Cat Ear Care
Answered by: Kerry Hackett
Question from: Arianna Neil
Posted on: January 26, 2006

I am writing to ask if you could suggest a safe herbal oil to clean out my cat’s ears with - I notice a buildup of waxy stuff inside his ear flaps and am not sure how to dissolve it. Would it be safe to apply with a q-tip?

Also, what herbal could I use to help with hairball problems, and is there a herbal method of worming rather than buy the pills they sell at pet shops?

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) oil should help to soften the wax build-up in your cat’s ears. If the wax is close to the outside edge of the ear flap, you could just put a bit of the oil on your fingers and lighly rub it into the area. If you opt to use a Q-tip do not go into the ear deeply, again, only on the edge. If the wax is located further back, please see a veterinarian to help have the wax removed. As for hairballs, your cat should no longer have this problem once on a good, homemade diet. Please see this website (www.richters.com) for the posting, "Aging Dog with Arthritis" for recipe resources. Finally, regarding worming: please see this website for the posting, "Cats and Worms".

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