Cats are normally incredibly clean creatures. When they’re not sleeping, you will often find them grooming themselves, but there are often times where they’ll have difficulty in cleaning some hard to reach places. Their ears are a key example of this.
Not only can cats hear much higher and lower frequencies compared to a human, but they also use their ears for orientation, helping them to stay balanced on their feet. Therefore, it’s important to make sure that they are clean to avoid ear infections and other similar problems.
We have a list of what we consider to be the best cat ear cleaner products ready-made to save you the trouble. By utilising these products, you can help keep your cat’s ears clean, keep them clear of infection and reduce any emergency trips to the vets!
Before we go to the list, it would help to understand a little bit about the cat’s ear and the problems that can occur if they aren’t clean. If you’d just like to know our recommendations, then there’s a quickfire list below:
Our Choices!
- 1. AniForte Ear Mite Drops
“After only a couple of days using it, I noticed a massive improvement. There was hardly any black in their ears. After a couple more days, the ear mites have completely gone.” - 2. ZYMOX Otic Pet Ear Treatment
“I’m amazed how much better the cat’s ears look this morning. A lot less wax and he doesn’t seem as keen to scratch.” - 3. Pets Purest Ear Cleaner
“I’ve used this once and it has stopped the head-shaking totally. I can’t believe it.” - 4. Vetericyn All Animal Ear Rinse
“Perfect easy to use.” - 5. PetSol Ear Canker Powder (Amazon choice!)
“Brilliant stuff no more scratching”
Understanding the Cats Ear!
There are 3 key components to a cats ear. These are the:
- Outer Ear
- Middle Ear
- Inner Ear
The outer ear consists of the ear flap, also known as a ‘pinna’, which funnels sound into the ear canal. The outer ears are rather thin which makes them quite prone to injuries, especially if your cat begins to scratch them. When cleaning this part of the ear, take care not to use too much strength as they are sensitive and it can hurt them.
The middle ear is slightly more complex, consisting of 3 bones, 2 muscles and the eardrum. The eardrum itself is very fragile and can easily be damaged from infections by swabs during ear cleaning. Issues such as infections are hard to spot here as the ear canal is well hidden, so keep an eye on your cat if it inhibits any symptoms like scratching deep within the ear.
Please don’t insert a swab into the cat’s ear canal! As stated, the eardrum is fragile and inserting a swab puts the eardrum at risk of perforation, causing damage to your cats hearing. We suggest contacting a veterinarian for issues involving the middle and inner ear. However, it is safe to clean the outer part of the ear that you can see!
The inner ear is the central point, containing the nerves that connect to the brain controlling their balance and hearing. It also contains the vestibular system which is what tells the cat if their head is moving and in which direction.
Common Issues with Cats and their Ears
Skin Allergy
There are often cases where your pet may have a skin allergy which, in turn, can cause itchy ears. This could be the result of pollen if your cat is an outdoor cat, or they may be allergic to fleas and a flea bite has given them itchy ears. A food allergy can also cause this, so we recommend using some hypoallergenic food such as James Beloved (who we also recommended as our winner for shedding cats).
Ear Infections
Ear infections are nasty and can cause long term damage. They usually happen when there is a bacterial or yeast overgrowth in the ear and can occur fairly deep within the ear. For this reason, you need to ensure that swift action is taken when you suspect an ear infection. Some of the products we list below will aid with preventing ear infections and potentially curing them, but you should always seek advice from a vet as they will be able to determine what has caused the cats ear infection.
Symptoms of an ear infection may include:
- Scratching the ear
- Redness, swollen or hot ears
- Strong odour
- Scabs or hair loss
- Discharge or swelling
Parasites
Parasites, such as ear mites, are tiny parasites that live within the ears of a cat. they are more commonly found in kittens but can be found in adult cats also. If ear mites are present, you will often notice that bot hares have been affected, followed by symptoms similar to the ear infection above. If ear mites aren’t treated, they can also cause ear infections, causing intense itchiness and pain for your cat.
The treatment for this is usually a specific treatment of drops to kill off the mites, followed by additional ear drops to help to settle any inflammation and pain caused to your cat.
Our Recommendations
Best Budget! | Best Overall! | Best Runner Up! |
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We’ve tried to cater for visitors arriving from around the world by showcasing products available worldwide. If you find you aren’t able to purchase one of the above products, you may be able to purchase another! Remember, what we consider as the best cat ear cleaner might not be as suitable for someone else, so we offer multiple suggestions!
Best Cat Ear Cleaner Reviews
1. AniForte Ear Mite Drops
- Natural Alternative
- Completely Odourless
- Treats Mites, Wax and Canker
AniForte Ear Mite Drops is a natural alternative to help treat against ear mites. It contains a completely odourless oil that suffocates the ear mites by coating them, allowing you to flush them out instantly. Even if your cats don’t have ear mites and you need to clean out your cat’s ear wax, this product does it all! It’s easy to measure the correct amount of oil required for your cat as it contains an easy-use dropper cap allowing for easy measurements. Most conventional medicines will take over a week to take effect, but AniForte claims that you’ll see results in just days, which we find really impressive.
2. ZYMOX Otic Pet Ear Treatment
- Soothes ear infections, redness and inflammation
- No-sting formula
- No pre-cleaning
ZYMOX Otic Pet Ear Treatment is currently ranked #1 for sales in the USA and the reviews from customers say it all. We consider this a direct alternative to AniForte if you would rather use a more conventional ear drop as it also contains 1% hydrocortisone. There is also an Otic Pet Ear Treatment Without Hydrocortisone for those who don’t wish to use it, but the results seem to point towards the one wit hydrocortisone having a greater effect on inflammation and infection.
It also contains a patented “antimicrobial LP3 Enzyme System” which helps to clear ear secretions and promote healthy ears. This allows it to naturally clean the ears, disinfecting it in the process and also destroying the most resilient of microbes. Top stuff.
3. Pets Purest Ear Cleaner
- Cleans, Deodorises & Removes Smell
- 100% Natural and Cruelty Free
- PH Balanced and Vet Recommended
Whilst Pets Purest Ear Cleaner is our budget choice, it doesn’t mean it’s a poor product! The product is, in fact, free from Parabens, Silicones, SLES, SLS, DEA and Enzymes, so it’s completely safe for your pet using all-natural ingredients. The reason we consider it a budget pick is that you get much more for your money here, with the bottle measuring in at 250ml whilst most of the more expensive brands are 20-50ml. You’ll find this much more useful if you have multiple cats (Or dogs!) and find that they’re all sharing similar issues or they’ve transferred ear mites between each other.
One of my dogs had always had dirty ears full of mites. I’ve only put it on him once and ever since then he hasn’t touched his ears or shook his head. I honestly cannot praise it highly enough.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R3U23EAT7AE5U5/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B07NVKSQ8C
4. Vetericyn All Animal Ear Rinse
- Advanced Hypochlorus Technology
- Cleans, irrigates, and debrides pet’s sensitive areas
- Non-toxic
Vetericyn All Animal Ear Rinse is a basic ear cleaner designed to flush foreign objects out of your cat’s ears, clean them and reduce the irritation caused from said objects. Many customers have reported that it works great for ear wax and it also reportedly has no smell, so if you’re sensitive to the strong medicinal smell that comes with some ear drops, you’re safe here. However, we haven’t noticed any mention of ear mites, so it may be best to use an ear cleaner for ear mites.
5. PetSol Ear Canker Powder (Amazon choice!)
- Clears Ear Mites
- Cleans and Protects
- Stops Head Shaking and Itchiness
PetSol Ear Canker Powder is another great product that is only slightly further down the list as it’s a powder-based application. Many customers prefer the ease and convenience of a liquid, but in some cases, a powder form can provide much more benefit, especially over a larger area. It comes in a 30g tub at a much cheaper price than the liquids, so the product itself is great value and there are raving reviews from customers who’ve stated it helps to cure their cats of ear mites, inflammation and infections.
Preventing Cat Ear Problems
The best solution to help your cats is to keep them clean in the first place! Keep a close eye on your pets. If you begin to notice that they’re struggling to keep their ears clean, the sooner you’ll be able to solve the problem. Be sure to check in with your vet if your cat is having any issues and ask them for instructions on helping to keep your pet’s ears clean. They may also have some recommendations for ear cleaning products to help you out.
Again, please remember not to push a swab or any object into the cat’s ear canal! Cats ears are incredibly sensitive and the eardrum can easily be damaged.
Summary
Make sure you stay on top of your cat’s health and keep their ears clean with the products above. It’s better to be safe than sorry with cats ears, especially considering how sensitive they are. Don’t be afraid to contact your vet if you have any worries and they’ll be able to give you instructions on how to take care of them.
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