The simple quick answer to put your mind at ease is, no. Animals cannot catch (or give) human head lice to humans. Why? Human head lice need human blood to survive. Dogs and cats can get lice however it is both respective to their individual blood type, dogs get dog lice and cats get cat lice.

Why don’t you every hear about animals getting lice? Well, it’s important to remember that human lice are not a result of poor hygiene or economic status, but animal lice most often occurs in unsanitary environments, therefore it’s not a commonly diagnosed parasite in animals in the US.