Reviewed by Kathleen Claussen, DVM on February 09, 2021
Mange is a skin problem that affects many animals, including cats, but it's not an illness. Mange is caused by tiny parasites called mites that bite your pet's skin and cause itching, flaking, hair loss, and inflammation. Scabies is a specific type of mange that is associated with the Sarcoptes species of mite, which causes sarcoptic mange. Mange is uncommon in cats, so owners don't always recognize it right away. It is highly contagious and can spread between pets, so it's important to treat mites as soon as you can. There are several medicines that can effectively get rid of mange. Your veterinarian can help you find the best one for your cat. There are several types of mange mites, which are tiny arachnids that burrow under the top layers of skin and cause discomfort to the host. Adult mites can lay eggs under the skin. There are several types of mange in cats: Feline demodicosis, which can cause itching and hair loss in cats that are already sick, is caused by mites, but it is not classified as mange.
Most cat owners suspect mange because their cat is scratching themselves more than usual. Mites are itchy and uncomfortable, so your cat will do whatever they can for relief. They will lick, bite, or scratch the affected spots.
Your cat's attempts to stop the itching can worsen the problem by irritating their skin even more. The mites, along with the scratching, can result in hair loss and inflamed skin. You might see scaly patches of skin, sores, or scabs on your cat.
With ear mites, cats shake their heads and lay their ears flat to relieve discomfort inside their ear canals. You may be able to see a buildup of heavy ear wax and mite residue in your cat's ears.
You may also notice that you are being bitten by mites. Some mange mites can get onto humans and cause itching, redness, and swelling. However, these mites can't breed on humans, so it's much easier to get rid of them on yourself than on your pet. Talk to your doctor about treating mite bites on your skin.
If you suspect your cat has mange, you will need to take them to the vet for diagnosis and treatment. Your vet will take skin scrapings from the affected area and look at them under a microscope for evidence of mange mites.
There are several treatments for mange in cats, including some that are commonly used for preventing fleas and heartworm. However, the dosing for mites may be different, so make sure to speak with your vet.
Your vet may also suggest special shampoos or soothing medicines for any sores on your cat's skin.
If you have other pets at home, your vet might tell you to treat them for mites or to isolate any affected pets so the mites won't spread. You should also ask your vet for cleaning tips. Mites can linger on your pet's bed, toys, or collar, as well as your carpets and furniture.
If your cat gets mange, make sure to follow your vet's suggestions for treatment and follow-up care.
Harvest mites are also called red bugs, berry bugs, and trombiculid mites. Harvest mites can be found in grasslands, berry patches, woody areas, pine straw, bark, and mulch. Chigger infestation usually occurs in the fall. Adult harvest mites feed on decaying vegetation; their larvae feed on people, mammals, amphibians and birds. The larva pierces the skin and forms a hole called a stylostome (hardened skin cells). The digestive enzymes in their saliva “travel” down the stylostome and then break down skin tissue cells, which they ingest. They do not feed on blood; they ingest dissolved skin cells. Chiggers feed for two to three days and then drop off the host to continue their life cycle. In cats chiggers can mostly found around their ears, between their toes, and other areas with a thin covering of hair.
Adult harvest mites are harmless but their larvae cause allergic reactions in people and pets. Harvest mites lay their eggs in the soil; the larvae that hatch are referred to as chiggers. Chiggers attach to a host and use their fangs to pierce the skin. The saliva of the chigger contains a digestive enzyme that causes an allergic reaction; the severity of the allergy varies in individual cats.
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Chiggers is an itchy skin rash caused by the chigger (trombiculid) mite. Chigger mites are tiny parasitic mites that live in decaying vegetation. Cats become infected while roaming these areas. Chigger mites are also known as harvest mites, berry bugs, scrub-itch mites or red bugs.
The life cycle of the trombiculid mite is in four development stages, egg, larval, nymph and adult. Only the larval form (known as chiggers, hence the name) are parasitic to cats, the nymph and adult are free living.
Chiggers don’t actually bite your cat, once on the host, they pierce the skin and inject saliva containing digestive enzymes to break down the skin cells (known as cellular autolysis), they then feed on the blood serum. Once they have fed, they fall drop back onto the ground and passes into the nymph stage. Chiggers feed on a wide variety of vertebrates, including humans and dogs as well as reptiles and birds. They are most prevalent between spring and autumn when conditions are hot and humid.
Distribution
There are approximately 10,000 species of chiggers and their distribution is worldwide. It would appear they are a bigger issue for cats in the United States (most commonly called chiggers or red bug) and Europe (where they are known as harvest mites). In Australia, they are called scrub-itch mites but don’t seem to pose a problem.
Appearance
The larval form of chiggers is minute and barely visible to the eye. They are red/orange in colour and have six legs. The nymph and adult trombiculid mites have eight legs.
Symptoms
Obviously, it is hard to see bites on a cat due to their fur, but it is quite easy to see the bites on a person.
Image courtesy theivorytower, Flickr
An enzyme produced by the mite during feeding causes the tissues to disintegrate (known as cell autolysis), the cat’s skin becomes hardened, forming a tube called a stylostome from which the mite feeds from (similar to a straw). It is the digestive enzyme produced by the mite that causes the typical reaction seen in affected animals.
- Intense itching and swelling, especially on parts of the cat that come into contact with the ground such as the feet, head, ears, and legs. In cats, the ears are most commonly affected. Itching occurs a few hours after the chigger has fed.
- A red pimple-like bump where the chigger has fed.
- Dry, crusty lesions, especially along the ear margins.
- Some cats may develop a secondary bacterial infection but to scratching and damaging the skin further.
Diagnosis
Your veterinarian will perform a complete physical examination of your cat and obtain a history from you. The veterinarian may suspect chiggers if they identify any of the following:
- A history of roaming outdoors
- If a large number of mites are on your cat, the veterinarian will be able to see them as clumps of red/orange in the affected area
- Identifying the six-legged chigger on skin scrapings
- Crusting dermatosis
Treatment
Infection with chiggers is usually self-limiting and treatment is not always necessary.
When treatment is required, it involves the administration of an appropriate parasiticide for cats. There are currently no treatments that are licensed for use on cats to treat chiggers, however, most flea treatment products are also effective in killing these mites.
Glucocorticoids to relieve severe pruritus (itching).
If your cat has developed a secondary skin infection, he may require a course of antibiotics.
Can my cat pass chiggers onto other pets or humans?
It is not likely that your cat can pass chiggers on to other cats or yourself.
Do chiggers transmit diseases?
Chiggers in the United States and Europe aren’t believed to transmit any diseases to cats (or humans), however, in parts of Asia they can transmit scrub typhus to humans, which is a rickettsial disease.
Prevention
- Confine cats to indoors or a cat enclosure where possible. If the cat does go outside, avoid high-risk areas, such as grasslands and wooded areas.
- Check outdoor cats for the presence of chiggers. Pay attention to the face, ears, and feet and if you see mites, gently remove them.