The cat’s ear – structure, diseases, curiosities

Cats are night animals and used to hunt only after sunset. Being predators with such a lifestyle, these animals must have extremely sensitive senses, hearing is the most important.

The sensitivity of the cat’s ear (60-100 kHz) is twice higher than that of the dog (20-50 kHz) and almost five times greater than that of the human ear (12-20 kHz)! These skills make real professional cats, with an eye for a beat of eyelashes, a cat can wake up from a deep sleep and no new flow of sound.

According to research, a cat can follow an object at a distance up to one meter in less than a second. And he owes all this to the structure of his ears.

The cat’s ears

The cat’s ears are a remarkable and perfectly programmed organ. More than 30 muscles present in the ear pavilion allow the ears to move independently from each other. The cat’s ears are relatively large compared to the rest of the cat’s head and body.

The cat’s ears are made up of the external ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. On the ears of cats there are distinctive leather pockets on the ear flag. There are many speculations and myths about their origin and role. First of all, these pockets allow the cat’s ears to be more contracted, increase their mobility and also play a role in filtering sounds, suffocating those who come from behind the head to better capture those to which the cat listens to.

Their ears permanently capture the sounds, being able to make the difference between two different sounds, a few fingers away. Cats feel better when they are still, which is why they remain stuck so often – at the same time on an unknown territory, during the game, when they are interested in something. How do they listen to cats? The sound that captures is transferred to the tympanum, where it is amplified by auditory oscillations in the middle ear. So, in the inner ear, there is a structure called Cohlea – full of liquid, which also plays an important role in the cat’s balance. The sounds, in the form of vibrations that have reached the cochlea, are captured by the tavern cells present there.

The cats are born deaf; The hearing develops until the age of 2 weeks.

Gotti dirty ears

The cleaning of your cat’s ears must not be performed in a prophylactic way, but only when necessary or on the recommendation of the veterinarian. Excessive use of ear cleaning products without necessary to contribute to growth, itching or dry skin. On the other hand, it is advisable to check the conditions of the ears daily. Above all, redness, unpleasant smell, excess wax in the ears, dirty and scratches of excessive cats must attract our attention.

The hot ears of the cat are normal, they are exposed and therefore can react to temperature variations in the environment. However, they should be approximately at the cat’s temperature. The hot ears with a cat can instead indicate fever.

Cat’s ear diseases

Among the most common diseases of the cat ear are:

– otitis

Very often it applies to the cat’s external auditory cable. The ear is red and painful. The cat can walk with the head inclined on the side, shake the head, visibly avoids the touch of the head. The inflammation of the ear is extremely painful. There may be liquid discharge, sometimes purulent. You need to visit the vet immediately.

– Feline laughter

The crusts or the cat river are caused by parasites that nest in the ear. The characteristic symptom is the agitation of the head and a serious itch, which leads to bleeding wounds. A secretion of Royal Marrone is visible inside the ear with an unpleasant smell.

Faster visit your vet, faster can introduce the treatment. Scabia can lead to serious complications and even hearing loss.

– damage to the ear lobe

The cat’s ears are extremely sensitive and very innervated. Any mechanical trauma causes pain and bleeding. The mechanical lesions of the ears of a cat often require their suture, so the injury should always be seen by a veterinarian.

There are races of cats that are more susceptible to ear diseases, including: oriental breeds, sphynx, Tomorrow Coon.

The ears and the communication of the cat

During the concentration, the ears are slightly directed with the help of the muscles on the forehead. The increase in nervousness or fear causes the ears to move back and forth until they are stuck in the head.

A relaxed and happy cat will usually have the ears in front and slightly inclined.

It is worth noting a cat’s ears, as they are crucial in the cat’s body language.

Scratch with the bell for cats

The bell for cats is an incredibly frustrating object. Cats are more sensitive to high sounds, they are made by all bells. This means that each Campania movement produces much larger and intense sound waves than human hearing cannot detect. A collar with attached bell can cause an increase in stress, which may include: ease outside the litterie, vocalization or vice versa – alienation, contact reticence or game with elements that cause an increase in sound.

Unfortunately, frequent cases in clinics include cats trying to get rid of scratch with a disturbing element: they can capture the paw or jaw.

In the case of open -air cats or without a teacher, notes that these bells attached to the cat’s neck do not protect birds or other combat animals, but a collar with the bell for the cat can also mean a tragic break for them, being able to be suffocated or hanging from the branch or a tree.

Karolina łuszczyk

Photo: Canva.com