Notoedric Mange in Cats: Highly Contagious Skin Disease
Notoedric mange (feline scabies) causes intense itching and skin crusting in cats, spreading rapidly between cats and requiring prompt treatment for welfare resolution.
Key Facts
- Caused by Notoedres cati, a burrowing mite similar to Sarcoptes in dogs
- Causes intense pruritus with crusting, scaling, and hair loss starting on the face and ears
- Spreads between cats by direct contact; temporary infestation possible in humans
- Treatment with selamectin or other antiparasitics is effective
- Stray and feral cat populations can serve as reservoirs of infection
Welfare Considerations
Notoedric mange creates severe welfare suffering through the intense, relentless pruritus caused by mite burrowing in the skin. Affected cats scratch continuously, causing self-trauma, secondary infections, and exhaustion. The progressive spread from head to body leads to widespread skin damage without treatment. The condition is completely treatable with appropriate antiparasitic medication, making prolonged welfare suffering in owned cats a management failure. Welfare management in stray cat populations is more challenging but trap-neuter-return programs create opportunities to treat mange in individual cats.
What You Can Do
- Seek veterinary treatment immediately if mange is suspected
- Treat all in-contact cats simultaneously to prevent re-infestation
- Clean and treat the cat's environment to reduce mite burden
- Isolate affected cats from healthy cats during treatment
- Consider treating any humans in the household if temporary infestation occurs