Cat Lice Symptoms

Lice are blood-sucking parasites, and while the lice that affect cats do not attach to humans, they can quickly spread from cat to cat in the household. Felicola subrostratus, the louse species that affects cats, are small wingless insects that are visible to the naked eye. Identifying the signs of lice in cats is the first step towards curing an infestation.

  1. Itching

    • A cat with a louse infestation is prone to itching. Due to the irritation from the bites, the cat will scratch itself, and depending on the severity, the cat might scratch itself very hard. It might also rub against pieces of furniture or the floor to alleviate the itching.

    Dull Coat

    • The fur of a cat who is infected with lice is dull and scruffy. It does not have the shine that a healthy cat's coat does, and it may feel dry and brittle to the touch. The dull coat is not caused by the lice but is due to the cat's constant scratching, which damages the fur.

    Anemia

    • When a lice infestation is very heavy, a cat may develop anemia, a condition in which there are not enough red blood cells in circulation. Anemia is indicated by a pale, whitish color to the gums and by a general weakness and lethargy in the cat.

    Hair Loss

    • A cat who has had an ongoing infestation of lice may have bald patches in the places where it itches the most. The lice do not cause the hair loss; however, the cat scratches in areas where the lice bite, pulling out small clumps of hair as its scratching gets more intense.

    Reddened Skin

    • As the cat scratches at the bites and the irritation, its claws abrade the skin. This leads to skin that is reddened and might even be scratched raw.