Cat Lice
Cat lice or pediculosis are a rare occurrence. If they ever do occur, they are usually found in cats that are unkempt and in either very young cats or very old ones.
They are tiny, wingless insects that can bee seen upon close inspection of the cat. The adult louse, although visible to the naked eye, is relatively small measuring only about 2 to 2 millimeters in length; while the nits or eggs are smaller but can still be seen since they are brownish-white an can be easily spotted on your cat’s fur.
Can Cat Lice Transfer to Humans?
Fortunately, cat lice do not transfer to humans. They are generally host-specific which translates to them staying-on on the cat. If you do begin to itch while handling your cat infested with lice, it could be a psychological reaction or another insect or bug.
Your vet might be quick to point out once you get your cat checked that lice do not transfer to humans. They are also not known to transfer to dogs. Dogs have another specific louse that can infect them.
Generally, lice also do not transfer to your environment; meaning they do not travel to your living quarters unlike fleas and ticks. So you are at least assured that they are contained within your cat.
Treating Cat Lice
As with human lice, cat lice can be treated in much the same way that you treat lice on humans. You can use shampoos and soaps that are known to contain chemicals that kill lice but are generally known to be harmless to cats.
You can also use a fine-tooth comb to comb-out the adult lice and then pick out the nits which are generally found closer to the cat’s skin, firmly attached to the hair.
Common tick and flea control products have also been known to kill lice, although the packaging may not include such information. Cat owners however have been successful in eliminating these lice by using flea and tick control products.
In some instances, you may need to cut off some of your cat’s fur to completely eliminate these insects. Also, it may be necessary to repeat the process of shampooing or cleaning your cat with the tick and flea control products at least one month after your initial treatment just to ensure that all the lice have been killed.
To ensure that the products you will be using will be safe on your cats, it is advisable to ask your vet for specific recommendations on effective and safe products for cats.
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