "cosmetic," should I really be "degunking" her every two weeks, or is that too much?

THANKS SO MUCH!
 

otto

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I will be interested in the answers here. I have only one who gets gunky build up in her ears, Mazy, and the vet usually cleans them out when I take her in for her check ups every six months.
 

GoldyCat

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I only clean them when I can actually see the wax building up in the outer ear. Since they pretty well keep each other's ears clean, that means maybe once every 2-3 months. When they were kittens I had to clean ears and noses more often, but even then it wasn't every 2 weeks.
 

Ms. Freya

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I clean Cotton's ears about once a week - once I can start to see the wax building. Becase of the scarring on his ears, he can't really get to them on his own and the gunk builds up quickly. He's actually pretty cute about it - if he wants his ears cleaned he walks up into my lap and tiltes his head to give me an ear, then waits until I clean it.

I've used both the pads and the drops - depends on what the store has when I run out. I know Cotton seems better behaved with the pads, though.
 

dusty's mom

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I've NEVER cleaned mine. Am I a bad kitty-mommy? They've never appeared dirty to me, and I rub them often affectionately.
 

fifi1puss

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Rocko is my dirty ear kitty.
I clean his once a week or every two. I use a q-tip (yes, I know) but I am careful.

Fiona and ReeRee as needed, when I can see stuff on their outer ears. Usually monthly.

I just did it last night actually.
 

mews2much

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I have a sphynx so I clean her ears every day.
They get oilly otherwise.
I also have to clean Cocos ears everyweek because she gets stuff in her ears.
The vet said it is some allergic reaction.
I use Epi-Optic for both of them.
 

buzbyjlc10

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AT LEAST once a month with his bath, but usually once in between baths too (just did that yesterday)... I'm always lookin in his ears though when he's sitting on me to see how they're doing... he's a very chill cat and I've had experience working at a vet/shelter, so I use Q-tips... but yes, the drops are gonna be more effective than a pad on our finger cuz your finger can't (and shouldn't!) get in deep enough... I use drops on my black lab.

Oliver actually likes to have his ears cleaned... he gets the happy drools when I'm Q-tipping
sometimes when I'm scratching his head he'll move around to get my pinky in his ear, so sometimes I'll gently stick it in there lol and then I check to see if he's got some build up that needs to be cleaned out.
 

missymotus

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Mine all get a quick wipe out with a baby wipe before shows, they don't really get dirty though and Demetri loves to groom, he takes care of the ears too.
 
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esme

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i just realized from reading your replies that Boo would also have cleaner ears if she had a brother or sister to mutually groom. hmmmmmmm
 

lilblu

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Thankfully, I've never had to clean any of mine's ears. The vet says some of them have slightly waxy ears but they don't need cleaning.

My oldest cat (11 y/o) has the cleanest ears I've ever seen. There's nothing in them. No brown stuff, no black stuff, no gold stuff, nothing. It's amazing.
 

kkh

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I've never cleaned Ku Ku's either...also, she would not let me do anything on her ears anyways
 

goldenkitty45

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Ears get cleaned when they get a bath for show. If I notice them bothering the ears, I'll check or I'll check every so often when clipping nails.

My rex needed his ears cleaned 2-3 times a week as with rexes they don't have fur to absorb the wax in the ears.

I hold their heads still and use a q-tip. The dog's ears are cleaned with a cotton ball as she is a labrador.
 

buzbyjlc10

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A quick related note of something I've observed: kitties using covered or enclosed boxes (with clay litter, or any litter that creates even the slightest dust) tend to have dirtier ears... makes sense, all that dust flying around inside a box when they dig around... both of Oliver's boxes are covered... of course each individual cat's genetics also factor into his or her wax-making
 

cat lover12

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Is it okay to use a medicine dropper to drop a little peroxide into my Nala's ears? she has had a little gunk in her ears for the first time and I would think peroxide would do the same in a cats ears than peoples? :) I have never cleaned Nala's ears before because my dog used to clean them out and Nala loved it! only, my dog just died a few days ago and since then, Nala's ear has gotton a little dirty and it couldnt be dirt from outside because she is a pure inside cat.....and also i would like to know what that brown stuff is in her ear? thanks :D
 

otto

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Is it okay to use a medicine dropper to drop a little peroxide into my Nala's ears? she has had a little gunk in her ears for the first time and I would think peroxide would do the same in a cats ears than peoples? :) I have never cleaned Nala's ears before because my dog used to clean them out and Nala loved it! only, my dog just died a few days ago and since then, Nala's ear has gotton a little dirty and it couldnt be dirt from outside because she is a pure inside cat.....and also i would like to know what that brown stuff is in her ear? thanks :D

NO, please do NOT put peroxide in your cat's ears! Bring her to the vet. Brown build up could be many things, including wax, yeast or bacterial infection, or all three.

I am very sorry for your loss of your beloved dog.
 

just mike

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I will be interested in the answers here. I have only one who gets gunky build up in her ears, Mazy, and the vet usually cleans them out when I take her in for her check ups every six months.

I'm the same way otto.  Out of all 4 of my kitties only one has anything building up in the ears and like you, the vet does the cleaning every six months.  The responses to this should be somewhat informational in case I ever have to clean my cat's ears.
 

just mike

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Is it okay to use a medicine dropper to drop a little peroxide into my Nala's ears? she has had a little gunk in her ears for the first time and I would think peroxide would do the same in a cats ears than peoples? :) I have never cleaned Nala's ears before because my dog used to clean them out and Nala loved it! only, my dog just died a few days ago and since then, Nala's ear has gotton a little dirty and it couldnt be dirt from outside because she is a pure inside cat.....and also i would like to know what that brown stuff is in her ear? thanks :D

So sorry for the loss of your dog. Don't use peroxide on the cat's ears.  As otto said; wax build up could be the result of many things.  If it is just ordinary build up just use a pre-moistened ear pad or get a recommendation from your vet.
 
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