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Treatment

When a cat has been diagnosed with cheyletiellosis, all of the animals in the household must be treated, as the mite can live for up to 10 days away from a host. It is also important to thoroughly clean bedding, kennels, and rugs, so that the mite does not re-infect your cat, or infect other pets. Your cat must then be bathed six to eight times a week in lime-sulfur rinses so as to remove skin scales. In addition to insecticide and lime-sulfur rinses, your veterinarian may also prescribe oral medications. If your cat has a long coat, it will need to be clipped to a short length to make treatment more effective.

Living and Management

If you have been in contact with an infected animal, or your cat is infested with the Cheyletiella mite, you may also develop a reaction, such as itching, small red bumps, or minor lesions, but the condition will clear on its own through the normal course of bathing yourself. To prevent the recurrence of mites, you will need to disinfect your cat and its living environment, as well as its combs, brushes, and other grooming equipment.

If the treatment regimen does not work, your veterinarian will look for other causes for the symptoms. Re-infestation may come from another local carrier, or from the presence of an unidentified source for the mites, such as untreated bedding.