What does a hair mite look like on cats? - briefly
Hair mites on felines are microscopic, translucent or pale-colored organisms that can be seen as moving specks of white‑gray debris, most often along the tail base, neck, and back. Under close inspection they appear as tiny, oval, mobile particles that may be mistaken for dandruff.
What does a hair mite look like on cats? - in detail
Hair mites that infest felines are microscopic arthropods, typically 0.2–0.4 mm in length, rendering them invisible to the naked eye. Their bodies are elongated, transparent to whitish, and covered with short, fine setae that give a slightly fuzzy outline when viewed under magnification.
Visible signs on the cat’s coat include:
- Fine, moving specks that resemble dust or tiny grains of sand, especially noticeable on the face, ears, and dorsal neck region.
- Small, dry, white or grayish flakes that may appear as dandruff; these flakes often contain the mites and their eggs.
- Localized hair loss forming circular or irregular patches, frequently accompanied by mild erythema.
- Red or pink skin areas that may be slightly raised or scaly, most often found around the eyelids, muzzle, and behind the ears.
The infestation typically concentrates in areas where hair is short and skin is thin, allowing the mites to feed on epidermal cells and sebaceous secretions. Under a microscope, the adult mite displays a segmented body with a distinct gnathosoma (mouthparts) and a pair of short legs near the posterior end. Eggs are oval, measuring about 0.05 mm, and are embedded within the skin debris.
Diagnosis relies on a skin scrape or tape test, which reveals the characteristic transparent bodies moving actively in the sample. Treatment options include topical acaricides, oral ivermectin, or selamectin, applied according to veterinary guidelines to eradicate the parasites and resolve the observable coat changes.