Ear Care

Ear Care

Most Devon Rex’s have excessive earwax. I’ve heard many theories for the production of the extra wax. A lot of people say it is due to the size of the ears- that they attract more dirt but a vet once told me it may be due to the fact that Devons (and some other breeds) have a slightly narrower ear canal than other cats due to the shape of their head.

He explained that there are tiny hairs on the inside of the ear canal (called scillia). If anything gets into the ear that shouldn’t be there it will touch the scillia causing the ear to produce more wax which will clear the foreign object from the ear. I’ve researched this and found that yes – that is how ears work – so far so good! He then explained that the narrow ear canal means that the scillia touch each other causing the ear to respond by producing more wax. I don’t know if that part is true – but it certainly sounds logical to me.

It is essential to clean the outer ear of your Rex once a week. Again the trusty baby wipe can be used and it works very well. Some people use a damp cloth or a bit of wet cotton wool but by far the best and easiest thing is the baby wipe – no fibres coming off like cotton wool and no excess water running down the ear either. It may be necessary to clean the tiny creases and folds with a damp cotton bud but be gentle and never poke inside the ear – if there is wax inside the ear it will come out by itself.

Simple ear cleaning fluids available from pet shops often make the Devons ear more waxy as the inner ear tries to throw out the liquid and make up for the natural substances it has lost. If the wax in the ear is hard – then you should use a cleaner to soften it on the advice of your vet, otherwise don’t go splashing ear cleaner around – it really annoys cats and they often start to scratch at their heads and injure themselves.

If the wax in any cats ear is very black, dry or crumbly go to your vet. If the cat is scratching at its ears or shaking its head – go to your vet. If there is any sign of dry flaky skin, swelling or redness – go to your vet.

Be warned not all vets are used to seeing Devon Rex cats and not all vets know that as a breed they often have greasy ears – if your vet immediately suggests mites or an infection ask him to look properly and take a swap or sample of the wax to look at under a microscope so that you can be sure of what is there – you do not want to be paying for expensive treatments and giving your cat medication that he does not need. It is better to pay extra for a proper test upfront than treat the ears unnecessarily.