Notoedric Mange (Feline Scabies)

Notoedric mange, often called feline scabies, is a parasitic skin disease caused by the mite Notoedres cati. Though less common than in decades past, it still occurs, particularly in feral colonies and multi-cat environments, and it is notable for how intensely miserable it makes an affected cat.

The female mite burrows into the outer layers of the skin to lay her eggs, and the cat's immune system reacts to the mites and their waste with severe inflammation and itching. The disease characteristically begins at the tips and edges of the ears, then spreads across the face, eyelids, neck, and — as the cat grooms and scratches — potentially to the paws and body. The affected skin becomes thickened, wrinkled, and covered in tightly adherent grey-yellow crusts, while hair falls out and the constant scratching creates raw, sometimes infected, sores.

Because it is so contagious between cats, an outbreak can move quickly through a household or colony, and the mite can cause a transient itchy rash in humans too (though it cannot complete its life cycle on us). Diagnosis is usually straightforward: a superficial skin scraping viewed under the microscope reveals the characteristic rounded mites and their eggs.

The good news is that notoedric mange responds very well to modern treatment. Vet-prescribed anti-parasitic drugs — commonly selamectin and related macrocyclic lactones — clear the mites over a few weeks, while antibiotics or medicated washes handle any secondary bacterial infection. Crucially, every cat in contact must be treated at once, and bedding cleaned, to break the cycle and prevent re-infestation. With proper treatment, even badly affected cats make a full and often dramatic recovery.