How To Treat A Cat For Ringworm
Introduction
If you have multiple pets or if children live at home, ringworm can be quite the problem for households. While it is most common in cats, it can also spread to dogs and to people. Ringworm can be confused with eczema or another skin condition, so before trying any home remedies, please visit a veterinarian as soon as possible to get a proper diagnosis.
Give your cat a thorough cleaning.
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Clean the cat’s bedding, toys, and other items.
- Wash the cat’s food and water dishes.
- Wash your cat’s litter box for several days following treatment of ringworm in cats to prevent reinfection from an infected neighbor or shelter pet.
Trim the hair on your cat’s affected area.
- Do not cut the hair too short. This will make it easier for a cat to get an infection, especially if you have to give your cat medicine that requires them to have an open mouth.
- Do not cut the hair too long. Longer hair can trap moisture and humidity in the area, which could lead to further irritation of your cat’s skin or development of bacterial or fungal infections.
- Cut at least 1 inch away from your cat’s body as well as close to their skin, but don’t cut so close that you nick them with scissors or shave cream (or whatever else you’re using).
Make an appointment to see a vet.
If your cat has ringworm, it is important to take care of the problem quickly. Ringworm is a fungal infection that can be spread from one animal to another by direct contact. The fungus enters the skin through a scratch or bite wound and then spreads throughout the body. A vet can prescribe medication for your cat to treat ringworm, but they may also advise you to treat your home as well so that reinfection does not occur.
If you suspect your pet has ringworm, make an appointment with a vet immediately so that proper treatment can begin.
Isolate your cat from other animals and people.
Isolate your cat from other animals and people. If you own more than one cat, isolate the infected one while treating it with ringworm medication. You should also isolate any other pets in the household (e.g., dogs) if they may have been exposed to the infection (even though most dogs do not contract ringworm).
If someone in your household has ringworm, keep them away from your cat as well. Make sure all family members and visitors wash their hands thoroughly before touching or petting your furry friend, especially if they’ve spent time outdoors or shared a playground with another animal recently.
Take preventative measures to make sure no one else gets ringworm from your cat.
- Wash your hands after handling your cat.
- Wear gloves when cleaning your cat’s litter box or washing bedding or toys.
- Make sure the bleach solution completely covers the litter box and let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing off with water and sunlight if possible.
- Throw away any items that can’t be washed, such as stuffed animals and blankets with lots of holes in them, as well as unused medications, flea collars, etc., because they may harbor fungal spores that could infect other animals in your home or even humans who come into contact with them (yep!).
Ringworm is very contagious, so you need to be careful when handling it.
Ringworm is very contagious and can spread to other animals and people. Make sure that you use the correct care products when treating your cat, as they are designed specifically for this purpose.
Conclusion
Ringworm can be difficult to treat and even more difficult to prevent from spreading, but it’s still very important that you take the necessary steps to protect your cat’s health. If you’re worried about your cat getting infected with ringworm again in the future (or if they already have), then consider taking them for regular checkups at a veterinarian’s office where they can be treated properly so that this doesn’t happen again.