First-time cat owner with no experience; the cat arrived three days ago and I don’t know if this is ringworm.

For suspected ringworm, a Wood’s lamp at home can give a preliminary diagnosis, since ringworm is usually caused by Microsporum canis, which glows fluorescent green under the lamp. However, some cases from other fungi do not glow green, so a veterinary skin scraping and microscope exam is required for confirmation.

Clinically, ringworm often appears on the face, ears, limbs, paws, and trunk as hair loss with round or oval scaling patches that spread outward, causing intense itch and scratching.