Cat Ringworm -- Symptoms of a Contagious Skin Condition

Cat ringworm is the most common infectious skin disease in domestic felines. It's actually not a worm at all, but a contagious fungal infection that is easily spread.

It's a self-limiting disease, meaning that it will clear up on its own. In many cases the disease resolves within 6 to 8 weeks. Stubborn cases, however, may persist for weeks or months even with treatment. Cats with compromised immune systems may take longer. In any case, your veterinarian may prescribe treatment no matter what, since it is very common for animals to pass this disease to humans and other animals.

Ringworm, known as dermatophytosis, is a fungus which feeds on keratin. Keratin is a protein found in hair, nails, and skin.

The disease gets its name from the round ring-like appearance seen on the skin. The classic ringworm symptom presents as patches of hair loss which appear as circular scaly areas with raised edges. These symptoms are fairly easy to spot.

The most common locations for infection are the paws, tail, face, head, and ears. Early symptoms include dry, flaky skin. In addition, you may see bald areas around the eyes, and on the ears and legs.

More serious symptoms may develop if your cat's immune system is compromised. If left untreated, your cat may develop crusty lesions that become sore, red, and infected.

Cat ringworm symptoms include hair loss and broken hair in circular or irregular patterns. You may also see bumpy, scaly, red, or inflamed skin, and possibly deformed claws. The affected areas do not always itch, and some cats may experience little to no hair loss with this disease.

Cat ringworm can only be diagnosed by your veterinarian, so get in contact with your vet if you suspect your cat is infected.

-->