How to Get Rid of Fur Mites on Your Cat
Fur mites or cheyletiella mites affect both cats and dogs, causing skin irritation, hair loss, itching and dandruff. People sometimes refer to a fur mite infestation as walking dandruff because the mites move around under the animal's skin scales. Fur mites sometimes attack humans, causing skin irritation, itchiness and sometimes even painful skin lesions. Treatment usually involves using insecticides that you can obtain from your veterinarian.
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Instructions
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Bring your cat to the veterinarian once you see fur mite symptoms, including excessive scratching and grooming, scaling of the skin, dandruff, lesions and hair loss. The veterinarian will usually inspect your cat with a magnifying glass, comb the fur or scrape the skin to detect the fur mites. Sometimes the veterinarian takes a stool sample because cats often ingest mites during grooming.
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Clip or shave your cat's fur if it has a long coat. This exposes the fur mites and allows insecticidal treatments to work more effectively.
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Prepare an insecticidal lime-sulfur rinse as prescribed by your veterinarian. Bathe your cat in the solution six to eight times a week to remove the scales on the skin.
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Give your cat oral medication as prescribed by your veterinarian.
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Clean the house to reduce mite populations and prevent fur mites from re-infesting the cat. Focus on areas such as bedding, rugs and the scratching post. Fur mites can survive for up to 10 days away from a host, so thoroughly clean the area daily until the infestation ends. Use an insecticidal fog or spray if recommended by a veterinarian.
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Tips & Warnings
Bring other animals in the house to the veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment because fur mites infestations are highly contagious.
For a natural alternative to insecticidal treatments, use mite products that contain ingredients such as garlic, wormwood, neem, lemongrass and niaoli. Consult your veterinarian before using any product to treat your cat.
