A tiny mite called Notoedres cati causes cat mange, otherwise known as feline scabies or notoedric mange. The female mite burrows into your cat's skin as deep as 3/8 inch and lays her eggs. She dies, and her eggs hatch in three to eight days. The mites cause hair loss, itching and scabs.
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Diagnosis
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Take your cat to the vet to confirm a diagnosis of cat mange, made by skin scrapings, and to obtain treatment. Many cats will have bad side effects to insecticides and need to be monitored while being treated.
Treatment
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Your vet may recommend to trim a long-haired cat and then shampoo her skin with a gentle cleanser. After she has been cleaned, use a 2-3 percent lime sulfur dip over her entire body. Lime sulfur dip can be bought in a concentrate from your vet or over the Internet. Mix 4 oz. of concentrate into one gallon of water. Dip every week until the mange is gone, usually around six to eight weeks.
Your vet could prescribe amitraz dips to treat cat mange. Brand names include Mitaban and Preventic. However, amitraz, a dog mange medicine, is not recommended for cats. Your cat might get ill from amitraz use, with symptoms such as vomiting, disorientation and coma and possibly death.
Some vets prescribe ivermectin, an anti-parasite medication, to treat feline mange. As with amitraz, this is also an off-label use of the drug. Ivermectin is only approved for cats to get rid of ear mites. Your vet may opt to use it in low doses to treat your cat. A study at the Dermatology Unit of Madras Veterinary College Teaching Hospital described five cats with mange treated successfully with ivermectin. All five cats were covered in scabs from the mange, and after a month of treatment they had no adverse effects.
Prevention
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It can be distressing to see your cat in so much discomfort, but cat mange can be treated. The best way to prevent cat mange is to keep your cat inside, away from outdoor cats who might be infected.
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