Cat with mites!

beveragelady

My long-haired adult cat is crawling with tiny mites. I spotted them this morning, a little speck at the end of every hair on his back. He's indoor/outdoor and he had a stay at the vet about two weeks ago. I have two dogs and one other cat but a quick examination this morning didn't reveal any mites on them. These things are really tiny, they look like dandruff or even just dust.
My question is will a flea treatment get rid of them? They're probably all overdue for a frontline dose. Will ordinary flea spray treat their bedding and the rest of the house? Luckily I don't have carpets.
I'm at work now and my skin is crawling at the thought!

aonb

its yukky isnt it!
I'd stop by your vet and get some frontline or advocate for ALL of your pets. Do a HOT wash of all bedding tonight, and vacuum everywhere - under skirtings etc etc.
(Assuming they are mites - could it be a skin condition since you say it looks like dust??!) Maybe bring the cat to the vet if you arent sure, to have her checked - the cost of the vet visit will cover the cost of 4 doses of frontline or advocate if its not mites!!

beveragelady

aonb wrote: »

its yukky isnt it!
I'd stop by your vet and get some frontline or advocate for ALL of your pets. Do a HOT wash of all bedding tonight, and vacuum everywhere - under skirtings etc etc.
(Assuming they are mites - could it be a skin condition since you say it looks like dust??!) Maybe bring the cat to the vet if you arent sure, to have her checked - the cost of the vet visit will cover the cost of 4 doses of frontline or advocate if its not mites!!

A close look with a magnifying mirror (couldn't find a magnifying glass) revealed that they have legs. There's no way I'll get all the bedding washed straight away, and anyway the cats refuse on principle to limit themselves to snoozing in their baskets.
Just got off the phone with the vet, she recommended advocate and says that a normal household spray would do the bedding.
Between teeny mites on the cats and aphids in the conservatory I'm feeling besieged.

Ms Doubtfire1

advocate is the only treatment that deals with mites effectively.Wash all bedding on the hottest program-twice.
It should get rid quickly.
Are you SURE it's mites? They usually prefer the ears or are under the skin?
if it is skin mites-which seems to be the case. advocate alone won't help..

http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/skin/c_ct_cheyletiellosis?page=2

tk123

This thread has made me itchy!

beveragelady

tk123 wrote: »

This thread has made me itchy!

You're itchy! I've been googling lice and mites and all sorts of unpleasantness and my imagination is running riot! I'm scratching and clawing at myself like a meth addict.

As a result of my research I'm starting to think they're lice now. There seemed to be no concentration around his ears and they were well out from his skin. They're the size of a grain of very fine salt, shaped a bit like a sesame seed. They're creamy white and quite translucent.
This cat is a constant drain on my limited financial resources* but I always convinced myself that he's so handsome that he's worth it. Now I'm not so sure. I don't even really like him.

*Ongoing breakage and shredding of possessions. Frequent surgeries, usually for bowel obstructions.

Ms Doubtfire1

LICE!! Grooooooooooooossssssss.

Doubt it though...Lice are quite uncommonn cats and you would see hair loss and lots of scratching vet maybe?

Rancid

beveragelady wrote: »

...
As a result of my research I'm starting to think they're lice now. There seemed to be no concentration around his ears and they were well out from his skin. They're the size of a grain of very fine salt, shaped a bit like a sesame seed. They're creamy white and quite translucent.
...

Sounds a lot like lice, to be honest.
Your description of them... at the base of each hair, the size of a grain of salt, etc., sounds exactly like the eggs that lice lay at the base of the hairs close to the skin.

tk123

beveragelady wrote: »

You're itchy! I've been googling lice and mites and all sorts of unpleasantness and my imagination is running riot! I'm scratching and clawing at myself like a meth addict.

As a result of my research I'm starting to think they're lice now. There seemed to be no concentration around his ears and they were well out from his skin. They're the size of a grain of very fine salt, shaped a bit like a sesame seed. They're creamy white and quite translucent.
This cat is a constant drain on my limited financial resources* but I always convinced myself that he's so handsome that he's worth it. Now I'm not so sure. I don't even really like him.

*Ongoing breakage and shredding of possessions. Frequent surgeries, usually for bowel obstructions.

I have the dog version of your cat... minus the lice

beveragelady

Rancid wrote: »

Sounds a lot like lice, to be honest.
Your description of them... at the base of each hair, the size of a grain of salt, etc., sounds exactly like the eggs that lice lay at the base of the hairs close to the skin.

These lads aren't eggs, they have wee little legs and they move around.

I got a bottle of noxious stuff from the vet and I have subjected the cats to the appropriate torture. I won't be able to do the dogs until later tonight. I have begun a process of washing bedding but I still think I'll never get a peaceful night's sleep again.

aonb

^^^^ course you will!
Us humans are very squeemish about our pets carrying creepy crawlies, but one you treat them all (dogs too!) with something powerful like Advocate, all will be fine again
Til next invasion!
I missed a scheduled treatment of our cat, she came home with fleas - Im religious in treating the brat every 6 weeks now. Her poor little system will just have to deal with all the horrible chemicals

Ms Doubtfire1

beveragelady wrote: »

These lads aren't eggs, they have wee little legs and they move around.

I got a bottle of noxious stuff from the vet and I have subjected the cats to the appropriate torture. I won't be able to do the dogs until later tonight. I have begun a process of washing bedding but I still think I'll never get a peaceful night's sleep again.

ewwwwwwwwwwww. Never ever had lice in any of my cats.One of the horses came in with them though. Vinegar sorted that quite quickly...don't think that'll work on cats though. grooooooosss.Good luck OP!!