Scabies make the skin of cats itchy and sore, a skin condition caused by microscopic mites that invade the skin and cause itching, inflammation and loss of hair. In this article, you will learn how cats get scabies, what they look like and how to treat it.
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How Do Cats Get Scabies
According to research, Notedris cati and Sarcoptes scabiei has been identified as a major culprit in causing scabies in cats, this mite is microscopic and can’t be seen with the naked eye. Cats can get scabies from coming in contact with an infected cat or staying in an endemic environment.
Scabies are easily transmissible via contact and mites can stay in the environment as long as there is a suitable host, like a cat. When these mites get on cats, they mate and the females burrow their way into the skin where they deposit eggs. These eggs hatch, develop into larvae, nymphs and eventually adults which go back up on the skin to continue the life cycle.
Scabies is a very painful and itchy condition for cats as it could develop into mange, forming a crust, loss of hair and skin hardening. Having the Petcube Camera set up around your cat helps to watch out for contact with stray cats or symptoms of scabies such as itchy skin.
What Does Scabies Look Like on a Cat
Scabies in cats present as crusted skin lesions with red or greyish tiny bumps which usually appear on the ears at first and then spread to the feet and belly areas. Scabies could present in different forms and at different regions of the body depending on the cat but some of its common features is the crust formation, hair loss and decolorization of the affected areas.
“In cases of scabies incognito, mites or crust may be hard to find on your cat due to regular bathing and grooming”, - Dr. Michael W. Dryden
Cat Scabies Treatment
Treating scabies could take time depending on the degree of infection. Understanding the life cycle of the infection and how cats get infected is crucial to curtailing and controlling it. The most important goal of any treatment therapy for scabies is to stop the chances of the females reproducing or mating.
In households with more than one cat, isolating the infected cats is the first line of action. Usually, cats with scabies should be boarded at the Veterinarian for a close watch. During boarding, any emergency treatment cost incurred would be covered by the Petcube Emergency Fund up to $3000 and a 27% discount if you sign up now using the exclusive link.
“After boarding our cat at the Vet for 4 months, it took us another 2 months to recover ourselves and our cats from scabies”, - Reddit User
To treat scabies, a test using skin scrapings will be conducted on your cat to diangnose scabies and ascertain if it’s caused by the mites and the type of mite involved. Once confirmed, the Veterinarian will adopt any of the following treatment regimens:
- Crust Removal: Manual removal of the crust at scabies infected area will allow subsequent topical or systemic medication to work effectively.
- Ivermectin Injection: This is usually the first choice of medication since it has been proven by researchers to be most effective against scabies.
- Lime Sulfur Bath: The lime sulfur dip method is still effective in treating scabies in cats, especially when combined with ivermectin.
- Selamectin: This is effective for treating dog scabies but is also efficient in feline scabies treatment and disinfecting the environment.
- Other medications that may not be approved for feline scabies treatment but are effective include; Bravecto and Moxidectin. They should be used under the prescription of a Veterinarian.
Another crucial aspect of scabies treatment is management and control. Aside from treating scabies with the Veterinarian, the household needs to be disinfected with Amitraz or a recommended disinfectant by the Vet.
I once had a case of recurrent scabies infection on a cat who kept visiting the clinic, only to discover that the client did not actively disinfect the environment, beddings and cat toys which were a point of reinfection. If the environment is not rid of mites, there will be a relapse and the cycle will continue.
Conclusion
Scabies are not common in cats but when they occur, they appear on the ears, feet or belly. Their symptoms could range from itchy skin to loss of hair but with the right anti-parasitic medications, cats would recover in no time.