Cat Scabies: Symptoms and Treatment

Scabies is a parasitic disease that can affect humans and a number of animals, including cats, dogs, and pigs. If not properly managed, scabies, also known as mange, can lead to serious complications. There are several types of scabies, all caused by mites, and these diseases are extremely contagious. Below, you'll find everything you need to know about scabies in cats, from causes and symptoms to treatment and prevention methods.

• What is feline scabies (mange)
  • Types of mange in cats
• Scabies in cats - symptoms
  • Ear mites in cats
• Mange from cat to human or other pets. How scabies is transmitted
• Scabies in cats - diagnostic methods
• Treatment for mange in cats
• Mange in cats: prevention methods

What is feline scabies (mange)

Scabies is a skin condition in cats caused by mites. Depending on the type of mite, scabies can affect the cat's body or ears.

Types of mange in cats

There are three main types of mites that settle on their host's skin and cause various disorders leading to severe itching. The three types of mites that can cause mange in cats are:

• Notoedres cati - responsible for notoedric mange. This type of scabies manifests on the body with lesions, hair loss, and itching, and can affect, besides cats, also dogs or humans.
• Sarcoptes scabiei - responsible for sarcoptic mange, which is more common in dogs than in cats. It causes symptoms similar to those of notoedric mange. This disease is painful for the affected animal because it manifests with very severe itching and, moreover, can cause a weakening of the immune system, with consequences for the general health of felines.
• Otodectes cynotis - responsible for ear mites, a much more common disease than the other two presented above. The parasite settles in the cat's ear canal, where it reproduces and feeds on wax, as well as on inflammatory secretions caused by its bites. This can eventually lead to ear infections and even eardrum perforation if blood accumulates in the ear flap.

In addition to the three types of scabies presented above, cats can also be affected by other mite-induced diseases, such as:

• Cheyletiellosis (walking dandruff) - the parasites are small and white and move on the feline's body.
• Trombiculosis - orange, oval-shaped mites feed on blood after attaching themselves to the skin of the head, paws, and abdomen, before falling off.

Scabies in cats - symptoms

If your cat frequently scratches its ears or body, check for symptoms of mange. In general, scabies appears in various places on the body, including the ears, elbows, abdomen, and chest. It can start on the head, where it can take the form of a helmet, and then spread to the neck and the rest of the body. Symptoms of scabies in cats include:

• pruritus (intense itching), which causes the cat to scratch repeatedly and uncontrollably;
• skin lesions, caused by intense scratching;
• intense grooming in areas where scratching has caused lesions;
• agitation, as the disease can impact the feline's mental state;
• rashes, scabs, with infected areas being red, hot, and inflamed. These can be associated with the appearance of eczema or skin scaling;
• thickening and discoloration of the skin, which may turn pink and then brown.

Ear mites in cats

Ear mites in cats can have symptoms such as:

• large amounts of black, dry earwax, similar to coffee grounds, appearing due to ear inflammation;
• unpleasant ear odor;
• a pedal reflex - when you scratch the base of the cat's ears, it replicates the gesture with its paw;
• head shaking, as if the feline wants to dislodge a foreign object.

Mange from cat to human or other pets. How scabies is transmitted

If you're wondering if mange can be transmitted from cats to humans or other pets, the answer is yes. Scabies, a contagious disease, can be transmitted, depending on the responsible parasite, from one cat to another or from one species to another, for example, between dogs and felines. Cat mange can be transmitted to humans under certain circumstances, in which case it is a zoonosis. However, cat mites cannot reproduce as effectively on human skin. If you suspect you've contracted mange from a cat, meaning you have itching and inflamed skin, seek medical advice immediately.

Notoedric scabies most often affects cats, but can be transmitted, in rare cases, to humans or dogs.

Sarcoptic mange can be transmitted from dogs to cats.

Ear mites generally affect cats, with no recorded risk of contagion to humans.

Scabies is transmitted through both direct and indirect contact (for example, through grooming equipment), which is why it is considered a very contagious disease. On the other hand, in the case of ear mites, transmission occurs through direct contact, which must also be quite close, for example, among cats in a cattery or from the same household.

Scabies in cats - diagnostic methods

If you notice any of the above symptoms, take your cat to a veterinarian for a consultation. A paraclinical and clinical examination of the cat may include collecting skin, hair, secretions, and ear crust samples, which can then be used to confirm the presence and type of parasite under a microscope.

If microscopic examination is not possible, or if parasites are observed, the veterinarian will perform a blood test on the cat, which can confirm the diagnosis, especially if sarcoptic mange is suspected.

In some cases, mange may appear in the context of a weakened immune system, and the veterinarian may also recommend specific blood tests or viral tests, such as FIV or FELV.

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Treatment for mange in cats

Mange is a disease that needs to be treated as quickly as possible, as it can have serious repercussions on the cat's health, including eardrum perforation in the case of the auricular form. The veterinarian is best placed to recommend an appropriate treatment for feline mange, after determining the type of mite that caused the scabies. With their help, the cat has a good chance of recovery. In addition, the veterinarian will monitor the cat to check if the treatment is effective.

Treatment may include administering internal and external antiparasitic products. It is also recommended to remove hair from affected areas and clean them with various lotions, shampoos, cat mange sprays, etc. The veterinarian may also prescribe various injectable treatments, as well as cat mange pills. For the treatment of ear mites in cats, medication in the form of drops is administered. Specialists do not recommend administering scabies treatments without consulting a veterinarian.

To limit the spread of parasites, it is recommended to isolate the cat and disinfect the places it frequents. Also, if you own multiple cats, they should be treated similarly, even in the absence of symptoms.

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Mange in cats: prevention methods

Sometimes, the transmission of these parasites cannot be prevented, but precautions can be taken to reduce the risk of contagion.

First and foremost, you must ensure that your cat has been regularly dewormed, especially if it lives outdoors, and that it is generally clean.

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Then, the preferred places in the house for the feline must be kept clean.

Last but not least, if the cat has come into contact with other potentially affected animals, it is recommended to monitor it in the following days and, in case of specific symptoms, to contact the veterinarian.

In conclusion, scabies is a contagious disease of several types that can affect the cat's body or ears. The disease can have serious consequences for the cat's health, so it is essential to consult a veterinarian, who, after establishing the diagnosis, will recommend an appropriate treatment. Also, periodic visits to the veterinarian and proper cleaning of the objects used by your feline are preventive actions to avoid scabies.

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