Ringworm in cats - Contagion and treatment

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 8 August 2021
Update Date: 13 November 2024
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Feline Ringworm is NOT as Contagious as You Think
Video: Feline Ringworm is NOT as Contagious as You Think

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If you have decided to have a cat as a pet, you should be aware that a little care and food is not enough to take care of it. Therefore, as responsible owners, we must, among other things, take responsibility for your health. For example, one of the skin diseases most common in cats is dermatophytosis or ringworm.

When you suspect your cat may have ringworm do not think twice and go immediately to the veterinarian, so that he/she can carry out the appropriate tests as soon as possible, as this skin disease caused by a fungus spreads very quickly throughout the body and is very easily spread, even to people.

Continue reading this PeritoAnimal article where you will find everything about ringworm in cats, its contagion and treatment. Also, discover some advice and home remedies to help your faithful friend overcome this problem.


What is ringworm?

Ringworm or dermatophytosis is a fungal skin disease, that is, it is a skin disease caused by funds. This health problem is highly infectious and contagious, as it affects a large number of living beings including cats, dogs and humans, so when it is also transmitted to people it is a zoonosis and therefore, we must further emphasize the importance of its prevention and treatment if it detects it.

The fungus that this condition causes is the Microsporum Kennels, what affects the skin, hair and nails of the animals to which it parasites, as it feeds on the keratin found in these parts of the body. When ringworm also affects our feline's nails, it's known as onychomycosis and we'll know it's acting on our cat if we see broken and brittle nails.


As dermatophytes cannot live either in inflamed areas or in areas with fur, we can observe that fur falls in the areas of our cat's body where the fungus inhabits. At hairless areas are one of the most characteristic symptoms. of the disease.

Due to the high ease of contagion and reproduction of ringworm in cats, it is essential that if we detect it in one of our animals, we start with the treatment and isolate it from other pets that may become infected. Therefore, it is common to come across cats sick with ringworm in places where many gather, for example, in animal shelters.

Ringworm will be more or less serious depending on how long the disease has been acting on the affected animal and also according to the previous state of health that your cat had. We must think that a Weak health status favors the appearance of opportunistic parasites and this is how ringworm often manifests itself.


Factors that favor ringworm in cats

As with any other disease, there are both internal and external factors that favor dermatophytosis in cats, that is, they help the disease to spread to other animals and to spread inside the already infected body.

A domestic cat will be much more likely to contract ringworm depending on its health and its environment, for example, these are some factors that favor ringworm in cats:

  • A low defense system
  • malnutrition
  • Other previous diseases or parasites
  • a lot of stress
  • Unfavorable conditions, both for life and health and for the environment (excess humidity, lack of hygiene, excessive heat, lack of sunlight, etc.)

The contagion of ringworm in domestic cats

Cats are the animals that find it easier to transmit ringworm and get infected with it. This disease, being fungal, uses fungal spores to spread through the environment and from animal to animal. Due to this type of fungal reproduction, felines that do not suffer from the disease can become very easily infected when they interact with another cat that is sick and when coming into contact with objects such as blankets, food, sandboxes, toys, etc. that an affected individual has used, among other possibilities.

The environmental and health factors mentioned in the previous section are key to the appearance of ringworm in felines and for it to spread more quickly in the already infected cat's body. So if we have a cat we should try to make these factors that favor ringworm as few as possible. in a normal way, but especially if our friend is already starting to show symptoms and so we prevent the situation from getting worse.

In the case of kittens, ringworm can appear, more normally, due to malnutrition that greatly lowers their defenses, in addition to poor or no deworming. On the contrary, in the case of adult cats, the presence of these fungi usually indicates something more serious than bad deworming or poor nutrition, as in these cats the most frequent causes of low defenses are other diseases or health problems, be it a cold or pneumonia or a serious viral illness such as leukemia that severely affects the cat's immune system.

Symptoms of ringworm in felines

Symptoms of ringworm in cats begin to be visible between 2 and 4 weeks after infection. Some of most common symptoms in domestic cats when they suffer from ringworm are the following:

  • Licking, biting and scratching the affected areas frequently. Although they do it with the idea of ​​alleviating what actually happens, this way it facilitates the spread of the disease to the rest of the body. So we should try to make our cat scratch or lick as little as possible.
  • Circular lesions of alopecia either focused or generalized.
  • Crusts and peeling of a yellow color.
  • Peculiar smell coming from the skin of the affected animal.
  • Appearance of cutaneous nodules that produce a strong smell in the area where they occur.
  • The first parts of the feline's body that are affected by ringworm are the ears and extremities. But due to the fast reproduction of the fungus, it is certain that in a few days the head and other areas will also start to be affected.

Treatment against ringworm in cats

It is essential that the veterinarian perform all the necessary tests to make sure that it is ringworm and, above all, to check that there is no underlying disease that caused the ringworm. These diseases, such as feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency, are usually very serious and weaken the cat's immune system, favoring the appearance of diseases and secondary parasites. If you want to find out about these diseases, enter this article about the most common diseases in PeritoAnimal's cats and learn why veterinary follow-up is essential for our feline companion.

Once the veterinarian has performed tests such as cultures, trichograms or used the Wood lamp, he can confirm the presence of fungal ringworm, which will indicate the best treatment to offer our cat. When the veterinarian decides on the appropriate treatment, he will take into account our cat's age, other possible diseases and parasites, the state of his immune system and the risk of contagion to other animals, then from there he will indicate the most appropriate treatment for his needs. existing.

shall clean the affected areas with povidone iodine or some similar antiseptic product that is anti-infective and anti-fungal, which serves to disinfect and heal our cat's skin. Once you have cleaned the area, you can apply the most common and main treatment that is topical, whether it is powder, cream, ointment, emulsion or liquid. There are oral treatments but they are much more aggressive and toxic for our feline's body, so we always try to use topical treatments. Still, if the mycosis persists for a long time, you will have to opt for systemic treatment to be able to eliminate the disease completely.

As it comes to a long treatment and with which you have to be very persistent, you must be very patient, but little by little you can see how your friend is recovering until finally he is completely cured.It is essential that treatments for ringworm are done exactly as and for as long as your veterinarian indicates, as the fungi do not need anything to be able to spread again quickly.

Usually treatments should last between 1 to 3 months, but any treatment against ringworm should be done for 2 or 4 weeks, even if the cat appears to be cured, this is the only way to ensure successful treatment. When this time has passed, the veterinarian will have to repeat the tests to make sure that the disease has overcome.

Advice and home remedies to treat ringworm in cats

Next, we'll give you some natural and home remedies and advice to complement the veterinarian's treatment and for your cat to overcome ringworm more easily:

  • Protect yourself: As ringworm is a disease that is zoonosis, it can affect humans, so be careful when handling your cat and its surroundings while it is sick. In addition to cleaning and disinfecting the whole house, especially the areas where your friend spends the most time. Don't forget to use disposable latex gloves when touching and grooming your cat. If you don't wear gloves, wet your hands in bleach diluted with water to eliminate the fungus and then wash with soap and water.
  • protect others: So that the other cats, dogs or even other people in the house do not get infected, a thorough cleaning of the house will not be enough. It is necessary that the cat affected with ringworm is quarantined isolated from others until it is completely cured and the veterinarian indicates it. It will be good that, although there is only one affected pet in the house, bathe everyone at least once with anti-fungal shampoo.
  • Disinfect the house: As we have been mentioning, disinfecting and cleaning the house thoroughly is something very important, because if you don't eliminate the fungus from the environment, no matter how easily your pet can cure itself, the dermatophytes will start working again. You can use chlorine, special detergents, bleach and must vacuum thoroughly. Therefore, you have to discard the vacuum bag. If possible, it is important that you clean furniture, blankets, pillows, toys, beds and everything possible with steam. You should clean as much as possible every day, at least vacuuming to remove contaminated hair from the environment, but you should do this thoroughly at least on the first and last day of treatment.
  • cut the fur: To prevent the fungus Microsporum Kennels if it spreads quickly through the cat's body, it should cut the fur around the round hairless lesions in which the fungus already inhabits. By eliminating the surrounding hair, you are making it more difficult for dermatophytes to move and therefore they are located so that it is easier to eliminate them. You'll have to eliminate the hair you cut from the house, since the fungus will continue to survive in the dead hair.
  • to brush: You can brush your cat to help eliminate fungal spurs, but it's a particularly good method for spreading vet-prescribed powders or other anti-fungal products all over the body. After using the brush, you should disinfect it and vacuum again the area of ​​the house where you have brushed the cat.
  • Bath: To keep the hairless areas in which the ringworm-causing fungus inhabits free of infection, it is important to bathe your cat with an anti-fungal shampoo and with the treatment that your veterinarian has indicated. These treatments and shampoos should be left on for about 10 minutes before being removed. It is very important that the water temperature is warm, between 25 - 27ºC.
  • Vinegar with salt: In addition to using products sold in pharmacies, clinics and pet stores, there are remedies that you can easily make at home, such as vinegar with salt. You should mix salt with vinegar and mix well until you get a kind of paste. Apply this resulting paste to the ringworm areas of your feline companion's skin. Let the mixture act for about 5 minutes, then remove it and wash the area well. You must repeat this procedure once a week.
  • Garlic: Another home remedy you can use is garlic. Garlic is known for its many properties, among which its disinfectant and anti-fungal power stands out. To prepare it, chop it and mix it with a little neutral vaseline. Once you have this mixture ready, you should apply it to the areas affected by ringworm on the cat's skin. Cover these areas with gauze to let the garlic work better and leave it overnight. During the day, give it all the necessary baths that the veterinary treatment indicates and apply a little more garlic after the bath. You can repeat this home remedy for at least 3 days.
  • neem oil: This oil has strong anti-fungal properties. We can find it in pharmacies and herbalists. To use it easily against ringworm, we can add two and a half tablespoons of this oil in a container with aloe vera, mixing well. Then apply the mixture to the affected areas with ringworm twice a day and let it work for as long as possible, never forgetting the necessary baths for the treatment.
  • Grape seed oil: This other oil has very strong antibacterial and antifungal properties. Therefore, it is a natural product widely used to treat ringworm in any animal. Mix the grapeseed oil with a little warm water and apply twice a day on the ringworm areas on the cat's body. I'm sure that between this strong oil and veterinary treatment, you'll start to notice improvements.

Now that you know all about ringworm in cats, also read our article on Home Remedies for Ringworm in Dogs because you can apply the same treatments to your cat.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Ringworm in cats - Contagion and treatment, we recommend that you enter our section on Parasitic Diseases.