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Chiggers in Cats

Chiggers in Cats

Trombiculiasis, Harvest mites, Red bugs

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Updated on September 26, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
Chiggers are uncommon skin parasites in cats caused by the larvae of the Trombiculidae family of mites, and cause itching, hair loss, and skin lesions, especially in and around the ears.
SEVERITY:
Severity is mild to moderate
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Requires a diagnosis by a veterinarian
  • Time to Cure
    Resolves within days to weeks after treatment
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian, by the pet parent
  • Prevention Icon
    Avoid areas where chiggers are found and use a monthly flea preventative; a fipronil containing product may be most effective against chiggers
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is not typical between cats or from cats to people
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires a physical examination and skin scraping
VERY COMMON IN
Most common in outdoor cats, especially in spring and fall. Found throughout the central and southern US.

Symptoms & Signs

In cats, chigger larvae often take up residence on the inside of the ears and can be seen with the naked eye. Chiggers may not cause any symptoms in some animals; others may scratch at the area where the chiggers are present. There may also be hair loss, hives, crusted skin lesions, bleeding sores, and secondary bacterial infections.

Diagnosis

The mite can be scraped from the inner surface of the cat's ear and identified under the microscope. However, because of the characteristic reddish color and location, a diagnosis can often be made just by visual inspection.

Causation

The chigger mite is a small reddish-orange mite about the size of the head of a pin. It lives in the soil and on vegetation for most of its life. Eggs are laid in soil and around vegetation in late summer. Larvae hatch from the eggs and crawl onto a host animal (e.g.; cat, dog, human). In cats they are most often found in the ear canals, and the larvae are also a bright reddish orange color. The larvae attach themselves to the lining of the ear,  feed on fluids in the tissue for several days, and then leave the host. The larvae molt into a nymph stage, and then mature into adults. The life cycle is completed in 50-55 days. In northern areas, there are 1-2 generations per year, in southern areas, the mites can reproduce all year long.

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
Administer all medications as directed.
icon SUPPORTIVE CARE
None
icon MEDICATIONS
There is limited data on treatment for chiggers in cats. Fipronil spray for cats and kittens older than 8 weeks has been reported to be effective (do not use the dog version of fipronil sprays or spot-ons). Selamectin and other flea parasiticides may also kill chiggers. Reinfestation may occur after treatment with any product so retreatment may be necessary, especially when continued outdoor exposure to the larval mites occurs. Oral antibiotics, antihistamines, and/or a corticosteroid may also be prescribed to treat secondary bacterial infections and control itching.
icon DEVICES
None
icon SURGERY
None
icon SPECIALISTS
A general practitioner typically manages chiggers in cats and a veterinary specialist is not typically needed.

Cost Of Treatment

Most cases can be diagnosed and treated for less than $200.

Recovery

Most cats recover quickly after proper treatment.

Monitoring

Cats with chiggers should be monitored for resolution of clinical signs. Follow-up visits to recheck skin lesions and make sure the parasite has been eradicated are typically recommended.

Prevention

The best way to prevent chiggers is to keep pets indoors and avoid areas where chiggers are found. The use of a regular monthly flea preventative may also help prevent chiggers.

Questions about Chiggers

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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My 3 year old long haired tuxedo female pees just fine in the litter box, but she preferred to poop on the bathroom rug or on the carpet behind the sofa. Then, she will go weeks and everything is fine only start pooping outside the box again. I have 4 litter boxes and 3 cats. I clean all several times a day. She is the youngest. I've put wee wee pads down and she lifts them up and poops under them. Any ideas to help? Thanks!

A good first step, if you haven't already, is to rule out any health issues with your vet such as arthritis that may be causing the accidents. Secondly, making sure none of the other cats are bullying her away from the litter box may also alert you to any issues. Thirdly, a good enzymatic cleaner may help reduce the smell/discourage use of these areas in the future. That said, if you've done the above and the issue is still happening, it's probably time to call in a veterinary or animal behaviorist that can visit in person to see what may be going on. They may be able to check for stressors that could be causing the accidents where they are, look for issues with refusal to defecate in the box, or see if there is a cycle that is happening that is triggering this reaction. From there they may be able to set up a more tailored plan to help reduce the accidents and encourage use of the litter box at all times. If you're in the US, you can use this website to help find someone available in your area: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

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There seems to be two wounds underneath my cat’s ear. There is not one on the other side. Does it look like ringworm or caused by fleas? What can I use to help her? It was smaller a week ago.

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Tor and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. Yes, I see the two wounds, and they could be caused by her scratching at her ear. While that could be due to fleas, it may be she has an ear infection causing her to scratch at her ears. Continually scratching at them would cause the wounds to get bigger. This does need to be checked out by a vet, as if she does have an ear infection, it could be caused by ear mites, yeast, or bacteria. In addition, the ear drum needs to be visualized through an otoscope to make sure it's still intact before any medication is given. Ear problems can be considered an emergency as leaving them untreated can lead to hearing loss. Given that these wounds are getting bigger, I'd see if you can get her into her vet asap. I hope this helps!

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My cat is having trouble passing a turd... He keeps producing small amounts of this brown mucous on the pee pad I have in front of the litter box, but hasn't been able to completely eliminate the actual piece. He's eating normally & drinking plenty of water, & he's at a healthy weight. I realize that I'm going to have to take him to the vet if this doesn't clear up, but in the meantime, is there anything I can do to help him?

Seeing your vet ASAP is definitely a good idea to make sure there isn't an impaction causing the severe constipation that may need an enema or stool softeners to resolve. In the meantime, you can try offering a little bland yogurt to try and help the soften the stool, as well as make sure he's drinking plenty of water by mixing some into his food, but if Booboo is in severe distress, hasn't passed any stool at all, or is having other symptoms such as abdominal pain or stops eating, you should seek out veterinary care from your vet or a local ER clinic immediately.

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.