Can Someone identify what this is , Thought dandruff but perhaps it is lice ..?

[IndyJones]

In the meantime you could try a nit comb like the kind you buy for kids that have lice. Pharmacy should cary it. It will help remove them but won't get rid of them altogether on it's own.

You will also have to put her bedding and any other plush things she uses into the dryer on high heat. Lice can hide in them and reinfect her.

 

[stephanietx]

Please don't give her the antibiotic shot. Ask for a different antibiotic.

 

[CatladyJan]

eternia forever youve been given some great advice here and I would seriously follow it. This is a very old cat and also the lice has to be controlled in the bedding etc. I would question the Revolution and at least ask the vet what to do if a reaction. I would also administer during the week so you don’t end up with an emergency visit

 

[gilmargl]

Thank you very much that would be awesome, also the ones that were moving on the plate i sprayed them with collidal silver and it killed them so i sprayed some on her, ............ yeah most of this stuff that is on her that is bright white is attached to the hair and will not comb off but the brownish ones that do come off they are the ones that are moving, just look like squirming tiny pieces of brown rice..

Sorry for my late reply - my foster-who-decided-to-stay had teeth extracted two days ago and is suffering - meaning that I am suffering too! She is still hiding most of the time but comes out to eat, so things can't be too bad.

The 4 week old kittens with lice were given two Spot-On treatments with Stronghold (kitten-size pipette), four weeks apart. They also had to be treated for cat-flu and ringworm, so it was a case of juggling with medication so as not to give antibiotics with anti-fungal and anti-parasite medication.
On the positive side, the lice were the first things to disappear, and I am not the world's best cleaning lady. None of my other cats became infected. I am still in contact with the family who adopted 2 of the kittens nearly 5 years ago, including the long-haired kitten (probably the one who first caught lice). These 2 cats have never been reinfected with the little beasts.
The vet should know what to give a very senior cat to get rid of lice. Unless the cat is used to being bathed, I would not risk giving her a heart attack. Good luck!

PS If you're worried about a reaction to Stronghold or to whatever treatment the vet advises, let the vet do the Spot-On treatment and wait to see if anything untoward happens. If I remember rightly the vet did the first application to the very young kittens.

 

[IndyJones]

If this has been going on for a while she probably has a pretty heavy infestation. The sooner you start the better.

The nit comb is mechanical rather than a pesticide and that's why I would start with that. Wash it after each use to kill the lice.

 

[Caspers Human]

There are two things I would use to give a bath to a cat.

1) A flea shampoo, recommended for cats.

2) Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild castile soap.

The problem with using detergents like Dawn is that they can strip the natural oils from a cat's skin and fur. Part of the way we get rid of pests is to let the cat's own immune system to fight them off. Stripping away the cat's natural oils lowers their ability to defend against pests. While detergents might be necessary in some cases, such as when the cat gets covered in grease or oil, I wouldn't use them regularly.

We keep Casper inside so fleas are not a major issue for us. Nine times out of ten, Dr. Bronner's does the trick for us.

 

[IndyJones]

There are two things I would use to give a bath to a cat.

1) A flea shampoo, recommended for cats.

2) Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild castile soap.

The problem with using detergents like Dawn is that they can strip the natural oils from a cat's skin and fur. Part of the way we get rid of pests is to let the cat's own immune system to fight them off. Stripping away the cat's natural oils lowers their ability to defend against pests. While detergents might be necessary in some cases, such as when the cat gets covered in grease or oil, I wouldn't use them regularly.

We keep Casper inside so fleas are not a major issue for us. Nine times out of ten, Dr. Bronner's does the trick for us.

While lice are different from fleas I also would try and stay away from dish soap. You can make the itching worse if her skin is irritated already.