What is mange in cats?

Mange isn’t a disease or illness, but a condition caused by mites. Mites are tiny bugs that burrow into the skin and cause itching and irritation, causing your cat to scratch at and bite the area. This is what leads to the skin becoming irritated and the fur to fall out.

Types of mange in cats

The different types of manage in cats are caused by different types of mange mites. They are all contagious and can easily spread between cats and other animals living together. Each type of mange will need its own treatment.

The different types of mange in cats include:

Feline scabies / notoedric mange

The standard mange-causing mite in cats. This is the most common type of mange in cats and can cause severe skin itching. Skin crusts and hair loss first appear on the ears, head, and neck, but can then spread over the entire body.

Canine scabies / sarcoptic mange

As the name suggests, canine scabies is often found in dogs. But this can easily spread to other animals, such as a cat living in the same household. The mites tend to live inside hair follicles and on the surface of the skin.

Cheyletiella mange / walking dandruff

You’ll see this type of manage as tiny white mites you can see walking around on your pet’s skin, which is how they got their nickname.

Otodectic mange / ear mites

As you might expect, these mites burrow into a cat’s ears and cause irritation. The mites inhabit the cat’s ear canal and survive by eating skin oils and wax. They are typically not dangerous, but they can cause damage to the eardrums, outer ears, and face if not treated properly.

Demodectic mange

This is caused by several different mites, with the most common being ones found naturally in a cat’s hair follicles and on the surface of the skin. The mites don’t normally cause illness unless the cat has other immune system issues.

How do cats get mange?

Most types of mange are caused by mites which are picked up from other cats or animals, so it is more commonly seen in cats that spend time outdoors. Indoor-only cats are less likely to get mange.

Scabies and ear mites are both highly contagious and are spread mainly through direct contact with an infected animal. Canine scabies can spread through the environment as well, but it’s less common.

Mange can also develop due to underlying health problems causing a cat’s immune system to be weakened, allowing a type of mite that normally lives on your cat’s skin without issue (the Demodex mite) to start causing problems. Demodectic mites aren’t as capable of surviving off their host and in most cases require direct contact to be transmitted.

Signs and symptoms of mange in cats

We’ve talked about some of the signs of mange, but sometimes these can be down to other skin conditions. You should always take your cat to the vet to get them checked out if they’re showing any of the following signs:

• Intense itching or scratching, or scratching more than normal
  
  
• Restless behaviour and not being able to settle in one spot
  
  
• Licking or grooming a particular area more than normal
  
  
• Patches of fur loss, especially around the face and ears
  
  
• Redness or flaky skin where the fur is patchy
• Small bumps in the irritated areas
  
  

Symptoms of ear mite infections include:

• Itchy ears
  
  
• Ear discharge (dark in colour) and wax accumulation
  
  
• Bad-smelling ears
  
  
• Hair loss around the ears
  
  
• Red, inflamed ear canals
• Damage around their face and ears from scratching
  
  

Symptoms of scabies can include:

• Severe itching
  
  
• Hair loss – this usually begins around the ears
  
  
• Crusting or thickening of the skin
  
  

Signs of demodectic mange can include:

• Patching hair loss on the body
  
  
• Itchy skin
  
  
• Crusting skin

How is mange in cats diagnosed?

If a cat comes to the vet with itchiness and any other potential symptoms of mange, the vet will carry out a physical exam and look at a skin scraping under a microscope. Microscopic mites and eggs can both be seen under a microscope and the skin scrape could also show bacteria and yeast that may be causing the infection.

Even if they don’t see mites, they may recommend an anti-parasite treatment. If the symptoms stop after this, mites were the likely culprits.

If a cat’s mange is being caused by demodectic mites, the vet may run some more tests to diagnose any underlying immunosuppressive illnesses. These tests may include:

• Blood tests
  
  
• X-rays and ultrasounds
  
  
• Urinalysis

How to treat mange in cats

Vet treatment for mange is usually an injection or spot treatment. They may also give you some antibacterial and soothing topical products to help clear up and heal the skin.

Other potential mange treatments can include:

• Anti-itch medications
  
  
• Medicated baths
  
  
• Antibiotics if they have secondary skin or ear infections
  
  
• Treatment for scratching of the face, ears or body
  
  

It can take a number of weeks before the problem is under control and the mites are completely gone. You should also make sure to thoroughly clean your cat’s bedding during the treatment and use an anti-mite spray in your home.

If you have other animals at home, they will also need to be treated if your cat has scabies or ear mites. These conditions are highly contagious, so even if the other animals aren’t showing symptoms, they still need to be treated.

How to prevent mange in cats

Keeping on top of your cat’s regular flea, tick and worming treatment will help to reduce the risk of most types of mange.

Other mites are naturally present on a cat’s body in small numbers but can only cause mange if your cat’s immune system is low (demodectic mites). The most at risk of this are kittens, elderly cats and any recovering from surgery or an illness. Maintaining a healthy diet and clean environment will help to keep your cat fit, healthy and free of mites.

If you have a cat that’s being treated for mange, they should be isolated to prevent transmission to other pets.