Harvest Mites

[CurlyCatz]

Yep makes sense witty, strange i've never encountered the animals having problems with that, although we've itched plenty with them, its always worse if your out on a hot day doing something ie gardening and sweaty..they seem to stick LOL.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Mark did a thread a couple of days ago......was a warning bout sot on not from vet.

The vet letter said they use front line and something else for fleas and mites.........stronghold doesnt do mites I believe so the other thing must, but cant remember the name and had not heard of it before.

[Reynard]

They don't cause dermatitis if that's what you mean Lynn.

But they do get under the fur and onto the skin and tickle like blazes. And of course, an itch has to be scratched... The irritation side of things comes from the cats constantly scratching themselves to get rid of the fuffy tickling.

[CurlyCatz]

corn lice doesnt irrate cats do they    ? Or were you just meaning the harvest mites ?

[Reynard]

is your corn flies the same as what we call corn lice up here ?  tiny little black things that are itchy as hell when they run around on your face or arms ?

Oh yes, those are the ones! And there's nothing you can do apart from hope your cat doesn't scratch itself to shreds... And there's nothing more embarassing than finding those damned bugs in your smalls... 

[CurlyCatz]

is your corn flies the same as what we call corn lice up here ?  tiny little black things that are itchy as hell when they run around on your face or arms ?

[Reynard]

Pearl has trouble with the corn flies and harvest mites - I get both in copious quantities where I live and there's absolutely nothing I can do. Corn flies just about gone now, but the harvest mites have been around for a month and will last until October...

Fortunately the monthly Frontline is keeping the problem more or less at bay, but doesn't completely keep the beasties in check. So a daily swab of affected areas with surgical spirit is pretty well much a must.

Pearl gets them between her toes, on her belly and on her tail.

[CurlyCatz]

ems they are totally different to corn lice, mites are normally small reddish or orange beasties and often live in the ear pocket / flap bits.

Sam midges yes    i had about 10 million swarm me as i brushed passed the fir trees when mowing grass today 

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

Catnip oil apparently repels the beasties (See the wikipedia article)

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Ewwwwww .... nasty little butter.

Found some interstng articles about them for anyone else who isn't aware of these horrid little beasties:


http://www.fabcats.org/owners/infosheets/disease/skin/harvestmiteinfestation.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_mite

  never seen blown up pics of them !
They just show as orange bits on the cats
Willow has them by her ears and under her chin

[ems]

Are harverst mites the same as Corn Flies, or are they a different blighter all together? 

Because we get Corn Flies and they are annoying, bitey little 

[clarenmax]

Yeucch, I'm all itchy just from reading that 

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

Ewwwwww .... nasty little butter.

Found some interstng articles about them for anyone else who isn't aware of these horrid little beasties:


http://www.fabcats.org/owners/infosheets/disease/skin/harvestmiteinfestation.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_mite

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

they dont live up here no michelle, thankfully.

some areas can get a fair amount of ticks though 

and midges ... ewwwww!

I have to say I have never seen a harvet mite ... and to be honest I don't want to see one as they seem to cause nothing but trouble for kitties.  (Off to look them up on yahoo now).

[CurlyCatz]

they dont live up here no michelle, thankfully.

some areas can get a fair amount of ticks though 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

glad we dont get harvest mites us here 

How come Lynn ?
do they not like Scotland lol

[CurlyCatz]

glad we dont get harvest mites us here 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Have come early this year...........Willow is covered in them !!

I am going to see if Stronghold clears them rather than the Frontline spray .

BTW - Willow has just come back from one of her 2 day awaydays lol although this time it was 4 days !!
She doesnt like Tramp (the stray the moved in) i hope this isnt the reason she is staying away.