What Is Feline Mange?

Mange is a disfiguring, uncomfortable skin disorder. It is most likely to strike dogs and cats that are homeless, exposed to dirt and garbage, malnourished or living in moist, humid and dirty conditions. Feline mange can be fatal, but can also be treated if it's caught early.

  1. Mange

    • Mange can strike any warm-blooded animal. There are several types of mange, some of which are specific to a species. Mange causes serious physical repercussions, and can kill young or weakened animals, but is treatable with medication.

    Causes

    • Mange occurs when microscopic mites dig into a cat's skin to build tunnels for feeding and laying eggs. Several different mange mites exist, including notoedric, sarcoptic, cheyletiellic, otodectic and demodoex mites. Mange is sometimes complicated by a cat having an additional allergic reaction to the mites.

    Symptoms

    • Feline mange mite damage is easy to diagnose in cats. Skin becomes irritated and scabbed, with hair loss that is exacerbated by a cat scratching at the scabs. These symptoms show first on a cat's face and neck. The cat is also likely to lose weight during a case of mange.

    Treatments

    • Feline mange must be treated more carefully than canine mange, as cats are more sensitive and may have negative reactions to medications prescribed for dogs. Cats are clipped, then bathed and treated with a 3 percent lime sulfur solution to kill the mites. This is repeated until the mange disappears.

    Contageon

    • Mange mites are extremely contagious, and can be passed on to other cats, dogs, rodents, livestock and even humans. Cats with mange should be isolated and all bedding washed, as mites can live and transfer hosts through things like blankets and couches.