Feline Scabies in Cats

Updated on September 26, 2024

Reviewed by Petco's Veterinarian Team

SUMMARY OF CONTENT

Feline scabies is caused by a tiny mite called Notoedres cati causing severe itching and hair loss.

SEVERITY:

Severity is mild to moderate to severe

Typically resolves within weeks with proper treatment
Treatable by a veterinarian, and by the pet parent
Avoid contact with infected cats
Transmission may be possible between animals or from animals to people
Diagnosis requires a physical examination and skin scraping test

VERY COMMON IN

Notoedres can infect cats of all ages, breeds, and gender.

Symptoms & Signs

The symptoms usually start with hair loss and itching on the ears and then spreads rapidly to the face, eyelids, and neck. The mites can also spread to the rest of the body if appropriate treatment is not started. This characteristic spread probably occurs from the cat's habit of grooming, and sleeping curled up in a ball. As the disease progresses, the skin may become thickened, wrinkled, or covered with grayish/yellow crusts. In addition to the mite infection, due to the intense itching, an infected cat will often scratch and irritate the skin which can cause secondary bacterial / fungal infections to develop. The surrounding lymph nodes may also become enlarged as the problem worsens. Notoedres can infect cats of all ages, breeds, and colors. It infects both males and females and often will infect an entire litter of kittens or all cats within a home who may have exposure to an infected individual. As a result of this mite being transmitted directly from cat to cat, it is more common in outdoor cats that come in contact with strays. The mite only lives a few days off of the cat, but transmission through grooming, boarding, and sharing bedding is possible. Although not a natural host for the mite, humans, dogs or even rabbits can be affected by Notoedres if they come in contact with an infected cat.

Diagnosis

The characteristic itching and hair loss pattern help to diagnose Notoedric mange in the cat. Skin scrapings are performed to confirm the diagnosis. There are usually a large number of mites present on the skin and the resulting skin scrapings, however, even if they are not detected your vet may still recommend a trial run of treatment if symptoms and history otherwise indicate a possible infection with the mites.

Causation

Feline scabies is caused by a tiny mite called Notoedres cati. This mite affects cats very much like the sarcoptic mange mite affects dogs; in fact, their life cycles and treatments are very similar. If your cat suffers from severe itching or hair loss on the head and neck, you should consider having the cat examined by your veterinarian for this mange mite. The mites spend their entire life on a cat. The female mite burrows into the skin and lays eggs several times as she continues burrowing. These tunnels can actually reach the length of several centimeters. After she deposits the eggs, the female mite dies. In 3-8 days, the eggs hatch into larvae which then mature into nymphs. The nymph then molts into an adult while it is still in the burrow. The adults mate, and the process continues. The entire life cycle requires 2-3 weeks.

Treatments

AT-HOME CARE

Information provided below outlines what a typical dose might look like. Always consult your veterinarian on the appropriate dose for your specific animal when using any vitamin, supplement, off-label or prescription products. Some vets may prescribe outside of these ranges based on specific needs of the patient. While some treatments can be done at home, you should always partner with your veterinarian to discuss the best treatment plan for your cat and circumstances. Many of them are NOT safe to use in a cat. Cats are much more sensitive to some of the insecticides that are safe to use in the dog. Your vet may recommend treatment method for cats that includes clipping all long hair and then bathe the cat with a gentle cleansing shampoo. After the shampoo, a 2 to 3% lime sulfur dip (Lymdip) may be applied to the entire surface of the cat. Some cats may require a sedative to be properly bathed and treated. This is repeated every seven days until the condition resolves and may require 6 to 8 weeks of treatment. As many cats do not tolerate bathing, your veterinarian may recommend a different treatment plan such as topical (Isoxazoline, Selamectin, or Moxidectin) or injectable (ivermectin) therapies. As these topical treatments were intended as flea prevention, and Notoedres cati is uncommon, your veterinarian prescribing these medications for the treatment of feline scabies would be considered “off-label”.

SUPPORTIVE CARE

Control itch and secondary infections using prescribed or over the counter medications as directed by your veterinarian.

MEDICATIONS

Ivermectin is a common treatment that can be given as an injection every 2 weeks for a month. Revolution® (selamectin) and Advantage Multi® (moxidectin) are topical medications designed for flea, heartworm, and intestinal parasite control. These are not FDA approved for control of sarcoptic mange mites in cats but are commonly used in an off label manner. They are very effective and beneficial in prevention of future infections when used monthly. If there are multiple cats in the household it is often recommended that all cats in the household be treated because they may be harboring the mites, and these mites can spread rapidly from one cat to another.

DEVICES

None

SPECIALISTS

A general practitioner typically treats cats with notoedric mange and a specialist is not usually needed.

Cost Of Treatment

The cost of veterinary treatment can vary widely for various reasons, however, treatment cost for scabies in cats may average about $300 depending on the severity of the infection.

Recovery

Recovery usually occurs quickly following proper treatment. Always follow the veterinarian’s treatment instructions and make sure all cats in the house are treated. Contact with affected cats should be kept to a minimum and cats under treatment should be isolated from healthy, unaffected animals.

Monitoring

Cats should be monitored closely for resolution of signs and potential side effects of treatment. Follow-up veterinary appointments may be necessary to administer medications and monitor the condition until the cat has fully recovered.

Prevention

Prevention is best accomplished by preventing your cat from coming in contact with stray or infected cats. Indoor cats are much less likely to contract this disease as the mite does not live long without a host. Avoid boarding or grooming your cats at locations that do not provide good sanitation and insist that all grooming tools be disinfected between uses. At the first signs of infection, seek prompt treatment and isolate the infected cat from other cats in the household to help prevent spread.

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