What to Do When Your Cat Gets Ringworm

1 Understanding Cat Ringworm

Ringworm is not a deadly germ, but treatment takes a long time and tests the owner’s patience.

About 98 percent of cat ringworm is caused by the fungus Microsporum canis. It appears as round patches that, at a certain stage, shed hair and form crusts. The cat itches and scratches constantly, and as fungal spores spread, more patches appear; it can also pass to the owner.

2 How to Control It

Medicine: oral itraconazole targets the fungal infection. It is a prescription drug, so a vet’s prescription is needed.

Vitamins and high-protein food: falling immunity weakens resistance, so add vitamins and more high-protein food to the diet.

Disinfection: spores spread where you cannot see them, so disinfect thoroughly every two to three days, including the room, bed, toys, and any fabrics the cat touched, to stop spread.

Sunlight: ultraviolet light kills fungus well, so more sun is a simple, cheap help.

Isolation: if you have several cats, isolate the sick one and check the others for signs.

Preventing cat-to-human spread: avoid cuddling the cat on your bed or sofa, and disinfect after contact; once it reaches a person it itches and is slow, stubborn, and hard to clear.