okay i dont know for sure if my cat has ringworm because i havent taken her to the vet yet but i described her symptoms on here and people said it sounded like ringworm...and i was just wondering how a cat can get ringworm other than from humans...cuz a couple of days ago a squirrel was eating from our bird feeder and my mom opened our sliding door and my cat got out and chased the squirrel up the tree. soo high that you couldnt see her or the squirrel and i dont know if maybe she got bitten or scratched by that squirrel and it had ringworm and gave it to her...if squirrels can even have ringworm... i was just wondering how cats get ringworm in the first place and if the whole squirrel, tree, cat, scratch, bite, ringworm thing is possible...
2007-08-12 22:09:00 · 5 answers · asked by ily_always_and_forever_07 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
go to h3ll [rumblecookie]..if your going to be an @$$ then leave.
is ringworm always a cirle or can it be like almost half of a circle...i have pictures posted on another question.
2007-08-12 23:36:13 · update #1
You need to be careful squirrels can be nasty to pets and they can give pets rabies if your pet hasn't had there shots. As for the ring worm hope this helps.
Ringworm is a common skin disease in cats and dogs. Unlike its name, it is not caused by any worm (though it used to be thought so) but by fungi called Dermatophytes that thrive on dead tissues present in skin surface and follow circular a path to spread them.
In cats, specific fungi called Microsporum Canis (M Canis) results in 90 percent of the ringworm cases. Cats usually pick up the disease from contaminated objects such as clippers or bedding or by coming in direct contact with other animals infected with this disease. Young cats under a year old are more susceptible to ringworm, so, it's wise to take extra precautions if you have a kitten in your house.
Some of the common ringworm symptoms among cats are rough and broken hairs, hair loss especially on head, or paws. You can also identify ringworm disease by a scaly patch of skin that looks inflamed and itchy with broken hairs around it.
If your cat reveals any of these symptoms, consult with your veterinarian. If diagnosed, he may advise tablets or ointments depending on the intensity of the diseases. The tablets can be fed to the cat with meals, and the ointment can be spread topically into the cat's fur. These treatments and cures must be continued daily. In most cases, it takes around six weeks to recover.
It's a good idea to take precautions due to ringworm's infectious nature. Keep kids away from the pet; and adults should use gloves when handling the cat. Although ringworm is a mild disorder, it causes problems due to its infectious nature and slow recovery time.
Now you can try Selsun Blue shampoo on you if you get it. might want to call your local vet and ask what you can use on the cat they skin is sensitive good luck ....
2007-08-12 22:20:17 · answer #1 · answered by ynot_chas 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My vet said ringworm is one of those things that often don't look like the classic 'ring' at all, so it can be just about anything. Often it won't even floures under a black light so they have to do a skin scraping and culture to make sure, and even then sometimes it takes the full 10 days before the culture shows yes or no.
Ringworm spreads by spores, if they get on the skin and reproduce, then the cat gets ringworm.
Here's a GREAT vet site explaining things.
2007-08-13 19:35:22 · answer #2 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ringworm is a fungal infection. It's not actually a worm. I doubt your cat got the ringworm from the squirrel.
The type of fungus that most commonly causes ringworm of the skin spreads from one person to another. You can get it by sharing towels, clothing, or sports equipment or by having direct contact with an infected person’s rash.
Another type of fungus is spread by cats and dogs. It is less common but causes more severe infections.
2007-08-12 23:27:06 · answer #3 · answered by Turtle 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it is not possible for a cat to get ringworm from a squirrel.
All cats carry this funguse but don't show simptoms until they stay moist,get sick among other things.
By the way i wouldn't worry about going to the vet and spending alot of money because all they are going to give you is Iodine.You can buy it at any drug store and put it on yourself. It should take about a week or so and you will see the hair starting to grow back.
Good Luck
2007-08-12 22:20:47 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I doubt the cat got it from the squirrel. It is very common and sometimes you see that nice actuall ring on the skin where the hair is coming out. My little baby had it really bad, her immune system was down and she looked terrible for weeks but now, that hair is almost all grown back and while growing she's looking so cute now. Be careful as you can get it yourself from the cat. I was lucky and didn't get it. Around the ears sometimes can be caused by ear mites. So best to have the vet check it. I used a topical antifungal cream, special antifungal shampoo and the vet gave her oral medicine because it was so bad. It's contageous to you, kids and other pets so keep them seperated...Oh, and when they lose the fur, the patch gets bigger before it clears up...lol So don't be surprised..
2007-08-12 22:35:40 · answer #5 · answered by Eshta 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the actions you described isn't possible to pass ringworm to your cat.
This link should explain it better.
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/ringworm.html
2007-08-12 22:20:53 · answer #6 · answered by LYNN W 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
take it to the vet
2007-08-12 22:53:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
just feed it to the dog
2007-08-12 22:36:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋