06/02/2026
Meet this 5-week-old stray kitten who came in for her first vet visit! That intense scratching?
Feline scabies, caused by a microscopic mite called Notoedres cati that actually burrows into the skin rather than living on the surface like ear mites do. That’s what makes it so much itchier and why it spreads beyond the ears across the body.
A skin scrape confirmed an infestation and we got her started on treatment right away, including a topical preventative until her lesions resolve.
One thing worth knowing: feline scabies is transiently zoonotic, meaning it can temporarily cause itching and a rash in people who handle an infected cat. It can’t complete its life cycle on a human host so it clears on its own, but if you’ve recently adopted a stray and notice unexplained itching, mention it to your doctor.
She has a recheck in 3 weeks and we could not be rooting for her harder. 🐱