The lice are one of the external parasites that most frequently affect cats. They usually invade stray cats or house cats with access to the outside, especially if they are still young, old or sick.
Although they are not as contagious as fleas and ticks, lice cause the same discomfort in your feline friend, such as itching and hair loss, in addition to transmitting certain diseases. That is why on our site we have prepared for you this article on lice in cats, symptoms and treatment
How do lice affect cats?
The louse is a wingless insect of a few millimeters that does not have wings or is able to jump, but lives as a parasite of some mammals There are about 3000 different types of phthyroptera (Phthiraptera) and each one is quite selective about the animals that become its hosts, so at least They generally only attack certain specific species.
The louse that attacks cats is Felicola subrostratus; It is not transmitted to other animals or to humans, although it is to other feline species. It mainly affects young cats that have not yet developed good defenses, older felines that have stopped grooming themselves and all those that, either due to poor nutrition or by illness, they are weak or immunocompromised. Long fur is also decisive when it comes to suffering from these parasites.
They are usually more common in the cold seasons of the year and are spread between cats that spend a lot of time together, because the louse doesn't even fly It neither jumps nor hides in the grass in search of a host. Its entire life is spent in the body of the animal, away from which it dies quickly, in just 1 or 2 days. Cat lice are not contagious to humans.
Symptoms of head lice in cats
The presence of lice in your cat's fur is quite clear. First of all, they are easily visible to the naked eye, due to their dark color and because they walk through the hair. Even in long-haired cats, you can see them if you remove the upper layers a little with your fingers, although the most obvious symptom is the whitish eggs, which adhere very easily. You can try passing a lice brush to make sure they are there.
Other characteristic symptoms of the presence of lice in cats are:
- The hair looks matted and dirty.
- The itch or itch is quite intense, so the cat is likely to scratch frequently or try to bite the areas that bother him the most, even causing self-mutilation.
- As a consequence of scratching and biting we can observe wounds that can become infected or thickening of the skin.
Treatment of lice in cats
There are multiple options on the market to eliminate the lice that affect your cat, although none is specially formulated for these parasites, since they are the least common.
In any case, if your cat has an infestation of lice, we will start with a bath with an antiparasitic shampooThen we will use an anti-lice comb to remove the insects that still remain in the dermis, as well as the eggs. Once removed, you must drown the annoying parasites in a little alcohol or hot water. Be sure to work the fur all the way through.
If you have never bathed your cat before, you must assume that bathing an adult cat for the first time can be very difficult, if not practically impossible. In these cases it may be useful to offer a antiparasitic pill that also acts to eliminate external parasites.
Finally, and in the event that bathing or offering a pill is impossible (and although we do not recommend the use of drugs whenever possible), we can consult with our veterinarian about the option of calming our cat with medication. Of course, we will totally reject the use of acepromazine.
Two days after the application of any antiparasitic product we must apply a pipette, collar or spray to kill the parasites that could stay alive in the fur of our feline and to prevent the appearance of new ones.
If there are other pets in the house, preventive treatment will be necessary to avoid infestation. Lice do not survive outside the animal, but it would be advisable to clean your cat's beds, quilts, toys and other objects. Use hot water for this.
Head Lice Prevention
It is very important to prevent the appearance of parasites in cats that have access to the outside or those that live with other pets that do have outside access, as is the case of cats that share a home with dogs.
The ideal in these cases is to apply deworming products periodically, such as pipettes, collars or sprays To know how often to deworm your cat consult your veterinarian and follow product instructions strictly.
