.'^2 THE DOMESTIC AND LONG-HAIRED CAT 



CHAPTER XIV 



Care of Ears 



All cats, especially long-haired, are subject 

 to ear troubles, the commonest form being 

 ear-mites. These resemble a brown, hard wax, 

 almost scaly, which if put under a magnifying 

 glass, will prove to be live insects. Young 

 kittens five or six weeks old may have these 

 and they are highly contagious. This ear-mite 

 if not cared for develops into ear-canker. A 

 simple treatment for ear-mite is as follows: 

 First cleanse the ear with a soft cloth or piece 

 of cotton, moistened with a warm solution of 

 Borac Acid. Use the blunt end of a small wire 

 hair pin, and when all wax and dirt have been 

 removed and the ear thoroughly dry, drop in 

 dry Borac and Iodoform; one part Iodoform to 

 three of the borac. See that it goes inside the 

 ear and does not get on the fur as it is very of- 

 fensive to the animal. Repeat in a few days, 

 and quite often one treatment will cure, but 

 the ears must be kept clean. The ears should 

 be cleaned once a week. In cases where ear 

 canker has developed, I advise the services of 

 a good veterinarian. Ear trouble can be easily 

 detected by the constant scratching of the ears 

 and shaking of the head. Watch the kitten's 

 ears and see that they are kept clean, also the 

 older cats; look them over once a week and a 

 great deal of trouble and more serious ailments 

 will be spared the cat. 



