How to know if your cat has scabies


The  scabies in cats is a skin disease that usually suffer, especially in the ears. In general, this ailment is caused by the so-called scabies mite of the head. However, there are different types of scabies depending on the mite and the area that is infected.


What is scabies in cats

The scab cats is a skin condition caused by a kind of mite. As a general rule, mange mites cannot be detected at first glance since they are microscopic, for this reason it is essential that you take a good look at how your feline behaves.

Mites live on your pet’s skin, specifically in the dermis, but nevertheless, they never pass into his body. The mange mites  that affect cats the most are:

  • The most common of them all is Notoedres Cat and it only affects cats. This mite begins by staying  on the head and ears of your pet and, little by little, it slides up to its neck and the rest its body. The females of this class of parasites dig tunnels in the skin of your pet, there they live and lay their eggs, they also feed on tissue fluids and lymph and produce redness on the animal’s skin and loss of fur.
  • Otodectes Cynotis , this type of parasite is also much more common in cats than in dogs. These mites  lodge in the external auditory canal and cause otitis externa in kittens. In the same way as the previous one, they feed on keratin and do not dig tunnels. They cause peeling of the skin, the appearance of eczema, dark-colored discharge and scabs.
  • Cheyletiella Spp , can also infect dogs, although the most common is that it harms cats. These types of mites do not dig tunnels but live on the surface and feed on keratin. These mites are often  confused with dandruff, since these parasites, when they move, cause the skin to flake.

How is feline mange spread

Scabies is always spread by contact. As they are parasites that only inhabit the skin of animals , they cannot survive for more than two weeks outside of it and, therefore, they can only pass from one to another.

However, there is no need for physical contact between the cats, it is enough for them to touch, be close, have shared an object, such as a blanket or the feeder, or have been in the same room.

Usually there is no danger of contagion to humans , but Cheyletiella Spp is possible to spread to human skin, temporarily causing an infection that causes redness and itching.

Symptoms of scabies in cats

Each type of mange mite causes some symptoms  or others in kittens, but the most common are the following:

  • Reddened skin
  • Local inflammation.
  • Hair loss
  • Peeling skin and eczema.
  • Dark discharge from the ear.
  • Appearance of scabs, especially in the area of ​​the ears.
  • Much itching that triggers a rough scratching and not stop licking the affected areas.
  • In severe cases, perforation of the eardrum, bleeding from the ear and bleeding.

In general, it is difficult to detect this disease in its initial phase. Symptoms begin to appear  two to three weeks after infection, which is when the mites have fully developed.

For this reason, it is essential that you pay attention to whether your furry friend licks or scratches more than usual or if it is losing more hair than usual. If so, you will have to take your feline to the specialist for treatment as soon as possible.


Treatment of cat mange

When the ailment has already been diagnosed, the vet will start a treatment to cure it. Depending on the kind of scabies it is and the state your pet is in, it will prescribe some antiparasitics or others.

The treatments for feline scabies ranging from pipettes apply in certain parts of the body of your pussycat and ear drops and shampoos for this specific ailment.

Oral medications such as antiparasitic pills or pills and injections are also often prescribed to fight scabies .

If it is the cat puppies that suffer from scabies, they are not accustomed to giving vaccines, but the treatment is based on frequent baths with special antiparasitic soaps, drops or pipettes and petroleum jelly for the areas that are scaled.


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