Unraveling Cat Ringworm - Quick Summary Oct 2023
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What does ringworm look like on a cat?
Ringworm on a cat’s head
Ringworm is a very common skin problem in cats and kittens. It’s caused by a fungus calledMicrosporum canis and accounts for 98 percent of the ringworm in cats. Oddly enough, it’s also responsible for most ringworm in dogs too!
It’s called “ringworm” because it usually shows up as several circular areas of hair loss, each surrounded by a reddish ring. These infected areas usually appear on the face, ears, chest, forelegs, and on the back. See our picture here of ringworm on a cat’s nose and eye.
Although ringworm is irritating and unsightly for your pet, but don’t worry; it’s not deadly or severe. It is in fact merely a cat fungal skin infection. You can quickly treat it withBanixx Pet Careas a simple topical solution. We’ll show you in a few easy steps how to get rid of ringworm in cats and how to prevent it.
Treatment of Ringworm in Cats with Banixx Pet Care
Ringworm can be transmitted to your other pets.
Ringworm is exceptionally infectious and is easily transmitted to your other pets, such as your other dogs, cats, and even humans. Thus, it’s crucial to get it diagnosed before it rapidly spreads. With the information in this piece, you can determine the best course of action and treatment.
Cats with long coats are uniquely targeted because they provide much hiding space for fungal spores. So, if your cat has long hair, you may need to trim its coat. Trimming her coat will slow the dispersal of ringworm spores that occurs as part of your feline’s natural shedding process.
But rest assured,Banixxprovides a powerful yet gentle immediate remedy for dealing with any ringworm in cats and kittens. Due to itsexceptional, unique pH formula, it presents any fungus (ringworm) with a hostile environment. Thus, the fungus/ringworm simply abandons your cat’s skin, and your kitty starts to heal. Moreover, it’s safe to use around your cat’s eyes. It has no color, so it doesn’t leave stains and is fragrance-free. Your cat will love the lack of fragrance; cats don’t like smelly potions! Being water-based, it leaves no greasy residue to mess up your furniture or matt up your cat’s hair. This pH solution thus targets fungal spores that cause ringworm, eradicating the infection naturally.
Step-by-step Cat Ringworm Treatment
Treating Cat Ringworm with Banixx.
After consulting with your pet’s veterinarian, follow these steps immediately if you suspect or know your cat has ringworm:
- Wear disposable glovesand long sleeves when applying Banixx on your cat’s or kitten’s affected skin to avoid coming into contact with the Ringworm fungal spores.
- Soak a cotton ball with Banixxand apply it directly to the area affected.Banixx is safe, even around your pet’s eyes.Use light pressure or gently massage with your fingertips (again, always wearing gloves).
- Apply Banixx Pet Care two to three times daily.
- Treat your cat’skitty’s ringworm consistently for two to three weeks.
- Dispose of the gloves and thoroughly wash your hands and clothing after each application.
- Consider isolating your infected cat or kitten, if possible, or if you have more than one cat or other pets. But take care to socialize with your cat to maintain his/her comfort level. This is because it’s important to do all you can to keep its immune system strong.
- Disinfect your cat’s environment (see below for more detail).
How to Prevent Ringworm Contamination
Disinfect ALL cat toys
Disinfect your cat’s toys.
Ringworm spores (think…eggs!) can linger for long periods of time, so it’s important to get rid of any source of the infection. But let’s be clear…the big issue with ringworm is that you cannot see the fungal spores! They can be easily transmitted via grooming tools, toys, bedding, or.. by You! Moreover, the maturation cycle for ringworm spores ranges from four days to four weeks. Sounds desperate? It’s not! We have some great advice and ideas for you! please read on:
Disinfection of your cat’s environment to control contamination is crucial. It’s just as important as treating your feline. One common mode of transmission is infected cat hair that has naturally sloughed off. Cats lose hair, it’s normal! Consequently, you need to remove cat hair from furniture, window ledges, floors and well…just anywhere that your cats love to lounge and hang out! A couple of options are the use of accelerated hydrogen peroxide (examples are Rescue, Chlorox or Oxivir) or diluted bleach. We personally prefer to use a 5:50 mix of Apple Cider Vinegar and water. The acidity of this mix offers a short life to ringworm spores. Cats should be confined to a particular area until the infection is cleared but we caution to continue to give them love and attention since their immune system needs to be strengthened. A lonely cat gets better more slowly!
Here are a few easy, simple ways to control, prevent or eliminate ringworms spores:
- Wash your cat’s bedding with a combination of bleach and hot water solution followed by a plain hot water cycle.
- Disinfect toys, dishesdishes, bowls or other items with pet-friendly cleaning products.
- Deep clean and disinfect your cat’s home or living environment to get rid of lingering spores. Can use accelerated hydrogen peroxide (examples Rescue, Chlorox or Oxivir)
- Avoid using Lysol (it’s not pet-friendly) but try spraying an apple cider vinegar solution on furniture and rugs. Its acidic properties repel fungal infections such as ringworm.
- Vacuum thoroughly all floors, carpeting and furniture. Ringworm survives in loose hairs from shedding so vacuum and dispose of vacuum contents immediately.
- Use Swiffer products and again, dispose of them immediately. Their electrostatic quality has a great cleaning and “rounding up” ability.
- Get the carpets cleaned via commercial steam cleaning. The hearheat and steam will destroy any fungal spores.
- Remember also those furnace filters and vent filters. Best choice is to remove them
completely and replace them. - And don’t forget about new pets. To make sure your newest pet addition isn’t introducing ringworm into your household, you may want to schedule a thorough physical examination with your veterinarian. Include a Wood’s lamp evaluation for any new pet addition to your family.
Petting a cat with ringworm (can cat ringworm be passed to humans?)
Is safe to pet a cat with ringworm?
Is not best to best your cat if infected with ringworm
Of the things we’d most like not to share with our furry felines, it’s ringworm. But, does this mean that I can’t touch or pet my cat while she is suffering? Is it safe to pet a cat with ringworm?
Answering this question is a bit tricky. Is it safe? As in, will you die if you pet a cat with the tell-tale red rings? No, probably not. But should you pet that ringworm-riddled cat? No, probably not.
What you must keep in mind is that ringworm transmission occurs via direct contact with the fungal spores. While some species of ringworm are only transmittable between specific animal species, some are zoonotic …this means, it can thus infect humans. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to visually distinguish between variants of ringworm.
But you shouldn’t necessarily jump to donning your hazmat suit if you suspect your cat has ringworm. Most healthy human adults are resistant to ringworm infection unless he/sheit (spore) makes contact with a spore through a break in the skin like a scratch, scrape, or cut. However, just as with cats, most elderly and young humans, as well as adults with weak immune systems, are susceptible to ringworm infection.
In summary, there are a number of precautions you can take to protect yourself against a ringworm infection. It’s as simple as— wearing disposable gloves! And consider wearing long sleeves when handling an infected cat. Wash your hands and clothes thoroughly each time after you handle your kitty. Cover even the slightest abrasion or open wounds.
Can Cat Ringworm Be Prevented?
Ringworm spores can spread from human to cat- so wear gloves.
Wear gloves when handle a cat with ringworm
According toMorris Animal Foundation, in looking at the dynamics of ringworm infections, there is no age or sex predisposition to the disease. However, Persian, Himalayan, and Rex cats, along with Yorkshire and Jack Russell terriers were found to be overrepresented in published studies.
As stated by William Miller Jr., a professor of dermatology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, “Feline ringworm is not something that you want to take lightly.” He advised that if left untreated in an otherwise healthy catfeline, ringworm will probably self-resolve over time, but without treatment the process would typically take anywhere from nine months to a year, all the while posing an increased risk of skin wounds and subsequent infections. With treatment, improvement should be apparent within a week or two, but it may take up to six weeks or longer to completely cure a feline ringworm infection.
All cats and kittens can contract ringworm because the fungal spores can live on most surfaces – from animal skin or human skin to soil and other hard surfaces. And these spores can survive for several months. Cats can easily become contaminated due to exposure to other infected animals or contaminated areas. Some cats, such as long-haired cats, are predisposed to ringworm as well as elderly cats and kittens due to their inability to properly groom or because of immature or compromised immune systems lend themselves to this malady. Cats groom as a natural defense mechanism to stay healthy, but all cats can get ringworm. As always, consult with your veterinarian right away if you suspect your cat has ringworm.
Here’s a quick clip showing how to apply Banixx using a cotton ball. Click on the picture below to start the video.
Read our blog to get more information about ringworm.
For more in-depth information on ringworm to find out what it looks like, how to prevent and how to treat, please go tocat ringworm page.
