Just like us, our pets’ ears require TLC from time to time. Keeping these delicate sensory organs clean and healthy is crucial for your furry friend’s overall well-being. And while cats are famously meticulous self-groomers, they may not always be able to give their ears the attention they need. That’s where Silver Honey® Rapid Ear Care comes in to save the day. 

Silver Honey offers a range of products to help clean and soothe cat ears naturally, making it super simple to remove dirt and wax buildup. And because they’re made with natural healing ingredients like Manuka honey and elemental silver (MicroSilver BG®), Silver Honey ear care essentials help keep ear infections at bay, too — without the use of harmful antibiotics.

Intrigued? Find out what happened when I put Silver Honey Rapid Ear Care to the test on my favorite felines. 

Benefits of Cleaning Your Cat’s Ears

Pet parent cleaning their cat's ears with a wipe

If you’re wondering whether or not your cat’s ears need extra cleaning or scrutiny, you’re probably not alone. But even if your kitty seems like an expert groomer, there are still plenty of reasons for pet parents to step in and lend a hand with cat ear care. 

Some cats may not appreciate the extra attention, however. So keep these benefits in mind if you need some motivation to use a cat ear-cleaning solution. 

Cleaning your cat’s ears regularly can help:

  • Prevent ear infections: Clearing dirt, debris, and excess wax that can accumulate in your pet’s ears reduces the risk of painful ear infections.
  • Detect warning signs: Discovering symptoms like redness, swelling, discharge, or foul ear odors early means you can get prompt veterinary care, which leads to better outcomes.
  • Banish odors: Dirty ears often smell bad. So keep your home (and your pet) smelling fresh with regular ear cleaning to tackle the stink at its source. 
  • Simplify grooming: For long-haired breeds, regular ear cleaning can help prevent matting around the ears and face.
  • Improve hearing: Clean ears ensure that your pet’s hearing remains sharp, which is essential for daily communication and survival.
  • Promote bonding: Gently cleaning your pet’s ears can be a bonding experience, strengthening the trust and connection between you and your baby.

In addition, proper ear cleaning and care can soothe any irritation and help reduce the risk of some cat ear conditions, including:

  • Otitis externa: Inflammation of the external ear canal that can be caused by allergies, foreign objects, mites, or bacterial/fungal infections
  • Ear mites: Tiny parasites that can infest the ears of cats and dogs, causing itching, irritation, and discomfort
  • Bacterial infections: Often caused by underlying issues like allergies or foreign objects.
  • Fungal infections: Fungi, such as yeast, can overgrow in the ear canal, leading to infections
  • Wax buildup: Excess wax accumulation can block ears and cause discomfort
  • Allergies: Allergies, whether environmental or food-related, can manifest in the ears, leading to inflammation and discomfort

While regular cleaning can help prevent many problems with your cat’s ear health, it may not be the correct course of treatment for severe ear issues. If you do notice concerning signs of poor ear health, always make sure to consult a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.

What Is Silver Honey?

When it comes to our pet’s health, we all want products that deliver the same quality, reliability, and performance we would expect for any family member. That’s what Silver Honey is all about. 

The brand’s longstanding reputation for innovation began over a century ago, when the founders of its parent company, W. F. Young, created a fast-acting joint care liniment for horses. Just like that original formula, today’s Silver Honey products are made with safe, natural ingredients to help heal skin and wound issues in animals quickly, without using harmful antibiotics.

Silver Honey offers wound care, skin care, and ear care products for cats, dogs, and horses. Its research-based formulas are developed by veterinarians and undergo rigorous testing to ensure they maintain the highest level of safety for animal care products.

The secret to Silver Honey’s formula lies in two powerful healing agents derived straight from nature: 

Manuka honey: This type of honey is produced by bees that pollinate the Manuka bush native to New Zealand. Manuka honey is well known for its potent antibacterial properties, making it an appealing choice for a variety of animal species, including humans! Silver Honey products use 100 percent medical-grade Manuka honey to ensure the best quality and reliability.

MicroSilver BG: This is a form of elemental, high-quality, micro-particle silver known for its antimicrobial properties. It helps combat bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that can lead to infection.

Silver Honey products harness the beneficial powers of these two ingredients to help fight germs and boost the skin’s natural defenses, so animals can heal quickly. 

About Silver Honey’s Rapid Ear Care Line

These healing agents can also be found in the brand’s newest product line, Silver Honey Rapid Ear Care, which includes three different natural ear care solutions for dogs and cats.

  • Ear wipes: Perfect for daily cleaning and maintenance, use these convenient wipes to help clear your cat’s outer ear of visible and invisible contaminants, including bacteria. (50-count container)
  • Ear rinse: Provide deeper cleaning with this soothing, easy-to-use rinse, which flushes debris, dirt, and wax from the ear (4 fl oz bottle)
  • Ear treatment kit: Use this two-step system to help relieve pain and treat ear infections naturally in only 10 days (4 fl oz rinse and five, 1 mL pre-measured concentrated doses)

With so many great ear care solutions to choose from, it can be tricky to figure out which one is right for your cat’s particular needs. Here’s a deeper dive into the differences between Silver Honey’s ear care essentials and how to use them.   

Silver Honey Rapid Ear Care Vet Strength Pet Wipes 

Cleaning your cat’s ears is a breeze with these handy, ready-to-use wipes. They’re designed to clear away debris, irritants, wax, and bacteria naturally to reduce the risk of painful ear infections. And because they’re soft, soothing, and non-invasive, they’re great for even skittish kitties who may dodge other attempts at ear-cleaning. 

How to use: Always start by washing your hands first. Wrap the wipe around a finger on one hand. Then hold your cat’s ear open with your other hand, so you can gently wipe the outer ear with the wipe. Dispose of the used wipe and repeat the process on the other ear. That way, you can prevent spreading any infection from one ear to the other. 

When to use: Daily or as needed.

Silver Honey Rapid Ear Care Vet Strength Ear Rinse

Cat ear cleaning requires a delicate touch. And, sometimes, dirt and debris can hide deep down in the ear canal, far beyond your reach. Silver Honey’s rinse offers a gentle, effective solution that flushes harmful contaminants from your cat’s ear canal safely. It’s ideal for regular preventative care to keep ear infections at bay, and it also soothes ear itch and irritation deep down. 

How to use: Add solution to your cat’s ear canal then gently massage your cat’s ear for five seconds to encourage the rinse to spread to the inner ear. Afterward, your cat may want to shake their head, which is totally okay. Shaking helps loosen and remove dirt and debris from the ears. 

When to use: Daily or as needed.

Silver Honey Rapid Ear Care Vet Strength Ear Treatment

If your pet already has an ear condition, such as an ear infection or fungal growth, this fast-acting 10-day treatment kit is for you. It combines the ear rinse to help loosen and remove debris, plus concentrated doses of the solution to help treat infection deep within the ear canal and reduce ear odors.  

How to use: Rinse once a day with the ear solution as noted above. Every other day, open an ampule containing the concentrated dose and squeeze the contents into the inner ear. Massage it in gently. Use all five ampules over the course of 10 days, dosing every other day.   

When to use: You can use the ear rinse daily for preventative measures or as needed if there is an issue. For cats with ear infections, use the rinse daily, plus the concentrated ampules every other day for 10 days.  

Putting Silver Honey Rapid Ear Care to the Test

The author tests out Silver Honey Rapid Ear Care Wipes on her cat

Thankfully, my cats aren’t suffering from ear infections at the moment. However, our ear-cleaning regimen could definitely use some improvement. I decided to try out Silver Honey’s Rapid Care Ear Wipes and Ear Rinse to see if they could make effective ear care easier on both me and my cats.  

Here’s what I discovered from the experience, so you know what to expect.

Testing Out Rapid Care Ear Wipes

The wipes come packaged in a plastic jar with a screw-top lid, making it simple to seal in moisture so the wipes don’t dry out. The wipes themselves resemble an exfoliating pad — the kind you might use on your own face. They’re roughly 2 to 3 inches in diameter and can easily wrap around one finger as the instructions recommend. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the smell and texture of the wipes, which are soft to the touch and moistened with Silver Honey’s healing solution. Because the solution contains real honey, I was expecting them to be somewhat sticky. While the liquid on the pads felt thicker than water, it wasn’t sticky or tacky at all. 

The scent was also unexpectedly fresh and light. The wipes didn’t smell like harsh chemicals or medicinal, just subtle and clean.

After reading the easy-to-follow directions, I wiped inside my cat’s ears ever so gently. She didn’t seem to mind at all. I was able to clean both ears relatively easily, without any mess, fuss, or unpleasant smells remaining. My cat didn’t even try to run away once, so I was able to get the job done in one go. Success! 

Testing Out Rapid Care Ear Rinse

I felt a little less confident about administering the ear rinse. After all, some cats are easily spooked. And the rinse comes in a decent-sized squirt bottle, so it’s harder to casually “sneak in” a cleaning session as you can with the wipes.

That said, the bottle is designed to make flushing your cat’s ears with Silver Honey’s cleaning solution as simple and targeted as possible. It’s easy to squeeze, almost like a smaller-scale ketchup squirt bottle — the kind you’d find at a retro diner. And the nozzle helps you direct the stream exactly where you want it, so you can get in and out quickly.

The instructions did not specify just how much cleaning solution to use, so I guesstimated and squirted enough of the liquid in my cat’s ear to coat the inner ear without dousing her. 

The cleaning solution was clear and almost odorless, with a consistency that felt slightly thicker than water — not quite as drippy as I expected. That helped keep the liquid where I wanted. After dispensing it into my cat’s ear, I massaged it around for a few seconds as directed. 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a good photo of this test because it was definitely a two-handed project. I had to gently hold my cat down just to make sure the rinse worked as intended.

As for my cat, she was not as tolerant of the rinse as she was with the wipes. During the process, she seemed visibly spooked. And after we were done, she ran off into another room to escape my cleaning efforts for a bit.

Still, the ear rinse enabled me to get down deep into her ears and flush out any bad stuff that might be lingering down there. Mission accomplished!

Silver Honey Rapid Ear Care: The Verdict

When judging any pet products I consider for my cats, I use three important criteria:

  • Is it effective?
  • Is it safe?
  • Will my cats let me use it on them?

After giving Silver Honey’s ear wipes and ear rinse a test drive, I can happily report that the answer to all three questions was a resounding yes. I’m a big fan of both products. 

Highlights

  • Effective and easy to use. It’s common to put off ear cleaning because we don’t want to stress out our cats. But Silver Honey makes the task simple and stress-free. It managed to clean my cat’s ears just fine. And I feel more confident that my cats’ ears are properly cleaned, especially deep down thanks to the ear rinse. 
  • Natural, high-quality, healing ingredients. I like that these products rely on well-researched natural ingredients like Manuka honey and elemental silver to foster healing.
  • Free of antibiotics. I prefer to clean my cat’s ears with a safe, preventative cleaning formula that’s free of harmful antibiotics.  
  • Smells great. I appreciated that the wipes and ear rinse didn’t smell funky or artificial. And nothing felt sticky or left behind a residue…just clean, fresh-smelling ears. 
  • Safe, non-toxic, and developed by vets. Based on the brand’s history and commitment to research and testing, I trust that Silver Honey has the best interests of animals at heart.
  • Cat-friendly. My cats allowed me to use the product on them with minimal effort. No signs of stinging or irritation. Plus it works for dogs, too. So it’s great for multi-pet households.

Things to Consider

  • Amount of ear rinse. Though I was unsure how much ear rinse to use, guidance on Silver Honey’s website says that the rinse is meant to be used liberally. The amount will vary depending on the size of your cat, so just focus on filling your kitty’s ear canal and then massaging it in.
  • Avoid over-cleaning.  Though the products I tested are designed for everyday use, every cat is different. And, in some cases, overdoing it could disrupt the natural balance of the ear and lead to irritation. So you may want to tailor your cleaning schedule to fit your cat’s individual needs. For example, long-haired cats or those prone to developing ear infections might benefit more from daily cleaning, while other cats might thrive on a less frequent schedule. 
  • Loop in your veterinarian. To confirm you’re providing your cat with the best care, it’s always a good idea to consult with your veterinarian when using a new product or treatment. They can also advise on adverse effects to watch out for, such as skin irritation or an allergic reaction.
  • Ask for help. While I was able to administer the products easily on my own, some cats may not be as cooperative. In that case, it makes sense to ask a friend or family member to lend a hand to help gently restrain your kitty and keep them calm. 

Since testing out Silver Honey’s Rapid Ear Care products, I no longer consider ear-cleaning sessions a dreaded chore. Thankfully, I haven’t had reason to use the Vet Strength Ear Treatment so far. But I would absolutely consider it should any of my cats develop an ear infection. Until then, I plan to work Silver Honey’s wipes into our grooming routine to keep my cats as healthy as they can be. 

But remember, every cat is unique, and their ear health needs may vary. Preventative care and cleaning with products like Silver Honey Rapid Ear Care can play an important part in ensuring your cat’s ear health. However, be sure to talk with your veterinarian if you notice any concerning symptoms related to your cat’s ears, such as redness, swelling, discharge, unusual odors, excessive ear scratching, or head shaking. 

These could all indicate a more serious health issue that requires prompt veterinary attention. Your vet can provide specific recommendations tailored to your cat’s unique health needs and any existing ear conditions they may have.