Is there a home remedy for mange or something you can buy over counter?

Question

I am trying to befriend a stray cat that looks rough but not sick. Gradually building up its trust but dont want to spook him by trapping him for trip to vet. Im not sure he would get home or be happy in one as not young and very wild. He seems to live quite happy life as he is and wouldnt want to risk him being RIP'd if unable to adjust. As its kitten season he wouldnt get look in with a rescue centre at the moment and shame to lock him up all summer. Would like to give him stuff in food while sussing him out and improving his chances. He apparantly was feral kitten and has lived like this for years, an old lady got him neutered when he was young. Any helpful ideas?

Living in UK.

Obviously I know vet is best option for checks and diagnosis and would happily pay for this but if you read my question in full you will realise this is not an option at this moment, cat is quite happy and safe as he is for now. Thanks.

I am grateful for everyones helpful comments and advice. I should really have made myself clearer as I am familiar with catching feral cats & all aspects of animal rescue having previously been employed in this field for 12 yrs. I have given him wormer & oral flea treatment which he took, I realise his teeth etc will eventually need attention. He is very smart & has avoided capture in past by CPL. I want to take time before putting a trap down & then wait until he ok seeing it nearby then move food nearer to it etc.
While building up to the right moment I simply wondered if there was any effective home remedy or new product on the market I could have given in his food as a precautionary measure or to start eradicating it if he should by chance have mange.
It would appear there is no such product but after all this time I'm sure he will manage fine as he is for a good while longer. Patience is the key with this one.
Thanks for help.

Answer 1

It doesn't sound to me like he has mange. Mange in cats is not actually that common and you would notice hair loss and sores all over him if he did have it.
It's more than likely he has fleas and worms though after living wild. You can put a worming tablet or granules in his food; treating him for fleas may be a bit harder until you have built up his trust enough to touch him. I would recommend the spot on flea treatments (preferable Frontline as it's the best) as this is far less stressful than pinning him down and spraying him.
If he looks happy enough and doesn't seem to be in any distress I would carry on feeding him and trying to build up his trust/confidence so eventually you may be able to get him to a vets to check him out (or at least get close enough yourself to make sure nothing serious is wrong with him).
If he does appear to be ill or distressed then it may be worth getting in touch with your local cats Protection League who can provide a safe and humane trap so he can be sedated and checked over by the vets; they are usually able to release the cat back to the wild if preferred too.
Good luck!

Answer 2

If you contact your local vets and cats protection league explain the problem, theywill be able to advise you on how best to deal with this.
It will probably involve trapping the cat so he can be treated. Once clear of mange he could be released again, if you're happy to feed him and keep an eye on him. He'll also need worming and vaccinations.
Some types of mange in foxes have been treated with oral medication in the food, so that might be an option in this case. But without knowing what the skin problem is its impossible to say; it could be ringworm or a flea allergy.

Answer 3

It's unlikely to be mange, which is rare in cats. Also, mange treatment is a shampoo - if a cat will let you do this to him, he will let you put him in a box for the vets! There isn't stuff you can put in food for mange I'm afraid, not at petshops or vets.

I would either wait until you're in a position to get him in a cat box (not a cardboard one, what cat WOULDN'T freak out at that), or get a local shelter to help you catch him. There's just not a lot of point covering him in mange treatment if that's not what it is. Stray kitties rarely LOOK sick - but they usually are. The 'roughness' could be due to FIV or another dormant virus, and I bet he has worms, fleas and dental problems too!

Chalice

Answer 4

mange treatment for cats is done every three months, along with deworming. just inject 0.03mL of IVERMECTIN subcutaneously into your cat once every three months. IVERMECTIN has a dual effect on animals, it serves as a dewormer and as a mange treatment. IVERMECTIN is a generic name, just ask your local pet shop for a branded one. here in philippines, the brand widely used is IVOMEC produced by MERIAL PHILIPPINES, INC. anyway, MERIAL is only a subsidiary of MERCK SHARP & DOHME B.V. of Netherlands, i'm sure you can get it in your locality, since MERCK is an international company.

Answer 5

Hi - I called into my local petshop last week for some anti-dandruff type shampoo for one of my girls. They didnt have this BUT they did read out a few labels and then said 'oh, theyre for mange'. So I think a trip to the petshop would yield results. Good luck getting him de-roughed! :O) xx

EDIT: No I didnt say to use anti dandruff shampoo, I WANTED anti dandruff shampoo and when they read out label names, they said 'oh, no, WAIT THEY'RE FOR MANGE'

Answer 6

No, there's nothing effective. It will require a visit to the vet who will test for the skin disease the cat is affected by and treatment will be prescribed accordingly. It would need a definite diagnosis.

Answer 7

there is nothing for mange other than a VET.
be careful - bacterial and fungal infections such as mange are catchy.

antidandruff shampoo is NOT for mange and will do nothing for it, unlike another answerer suggested.

Answer 8

did you know that mange is contagious to humans also ??? don't touch that cat or come near it. call animal control so they can come pick it up. more than likely it probably has more than mange like "feline aids"