Harvest mite hell and miserable old cat

[Sockbogies]

Once again we are in harvest mite season. My 13 year old cat has just had her annual injection to help stop her incessant scratching and chewing (this happens every year and ends up with her head absolutely covered in scabs).

Each year the injection seems to work less well. This year it doesn't seem to have helped at all apart from giving her a raging appetite.

She is so miserable, sits out in the garden underneath a tree, yowling if you go in the garden. Being sick most days. And it's miserable for us too, if she comes indoors she's crazy, charging around trying to get away from the mites - jumping up on shelves, knocking things off and smashing things. The other day we were eating and she just appeared from nowhere, launched herself on the table and I just avoided a hot cup of tea going on my legs.

This will last until about august when it calms down and she heals.

I don't know what to do. She's so uncomfortable and clearly in a bad way but once summer is gone she is fine. But that's a long time, and this summer she seems to be much worse.

What would you do? Any tips?

Anyone? She's so run down I'm seriously thinking about having her put to sleep, but feel awful as it's not a live threatening condition

I have never encountered this before, had to look it up!

Some suggestions on here, the tea bathing sounds positive - www.petforums.co.uk/threads/harvest-mites-on-cats-again.408764/

There must be other treatment options apart from the injection she's having, when did you last discuss the situation with your vet?

No tips as I've never encountered this issue but I would tell the vet the injection didn't work and ask them what else they can suggest (other than having her pts) as she is miserable. There may be another treatment they can try, some flea treatments work on mites apparently.

Sorry she is so uncomfortable.

I would:-

Treat her feet every two weeks with frontline spray.

Speak to your vet about trying apoquel off license for the itching instead of steroid injections.
Also I would think about maybe doing a general health screen (bloods/urine/blood pressure) if you are concerned she is generally not well.

My horse had this and it really is awful and difficult to get rid of permanently. Dectomax helps as does frontline spray. You can buy 500ml spray online from reputable shops.

I suspect it might be useful to try proactive action next year. If you are waiting until she is scabbing that is a long way into the life cycle of mites. Try treating her earlier in the year as a prevention. The alternative which works effectively is to shave off the hair, fine on a horse to clip but not for your cat! Although if she is long haired, trimming would help so the spray can get onto the skin. It doesn't work unless it does.

Hope this helps, and sympathy because it's horrible.

Thank you all, I’ll call the vet again tomorrow and try out obtain some of the medications mentioned. It must be awful for her, she’s so tormented by them (which is odd as our other cat isn’t affected at all!)

Neem oil sounds worth a try so have bought some of next day delivery. I'll post in a few days to let you know if it helped!

Thanks all

I wouldn't use Neem. Diatomaceous earth would be better, you can brush it through the coat. Get food grade if you buy it. It is a very fine powder and natural.
I only use Neem on plants and it stinks. Doesn't work either.

Green tea dabbed on- our ddog had 2 seriously bad hot spots. The relief she got from cool tea was very unexpected!

The only input I can offer is that frontline has become ineffective in many parts of the UK so opt for an alternative.

How about this :
My friend uses the dog version and finds it very good.

Damn it I just bought neem on next day delivery!! I will try a bit and see.

I have discussed this with the vet, it's an annual conversation but the last two years have been particularly dreadful. I honestly thought she was going to die last year as she was in such bad shape.

Is it definitely the mites she’s reacting to? I ask because our cat has just been allergy tested, and as well as mites she’s allergic to a whole list of other things (garden plants, house dust mites, pollen, fungi).

Neither of us is terribly keen on the vets suggestion of ‘keeping her in and dusting more’, but it might yet come to that.

If it's harvest mites frontline spray is great
Use the dose on the label but rather than just spraying cat, spray on to cotton wool and wipe ears and head and paws ,

These people make balms that might help.

www.herbalhealth.org.uk

They do an insect repelling one and a soothing one. They often send free samples so you could order a 30ml of the Buzz Off and ask for a sample of Soothe (or vice versa).
The Buzz Off comes as a spray too.

Bread soda works great. Dust it on her coat and dip her paws in it every few days.
Treat bedding as well. Dust it on and Hoover off after few hours.

Mites are not insects they are arachnids.

I had a cat who suffered with this and I'm sure I was given antibiotics for him. Would he let you bathe & trearmemt shampoo him? You need to keep him inside during harvest mite season. Not easy, but it'll be good for him not to be exposed to them.

Definitely harvest mites as she only reacts during the harvest mite season (so no other allergies). Can't keep her in, we have 2 cats who both have access to a cat flap and if we close it or restrict access they attempt to vandalise it. Last time they managed to pull out the seal around the cat flap and escape. Then we put something heavy in the way and they vandalised the carpet. No respect or manners from either of them

Sympathies! Mine would be equally furious. She also only reacts in harvest mite season.

All the same, it turns out she's allergic to a host of other things too -- willow, privet, ryegrass, sorrel, flour mites and mould, to name a few.

And she has white ears that burn in the sun, and she falls out of trees. She's basically designed to live on a freshly washed sofa.

Another vote for frontline spray here. Also used in heavy horses that get mites is pig oil and sulphur, but I've no idea if this is safe for cats so would only use if vet okayed. Using oil is supposed to suffocate them and I know some folk wipe their cats ears with a vegetable oil for ear mites. Would definitely need to keep out of the sun to avoid burning though!
As for keeping her in, a microchip flap would possibly work while letting the others out.
Poor cat and you, I hope you find something that will help.

vandalise the cat flap

She's half bengal and half Siamese. So half thug and half diva

My cat has an allergy to harvest mites, this is the first year I've decided to keep her in as it's so difficult, she loves being out and about..always been a roamer but she gets in such a state with the sores that it has to be done, Wish me luck we're on day 3!