February ears all about it this month! Interesting facts about cats ears.

February ears all about it this month!   Interesting facts about cats ears.

It’s cold and snowy and your typical February here in Syracuse and Central New York.  It’s super busy at Rock The Cat Spa with winter break and almost everyone flying to a tropical or much warmer location. It’s always a variety of breeds and ages from young 8 month old kittens to our senior cats but their ears, these little triangles to big Dorito looking ones or even folded ones are amazing listening devices that can also tell us how they're feeling. These fun facts will give you more understanding about ears! 

On the move, cats ears can move their 32 muscles and rotate 180 degrees!  These movements not only help with hearing but will tell us mere mortals what mood they are in.  From stay away to just lounging and taking it easy, knowing the basic of ear reading can spare you the danger of a stressed kitty. 

        Flat or back- Consider yourself warned and to stay away!  This is the feeling equivalent of the Jaws theme and best bet is to keep back as the cat is angry or scared. 
   
      Up and front facing-  Can you ear me any better?   Ears at this angle, up and front, are your cat's way of trying to listen and hear better. Think of it as putting your hand to your ear and cupping it to get a better listen.  You’ll see this in spring when the birds are singing! 

     Flexed out and front/side-  Just kicking back and relaxing, this is your cat's way of letting their ears just take it easy. This is the safe time to approach and know it’s okay to pet them or leave them alone as they are relaxing! 

    Twitching-  There are two reasons but the typical one is just like humans, they're nervous. Another reason could be coupled with scratching their ear, there is something inside irritating their ear and continued twitching should be cause for concern and a vet visit. 


Just like us humans, cats have 3 parts to their ears- inner, outer and middle. 

    Inner ear- Same as us, balance and hearing is connected to this part of their ear. 

  Outer Ear- This is the rotating part and the emotional map for us to follow. If you notice, the back of the ear is rounded which helps capture sound and go into the ear canal. Their ear canal is deeper than ours which explains them hearing me gently move the treat bag. The problem with a nice deep ear canal though is more wax hence more chance of ear infections. 

   Middle Ear-  Just like you and me, cats have eardrums, the little hearing bones and eustachian tubes which help them balance air inside. Do they know to plug their noses and blow?  You may see a cat lay down and shake their head and this is them balancing out the air. 

It’s all in the genes but yes, white cats with blue eyes have genetics which cause deafness. It is usually only one ear affected but almost 100% hearing loss when both parents are fully white. 

Clean those ears out when you see excessive dark or black wax but don’t go further than you can see. Mites and excessive wax can cause problems and really bother your cat.  My sweet Daphne had some extra wax in her ears and had to get a cleaning. Her vet put a liquid in to loosen the wax and within 24 hours, Daphne was shaking her head when pop, out came a big o’l ball of wax!  I wonder how good that must’ve felt for her?  

From reading ear language to understanding the incredible hearing ability, knowing more about your cat’s ears can keep them healthy and listening to all your darkest secrets for years to come! 
Photo: Elliot is relaxed and happy with ears speaking loud and clear.