I still haven't had the energy to go looking for the ginger ninja again, and as the weather gets colder and wetter he'll probably be hiding away somewhere. :(
Melbcat's ears are still looking a little sus. Unfortunately I need to clean her ears so antibiotics can work better and she hates having it done. I'm not managing the ear washes twice a day but will aim for at least one, and talk to the vet about restarting the drops.
Lie on back. Sit cat on chest (if you have boobs this is a big cat comfort plus). Gently rub ears, paying attention to cat grinding towards where they want rubbings. first two fingers on the back, thumbs at the front of the ear, circular motions, some gentle pulling out towards the sides. Misha gets her ears cleaned then a massage that starts on the ears and goes down the cheeks under the chin until she's drooled a puddle six foot wide and no longer complains about ear cleanings.
Downside: the little shit will expect ear rubs on demand.
I rang the vet and they're not too fussed and told me not to do the antibiotic drops. So I think I'll monitor, do gentle ear rubs and the occasional wash to dislodge the spuds. And if there's any discomfort she goes in for a swab