It can be quite a nightmare when your pet cat has ringworm. Though there are telltale signs of it-the cat would have bald patches on its skin, it wouldn't be so obvious at the onset when what's happening is just some thinning of the hair. That is normally a sign that a cat is malnourished.
But when you start developing a ring-shaped rash on your hand or forearms, then for sure you are dealing with fungal infection. It is commonly found on the cat's head, ears and tail then spreads readily to the face, lips, nose and chin. On your cat, they appear as lesions where hair does not grow. The skin also appears scaly at the center and the patches are usually round. On your skin, they come up as rashes with scaly or crusty skin at the periphery that are usually inflamed.
Ringworm, the common term for skin fungi, spreads fast. It can be transferred between and among persons and animals, and whatever comes into contact with their infection. It is also present in the soil and is thus readily transferred to animals and so on.
Mercifully, fungi are easy to kill too. But it will take some effort on your part.
The first thing to do is to treat the cat and yourself with anti-fungal cream or lotion. These are readily available in CVS or any drugstore. Clean the affected area before applying the medicine. Just spread it thinly two times a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, on the infected skin and the area around it. It is important to do this continuously for about two weeks, even if you no longer see the rashes.
For more serious cases, let your friendly veterinarian take over. Among the remedies available to cats are antifungal shampoo, lime sulfur dip and even oral medication when the situation calls for it.
The major effort on your part has to do with disinfecting your home. This means daily washing with hot water and bleach of fabric and other surface materials like gym mats and rugs that the cat has been on. You can also use Lysol or other disinfectant spray on your furniture and other surfaces that cannot be washed. If your home is carpeted, steam cleaning would be a good idea. There are also child-friendly disinfectants available in the market so that the whole process is safe for your child.
Disinfecting has to be part of antifungal treatment, or else the disease will just keep coming back. This daily ritual also applies to your beddings and that of your cat. If you have other pets, it is also necessary to treat them as a precautionary measure. It may take weeks before things return to normal. In the meantime, limit your contact with your pet until the vet returns with positive results. This means two successive lab tests showing that your cat is finally free of ringworm.
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