Ear Medications

Examining and Medicating the Ears of a Cat 
This information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care. Always follow the instructions provided by your veterinarian.

In the photographs below, unless otherwise noted, the cat is facing with his nose pointing to your left.

Ear cleaning and medicating can be messy, so cover good clothes and work on a surface that is easy to clean. 

hold cat in your lap with ear folded open

 To hold your cat in your lap to place ear medications, drape your left forearm across the cat's body to keep him/her in your lap. Hold the head with your left hand using your left thumb to press the ear flap against the head with the ear canal open. 

Hold the medication in your right hand.

The ear has 3 major parts:

  • outer ear
  • middle ear
  • inner ear

The outer ear consists of the ear flap (also called the pinna) which is usually upright in cats with the exception of specific breeds such as the Scottish fold cat whose ears are folded over. The ear flap funnels sound into the ear canal. Unlike humans that have a very short ear canal, dogs and cats have a long narrow ear canal that makes almost a 90 degree bend as it travels to the deeper parts of the ear.

The outer ear cannel is separated from the middle ear by a thin membrane called the eardrum or tympanic membrane. The ear drum is very fragile and can be damaged by ear disease or during ear cleaning. The middle ear consists of 3 small bones, an air filled cavity called the bulla and a thin tube (the eustachian tube) leading from the bulla to the back of the mouth.

The inner ear connects to the brain and contains nerves and centers for balance and hearing. The following picture shows a diagram of the right ear as it appears if you are looking at the cat's head from the front.

Cats do not have as many ear problems as do dogs.

 
schematic of ear canal CT scan of head showing ear canal
  A CT scan of the head
 
 

ear medications

 

Ear medications may contain several different drugs and may be ointments (pictured on the left and in insert) or drops (pictured on the right).

Ear medications are most effective when placed in a clear ear. If they are placed on top of ear wax or other debris they will not be as effective. Your veterinarian will give you instructions, if cleaning is needed before ear medications are given. 

Sometimes your veterinarian will recommend a thorough ear exam under sedation or anesthesia if:

  • the cat will not allow cleaning awake
  • it is suspected that a foreign body such as plant material is inside the ear canal
  • the veterinarian needs to collect samples from the ear for cytology or culture

 
 

putting ointment in ear

 

Whether using ointments or drops, place a small amount of medication on the inside of the ear flap and the prescribed number of drops into the ear canal. The tip of the ointment tube or dropper should be placed a few millimeters into the ear canal to assure that the medication goes into the ear canal. If the ear is stretched away from the head, the bend in the ear canal will straighten so that the medication can be deposited in the entire ear canal. 

DO NOT place the long neck of the ointment tube as far as it will go down the ear canal as you could puncture the ear drum with it.

 

masssage ear to distribute ointment

 

 

Massage the base of the ear to help distribute the medication into the ear canal.

 

If the infection is severe or involves the middle and inner ear, oral medications may also be prescribed. Surgery is sometimes necessary if the infection is in the middle ear.