The Highlander Cat Ear Wax Candle Factory

Highlander and Highland Lynx cats and kittens ears require special attention to cleaning. Generally the younger and smaller that the cat is, the ear canals are smaller, smallest in kittens, and the ear wax builds up. Ear wax builds up more in those adorable curled ears than it does in regular or straight ears, and the build up turns brown. When the wax builds up, it can trap dirt and be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, and infections can ensue without proper cleaning and sanitary maintenance. 

I have found that the younger kittens 3 months to a year, may require once a week cleaning. A Veterinarian first showed me how to clean my Highlander Kitten's ears. She squirted a healthy dose of the ear cleaner directly into my kittens ear. She massaged the liquid into her ears with cotton balls for 60 seconds, and then cleaned the outer ear only with cotton balls and cotton swabs. My kitten already had a bacterial ear infection from the built up ear wax harboring cooties. I had to give her prescription antibiotic ear drops several times a day for 2 weeks and then we had another Vet appointment for rechecking. (Cha-ching!) I personally choose Not to Squirt Liquid into a Cat's ears though! 

So when you buy a kitten from me, he/she will come with clean ears, and I will be happy to share with you information on the product we use and how I clean kitty ears. If you come to pick your kitten up in person in Virginia Beach, I will also try to give you a bottle of SILVER GRADE Ear Wash for Dogs, Cat Ear Cleaner if you are flying back home, you will have to check with your airlines' rules on transportation with liquids.We are currently recommending SILVER GRADE Ear Wash for Dogs, Cat Ear Cleaner

We use SILVER GRADE Ear Wash for Dogs, Cat Ear Cleaner because of ingredients that it does not have - no steroids, no alcohol. It contains MicroSilver, MicroSilver Antibacterial Property: MicroSilver, by its charge influx, decreases bacterial adhesion and destabilizes the biofilm by its positively charged ionic action.  

After we got the ear infection cleared up, we had to clean my girl's ears several times a week, about every third day. It is certainly not her favorite activity. She is more sensitive to having one ear cleaned over the other. Even though we don't put a cotton swab in her ear canal, it is the ear with the smaller canal of the 2. She has always been more sensitive with that ear, even now. After she was about 6 months, we were able to cut back ear cleaning to once a week. And now we are going to try cutting back to every other week. It all depends on the individual cat as to how often his/her ears need cleaning. 

I recommend starting with cleaning your new kittens ears from the get go, only as often as needed. Make it as pleasant an experience as possible. Talk soothingly. You need to go through things in your mind first. Know what you are doing. It's really not hard. But if you are nervous about anything you do with your cat, cats are super sensitive and attune to their owner's behaviour. So relax. Be confident. You will be fine. (Same thing goes for if you have to "pill" your pet.)

Maybe offer a favorite treat before and after. Get everything ready first. You want to be in very good lighting, so you can see down into those curling ears folds. I wear reading glasses, so I have them on top of my head at the ready. Line up your cotton balls, cotton swabs, ear cleaner - shake it up before you start. I have a big towel and a small towel or cloth ready. Trash can for the used materials. 

My Girl is Miss Touch Me Not in general. So I wrap her up in a soft bath towel, so she is not going anywhere during her Spa Treatment. I am not being mean; I just don't want her to try to run off while I am holding a cotton swab on the outside of her ear, and have her bump it into her ear. I have also found that covering her eyes with another soft cloth, she is calmer. She just does not even want to see the cotton swabs, cotton balls, nor ear cleaner. It doesn't hurt her. She doesn't flinch. I think she just remembers having an ear infection, and that did hurt her ears. 

• Wrap up your kitty.
• I sit and hold mine,  wrapped in her towel, laid across my lap with everything in front of me. I turn her so she is laying on her side with one side of her head, one ear is up. 
• I also lay some of the cotton swabs on the towel she is wrapped in. 
• I cover her eyes.
• I part the fluff of the outer ear so I can see inside the folds and the entrance to the canal.
• I gently use a cotton swab to clean ear wax from the most exterior folds of the ears.  
• If I can see brown wax further in the ear than the cotton swab is advisable, I squirt the SILVER GRADE Ear Wash for Dogs, Cat Ear Cleaner onto a cotton ball and massage the cleaner into the ear for about 60 seconds or as long as the kitten/cat will permit holding the cotton ball over the ear and massaging the back of the ear at the base of the ear.
• I wipe the cotton ball around the interior side of the outer ear. 
• I then gently scoop up the ear wax from the folds of the outer ear. Sometimes you have to apply more solution if the wax needs softening. You don't want to hurt your kittens ears, inside or outside. No need for force. 
• After I have gotten all the visible wax with as many cotton swabs and cotton balls as needed, for us now that is one wet cotton ball and one or two cotton swabs, per ear, every other week. See - not so bad. 
• I dry her ear with another clean, dry cotton ball. 
• After I clean each ear, I rub and fluff it and her head hair with the towel and she likes that. 
• I pet her reassuringly and flip her over to do the other side ear. Repeat steps starting with part the fluff of the outer ear. 

She doesn't hate me afterward. It is just not her favorite thing. She will get up when we are through and groom her head, and then she will let me give her some treats. 

Why "The Highlander Cat Ear Wax Candle Factory?" Well, I had a kitten whose ears produced enough wax I joked that I could start an ear wax candle factory. I would use both ends of 20 or more cotton swabs to clean just the outside part of one ear twice a week. That was more than 40 swab ends of ear wax per ear! That's a lot! But that was unusual. After bi-weekly cleaning for a month, his ear wax production began to decrease. He was growing fast and his ear canals of course keeping up with the rest of his big self. The larger the canal, the more that air can get in and moisture is not trapped in wax and debris for build up and infection. (Side note - because of the small ears and small ear canals, you will want to keep moisture including water out of your kitten's ears. So take care in bathing.) 

If you see redness, or infected-looking yellow or green pus discharge, take your cat to your Veterinarian. A build up of Highlander ear wax will look brown and yucky, that is normal. Eventually your cat will have less and less ear wax. If your cat is rubbing her ears, you should have your Veterinarian check her ears. Rubbing can be a sign of infection or ear mites. Ear mites may look a bit like coffee grounds. You may see redness or pink in the outer ears and also bleeding. Ear mites are contagious from one cat to another. Your Veterinarian will swab samples from your cat's ears to check for mites, bacterial or fungal infections to find the best course of action for the restoration of your cat's health and prevention of future illness. This ear cleaning blog is specifically for cleaning of Highlander ear wax. Cleaning will not rid your cat of ear mites, or infection. Cleaning is just part of maintaining your cat's good health, comfort, happiness and well-being. 

Thanks for reading and being a cat lover. 💖

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