What Is Ringworm in Cats?
One of the most common illnesses affecting a cat's skin, fur, and claws is ringworm. The term "ringworm" refers to the apparent, raised rash that resembles a worm under the skin that appears on the skin of both affected humans and animals. Despite being a characteristic feature, it may not be seen in your cat during the infection.Â
How Does Ringworm Spread in Cats?
You might be wondering how your cat can acquire it. Well, there are two ways your cat might have picked it. First, directly from rubbing fur with another infected ringworm cat or animal. On the other hand, due to the fungusâs ability to stick to objects such as grooming tools, furniture, bedding, and mattresses, your cat can get an infection from that as well.Â
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Ringworm in Cats
Ringworm symptoms in cats can appear in various forms. While mild instances may appear to be nothing more than a scratching cat, there are some unmistakable indicators of infection including:
Hair loss patches
Scaly or thickened skin
Bruised, red spots
Broken and stubby hair
Red or gray scaly lesions
Distortion of nails
According to the MSD Veterinary Manual, ringworm tends to show up more on your catâs head, chest, and legs. Kittens and long-haired cats are particularly vulnerable. In more severe cases, raised skin lesions known as granulomas may develop, which can even ooze fluid. And some cats can carry the fungus without showing any symptoms at all, meaning theyâre silent spreaders.
Ringworms can be confirmed as a diagnosis by microscopic examination or fungal cultures that require growing the organism. However, the widely employed technique also involves the use of a UV lamp to find fungal spores that cause the cat's skin and fur to glow.
Causes of Ringworm in Cats
The fungus that causes the illness is called dermatophytes, and more especially, it is Microsporum canis.Â
These originate in soil but may flourish as parasites beyond their natural habitat. Once deeply ingrained in their host's body, these fungi feed on keratin, a protein that serves as the primary structural element of hair and nails.Â
There are several predisposing factors for a cat to develop ringworms. This can be:
Age: Immune systems that are compromised in older cats and kittens make them more prone to disease.
Climate: Cats living in warmer, more humid areas have higher infection rates.
Environment: Cats that live in crowded places (like animal shelters) or who feed badly are more prone to get this fungus since it is resistant to antibiotics.
Effective Treatment Options for Ringworm in Cats
Although ringworm can eventually go away on its own, therapy is highly recommended to prevent it from spreading and to speed up the healing process. The most popular ringworm treatment for ringworm in cats, according to the Cornell Feline Health Center, combines topical therapyâapplying creams, ointments, or shampoosâwith systemic oral therapy, which involves taking antifungal drugs orally.
Oral Therapy
Most cases of ringworm require the use of an oral antifungal medicine to be effectively treated. For this reason, the most often used ringworm medications are terbinafine and itraconazole (ItrafungolÂź, SporanoxÂź, OnmelÂź). Each cat responds differently to therapy, and the illness may return if treatment is discontinued too soon.
Topical Therapy
Topical therapy is more frequently used in conjunction with oral medicine than it is used alone to treat ringworm. Various creams and ointments containing miconazole (MicavedÂź), terbinafine (LamisilÂź), or clotrimazole (OtomaxÂź, OtibioticÂź) are available as ringworm medication. In most cases, topical therapy will be required for a few weeks to many months.
If the afflicted region is limited to one or two locations, shaving the hair in those areas can be adequate. Your veterinarian could advise shaving your cat's entire coat if the illness is more widespread or if it's a longhair breed.Â
Isolating Infected Cats During Treatment
Your cat's fur can harbor invisible fungus spores. Therefore, while cat ringworm treatment is continued on an out-patient basis with anti-fungal drugs, isolating your cat is a critical aspect of the therapy to limit the possibility of spreading the illness. It is advised to keep the cat away from youngsters and other pets for a minimum of two to four weeks if they are receiving combination therapy.
Disinfecting The Environment
Numerous small fungus spores that can be released into the environment are present in infected hairs. Humans and other animals can become infected through direct contact with an infected cat or through exposure to contaminated environments' fungal spores. Keeping the surroundings as spore-free as possible is just as critical as avoiding direct contact with a sick cat. It seems sensible to confine the cat to easily cleaned places in the house.
Furthermore, reducing environmental contamination may be achieved by shaving hair and treating afflicted skin regions topically with an antifungal cream. Since pet hair might be infected with fungus spores, it is crucial to clean it from furniture and flooring.
Preventing Ringworm in Cats
A PetMD article states that you may avoid ringworm in cats by keeping your pet healthy overall and making sure they receive regular preventative treatment. You can even use a cat DNA test to learn more about your petâs underlying health issues and manage them successfully, as a healthy animal is less prone to ringworm. Other important components of prevention include keeping your pet out of crowded areas and reducing stress in their lives.Â
To prevent potentially infectious diseases from spreading to other pets and family members, it's also crucial to get a new pet inspected by a veterinarian before bringing them into your home. Lastly, any skin lesions should be examined by a veterinarian right away since ringworm and other health problems can spread quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ringworm contagious?
Infections such as ringworm are extremely infectious and may even infect people. Spores of fungi can spread both directly and indirectly and can linger on surfaces for up to 18 months. Fungus spores can spread to humans and other pets, particularly young ones, through the cat's fur and nails even while it is receiving therapy.
How long does ringworm last?
Ringworm can last three to five months if left untreated; if rigorous treatment is used, it may take up to six weeks to fully cure the condition and at least two to three weeks to notice results. This may vary depending on the cat's condition and extent. Isolation and related environmental control measures can also aid in infection management.
