If your cat is scratching its ears a lot, if you spot signs of infection, or if the cat's itching has caused it to injure itself, then it needs veterinary care. Make an appointment with your veterinarian and take the cat in. Discuss the cat's symptoms with the veterinarian and allow them to do an exam. After the vet does the exam, discuss your cat's diagnosis. Itchy ears can have a variety of causes, including ear mites, ear infections, and polyps or growths. In severe cases of ear disease, your veterinarian may suggest sedating your cat so that they can do a thorough exam. Your veterinarian may suggest that the cat get its ears cleaned at the veterinary office or by you at home. If you are told to clean them at home, your veterinarian should give you very clear instructions and they should provide you with cleaner or the name of a product they recommend. Use a specific cleaner made for cats' ears. Clean very carefully, as cleaning that is too rough can damage the cat's eardrums or inner ear. Never stick a cotton swab or any other item into your cat's ear canal. Don't clean your cat's ears before taking it to the vet. The vet may need to get a sample of the discharge to determine the cause of the itching. In some cases, cleaning the cat's ears will remove the dirt and debris that was causing irritations, and thus will be all that is needed to treat the itching. If your veterinarian has found polyps or other growths in your cat's ear, they are likely to suggest removal. This type of surgical procedure will require that your cat be put under anesthesia and it will need pre and post surgery care from you. Other procedures your cat may have to undergo at the veterinary office include removal of foreign bodies and stitches to close up wounds or trauma. If you are told to put medicated drops into your cat's ears as part of its treatment, you will need to take care when applying them. Hold your cat on your lap and gently fold back one of its ears with one of your hands. Then use your other hand to quickly drop the prescribed number of drops into your cat's ear. Once the drops are in, fold the ear all the way back over to close up the ear and hold on to your cat. Once the drops are in your cat's ears, you need to be quick about closing up the ear canal and holding onto your cat. If the cat gets away, it will shake its head a lot, which will dislodge the medicine from the ear canal. In addition to drops, your veterinarian may prescribe other medications and provide suggestions for care during recovery. Follow these directions so that your cat cat make a speedy recovery. In many cases, you will need to put a cone on your cat to prevent it from itching its ears and further injuring itself. Your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics in addition to medicated drops if your cat's infection is especially bad or it has traveled beyond the cat's ears.

Summary: Have the cat seen by a veterinarian. Have the cat's ears cleaned. Allow veterinary procedures to be performed. Put drops in your cat's ears. Follow additional treatment suggestions.

Pour the oil into a large skillet and place the pan on your stove over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the hot oil. Cook, stirring frequently, for approximately 3 minutes Wait until both ingredients become softer and more fragrant. The onion should start looking semi-translucent, and the garlic should deepen in color. Place the mince in the skillet. Break it apart with a wooden spoon and stir it into the onion and garlic mixture. Use fresh or thawed mince. Frozen mince should be defrosted overnight in your refrigerator for best results, but if you're short on time, you can thaw it using the microwave's "defrost" setting. Continue cooking the mince, stirring frequently, for approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Thoroughly brown the meat before advancing to the next step. All sides of the mince should be brown before you continue, but it's okay if a hint of pink remains inside some of the larger crumbles since the meat will continue cooking for a while longer. Consider draining any large puddles of liquid or fat from the skillet before moving onto the next step. Pour the undrained can of tomatoes into the skillet, then evenly sprinkle the contents of the skillet with oregano and black pepper. Stir to combine. Other seasonings could be added during this step, as well. Consider using a dried blend of Italian herbs instead of the oregano, or a combination of red pepper and paprika instead of the black pepper and oregano. Stir the beef granules into 1/2 cup (125 ml) of steaming hot water until dissolved. Pour the mixture into the skillet and bring everything to a boil. If you would prefer to omit the beef flavor, you do not need to add the beef granules. Simply pour plain water into the skillet during this step. You could also use vegetable stock granules instead of the beef granules. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mince to simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or until the mince is finished cooking and the flavors have combined. Stir the contents of the skillet every 5 minutes or so. If the liquid evaporates before the mince finishes, add more water. Pour additional water into the skillet 1/4 cup (60 ml) at a time. Do not add any extra water during the last 5 minutes. When ready, the mince should be somewhat dry. You can use the prepared mince immediately or store it for use in later dishes. If you choose to save the mince, remove the skillet from the heat and let the meat cool to room temperature. Place the finished mince in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to three months.

Summary: Heat the oil. Cook the onion and garlic. Add the mince. Cook until browned. Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Combine the water and beef granules. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve or store as needed.

Find a nut that fits snugly around the screw head. Bond them together using a two-part metal-to-metal epoxy, often sold as "weld bond." Wait for the epoxy to cure as directed on the label, then grip the nut with a socket wrench and rotate. If you don't have a nut the right size, you can adhere a smaller nut to the top of the screw head. This will not provide as much leverage. Breaking the screw usually relieves pressure on the screw shaft, making it easier to pull out but if it doesn't work, you've eliminated most other options. Choose a drill bit slightly larger than the shaft of the screw, so the head detaches completely when you drill through. Start with a center punch to make a hole in the exact center of the screw, and take care to drill directly through the center. Once the screw head breaks off, grip the screw shaft with locking pliers and rotate counter-clockwise to remove. If the screw head isn't flat, file it down or grind it with a dremel and a pointed grinding stone attachment. Center punch and drill once you have a flat surface to work with. If all else fails, hire a machine shop to remove the screw using electrical discharge machining (EDM). This may be your best option if you used a screw extractor that broke off inside the screw.
Summary: Attach a nut to the screw with epoxy. Drill out the screw head. Hire a professional.