Ringworm in cats is a fungal infection that makes circular sores on an infected cat's skin. This is a contagious condition, and not only can it transmit between cats and dogs, but also between pets and people. Ringworm is known as a self-limiting disease, which means that it will eventually go away on its own without treatment. Ringworm is never a serious condition, and symptoms are always mild and bearable.
How Do Cats Contract Ringworm?
There are three main species of fungus that can cause ringworm in dogs and cats: Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton. Ringworm fungi reside on animal hosts, and produce spores that are spread around when the host animal moves. These spores can live up to 24 months in the environment, and when they come into contact with a potential host, they latch on and start to grow on the surface of the skin. From there, the fungus can create more spores. Common places to encounter ringworm spores are on brushes, bedding and furniture, but they exist almost everywhere an infected animal has been.
Symptoms of Ringworm
The most obvious sign that your cat is infected with ringworm is a circular lesion with no hair. The skin on the lesion is usually scaly in the center, and small pustules could also be on the lesion. Lesions start as a small dot and continue to grow, often causing the cat to lose hair in the affected area. The most common locations for roundworm lesions on cats are the head, ears, and tail. The lesion may be irritated and itchy, but this is only in some feline cases. In fact, some cats serve only as carriers for the disease, and are not affected by any symptoms at all.
Treating Ringworm with Monistat
Monistat is a topical antifungal lotion that can help to remove ringworm infections. The active ingredients in Monistat are toxic to fungi, so when you rub Monistat lotion over a ringworm lesion, it will help to remove the fungus. Monistat is recommended for use two times per day over the course of at least three weeks, by which time your cat's lesion should be fungus free and starting to heal.
Preventing a Ringworm Infection
If you have multiple pets, and one of them has ringworm, you should minimize contact between your infected and uninfected animals to prevent further spreading of the disease. Do not allow ringworm-infected cats to sleep in the same bedding as your uninfected pets. Do not use the same brush on an infected and an uninfected cat. Keep your cats clean by bathing them regularly. Since humans can also contract ringworm, it is important to remember to wash your hands after handling an infected cat, and not to wear clothes or use towels that an infected cat has been in contact with.
Ringworm is not a very serious disease for most cats, but it can be uncomfortable and cause hair loss. If you notice a ringworm rash on your cat, you can treat it very easily with Monistat.