374 



THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



victims now and again, and hence the much- 

 maligned cat is not exempt from this bane. 



The diseases are either contagious and con- 

 veyable from one cat to another, or simple and 

 not spread by contact. 



The contagious skin diseases are due either 

 to an animal parasite (as in mange) or to a 

 vegetable parasite (as in ringworm). 



Sarcoptic Mange is a contagious skin dis- 

 ease of the cat due to an animal parasite or 

 mange-mite, termed Sarcoptes minor, var. cati. 



It generally attacks ill-fed, neglected, and 

 badly housed cats which are allowed to stray, 

 and is seen chiefly in the -autumn. It fre- 

 quently occurs as an epizootic, and where no 

 attention is bestowed on the victims it is very 

 fatal. 



The adult or mature mite has an almost 

 circular body. When viewed under the micro- 

 scope, its limbs seem to be under its body. It 

 has eight pairs of legs in the adult and six in 

 the larval stage. In the female the hind legs 

 are provided at the extremities with bristles 

 only ; but in the male the central pair of hind 

 legs are provided with suckers, although the 

 outer pair have bristles. It does not excavate 

 a subcutaneous gallery, or burrow, like the 

 mange-mites of other animals, but makes a 

 simple nest, that appears as a minute eminence. 

 The larvae, nymphse, and males wander in the 

 midst of the crusts. 



It is capable of being transmitted to man, 

 and to the dog, rat, horse, and ox. 



Whatever part of the body it first touches, 

 it always goes to the head to do its injurious 

 work. At first small reddish pimples, no 

 larger than a pin's head or a turnip-seed, 

 appear; these exude a yellowish fluid which 

 dries and forms crusts. The animal scratches, 

 the hair falls off, numerous other scales 

 appear, and become thicker and thicker, until 

 the whole head and ears become encased in a 

 cast of dirty yellowish crusts. The crusts may 

 be absent in young kittens or cats, but slightly- 

 adherent scales are seen instead. 



After a time the disease spreads to the neck 

 and shoulders, elbows and thighs, or even to 

 the whole body. In kittens or young cats 

 the complaint is more likely tp spread to 

 various parts of the body, but in older animals 

 it is generally confined to the head, or head 

 and neck, but may, as in young cats, spread to 

 the other parts or to the whole body, the skin 

 of which, after some time, becomes wrinkled, 

 and gives off a musty odour. 



The nostrils and eyes may be blocked up by 

 the thickened crusts, so that the animal can 

 see, or breathe through the nostrils, only with 

 difficulty. The cat hides or strays away, it 

 mopes and seems sad ; it becomes emaciated, 

 and indifferent to its surroundings, and finally 

 succumbs to exhaustion or some concurrent 

 disease. It may be associated with ringworm 

 or parasitic ear canker ; it is nearly always 

 accompanied by the elliptical tapeworm. 



It quickly kills within five or six weeks if 

 no treatment or attention is bestowed on 

 the cat, especially if young ; but where it is 

 partially treated, it may linger for months, 

 even years. Cold weather retards its progress, 

 but its energy is renewed in the following 

 spring. It spreads slowly on well-cared-for 

 cats. 



Treatment. The mangy cat should be kept 

 isolated from the healthy animals, and kept 

 away from children. Its basket, bedding, or 

 cage should be boiled, burnt, or thoroughly 

 disinfected. The cat must be carefully dressed 

 with sulphurated lime lotion, which should be 

 applied by means of a piece of lint every day, 

 taking care that the animal is kept warm and 

 well fed. 



Follicular Mange is due to a caterpillar- 

 shaped mite the Demodex or Acarus follicu- 

 lorum, var. cati which inhabits the sebaceous 

 follicles of the skin. It is sometimes found in 

 the ears, nose, and head of the cat, but rarely 

 causes severe itchiness. It produces pimples 

 and scabs, which are only of short duration, 

 and seldom occasions trouble. It is frequently 

 associated with sarcoptic mange. The parasite 

 is a quarter smaller than that of the dog. 



Treatment. A lotion composed of sulphur- 

 ated potash (i drachm), glycerine (-J- oz. to 

 6 parts of rose-water), applied by means of 

 lint to the affected part once a day, generally 

 suffices to cause its disappearance. 



Grey Ringworm, or Tinea tonsurans, is not 

 a common affection of the cat. It is due to a 

 vegetable parasite or mould, termed the Tricho- 

 phyton felineum, which attacks the hairs, these 

 becoming much altered and broken, and their 

 ends split up and frayed like a brush. There 

 will be noticed circular or oval bald patches, 

 covered with an abundance of scales, which are 

 of a slaty or greyish appearance, and vary 

 according to the colour of the animal. These 

 are seen on the head and limbs and round the 

 eyelids and mouth, but also on other parts of 

 the body. They ma}' run into one another, 



