Can I use tee tree oil to clean my cats ears? He has this black stuff inside it, but I'm not sure what to do about it. All I have is Tea Tree oil.
By Anna from New York, NY
Do not use tea tree oil because it's toxic to cats if ingested and since they even bathe the inside of their ears it's simply not worth the risk! NEVER ever pour anything in to any animal or humans ears!
Just in case they are ear mites instead of excessive ear wax please take your baby to the vet. They'll give you special drops that you must use because if it is mites they do or might already have spread in to the inner ear which can cause hearing loss :-(
For general cleaning of wax just use a cotton ball with a little veggie type oil on it, then one dipped in soapy water and then dry ear :-)
Your cat probably has ear mites, and cleaning the ear with a damp cotton ball will help (well, likely several cotton balls) I wouldn't put oil in the cats ears, as that will just attract dirt. You must get medicine from the vet to treat the ear mites. And he will likely show you have to clean out the cat's ears.
I agree with Deeli - DO NOT use tea tree oil. I tried it on my cat once, she immediately began foaming at the mouth and ran off. I was so worried, I called the vet who told me that when I got home from work, she may have already died. I couldn't find her to take her to the vet.
She did not die and lived several more years. But we were very lucky!
Do not use tea tree oil, it is deadly to cats. If possible, see a vet to be sure if it is ear mites or just dirt, and best if you can have a vet clean the ears. If you can't, go to a pet store like PetsMart or Petco and get a good ear cleaner. One with a miticide is good. And never use motor oil, used or otherwise, in any animal's ears. It is an outdated and dangerous practice. If you have livestock, you can put a few drops of liquid ivermectin in each ear, but be careful, too much can be risky.
My cat seams happy and content, she sleeps above my pillow everynight. My husband always rubbs her head when he gets into bed. Lately he noticed she shakes her head when he does it and there is a lot of fluid in her ears, some actually comes out. Does anyone have any feedback on this?
