Although cats are already the second most commonly kept pet in the western world and the most commonly kept pet in some parts of Asia, their popularity has started to rapidly increase in recent months.
This has resulted in a huge spike in the number of people getting their very first can as well as the number of people reaching out to ask a range of different questions about caring for their pet cat.
Although ear infections are relatively rare in cats, especially in cats that are kept indoors, we have noticed a number of people asking about what they should do if their cat hates ear drops.
Due to it being so important to successfully apply your ear drops to your pet cat if it has any type of ear infection, we wanted to publish this article to offer our readers some advice on what you should try.
That said, if you really are struggling to give your cat its ear drops due to your cat hating them then you may need to contact a veterinarian’s office for assistance.
The vet may be able to switch the type of medication that your cat requires to treat the ear infection to remove the need for ear drops but this is rare.
Another option may be for your vet to take care of your pet car for the course of the ear drops and they will keep your cat in their office and apply the medication for you but this can be an expensive service and not all pet insurance policies cover it.
Is It Normal For A Cat To Hate Ear Drops?
If you’ve never had to administer ear drops to a cat before then you may not realize that it is actually quite common for cats to hate them.
This is because the vast majority of cats do not like anything coming near their face, let alone inside their ears, especially if it smells funny, stings, or they already have pain in their head due to an ear infection.
As a result, it is important to be prepared for your cat to put up a bit of a fight when you first attempt to give them the ear drops.
There are a number of ways that you are able to increase the chances of being able to successfully apply ear drops to your pet cat later in the article though.
Why Does My Cat Hate Ear Drops So Much?
There are a number of potential reasons as to why your specific cat may hate ear drops even more than other cats.
Bad Experiences
The first, and most common reason, is that your cat may have had a bad experience in the past with ear drops.
If you adopt an older cat that has already been to the vet a few times then it is highly likely that they will have had ear drops applied in the past.
If this was done without any restraint or care then your cat may have developed a negative association with them.
Strong Smells
The second potential reason is that your cat’s sense of smell is significantly more powerful than ours.
This means that if the ear drops you are using have a strong smell then your cat is likely to be able to smell them from a long way away and it may make them anxious.
Experiencing Pain
The third reason why your cat may hate ear drops is due to the fact that they are already in pain.
If your cat has an ear infection or any other type of injury then it is likely that they will be feeling quite a bit of pain already.
Stinging Sensation
The last thing that they will want is for you to put something inside their ear that may sting or cause them further pain.
What Can I Do To Make Giving Ear Drops To My Cat Easier?
If your cat absolutely hates ear drops and you are struggling to give them to your pet then there are a number of things that you can do to make the process easier.
Stay Calm
The first, and most important thing, is to remain calm.
If you are able to remain calm then your cat will be much more likely to stay calm as well which will make it much easier to give them the ear drops.
Make It Positive
The second thing that you can do is try and make the experience as positive as possible for your cat.
This means offering them a treat afterwards or giving them lots of fuss and cuddles.
Get Help
The third thing that you can do is to get someone to help you.
If you have someone else in the house then they may be able to hold your cat while you give them the ear drops.
If you do not have anyone else in the house then you may be able to ask a neighbor or friend to come and help you.
Use Treats
The fourth, and last, thing that you can do is to give your cat a small amount of food or treat before you start.
This will help to distract them from what you are doing and make them less likely to focus on the fact that you are about to put something in their ear.
Why Does My Cat Shake Its Head After Ear Drops?
If you have successfully managed to apply the ear drops to your cat then you may notice that they start to shake their head afterwards.
This is completely normal and there are a few different reasons as to why they may do this.
Getting Rid Of The Ear Drops
The first reason is that your cat is trying to get rid of the ear drops.
They will naturally want to get rid of anything that is inside their ear and shaking their head is one way of doing this.
Feeling Restrained
The second reason is that they may be trying to get rid of the feeling of being restrained.
If you had to hold your cat while you applied the ear drops then they may shake their head as a way of trying to get away from you.
Get Rid Of The Strain
The third reason is that they may be trying to get rid of the stinging sensation.
If the ear drops you used contained any kind of medication then it is possible that they will sting when applied to an open wound.
Your cat may shake their head in an attempt to get rid of this sensation.
How Do You Put Ear Drops In A Difficult Cat?
The best way to get ear drops into your cat’s ears is to start by holding your cat in your lap with its head facing towards you.
Once you have a good grip on your cat, use your other hand to gently pull back the top of their ear.
With the top of their ear pulled back, use the dropper to place a few drops of the ear drops into the ear canal.
Be careful not to touch the tip of the dropper to your cat’s ear as this could cause them pain.
Once you have applied the ear drops, release your cat’s ear and let them go.
Do not be surprised if they immediately shake their head as this is perfectly normal.
If you keep struggling to give your cat who hates ear drops its treatment then seek help from a vet as soon as possible.
