So, you wanna know know how to get rid of ringworm in cats? Well, let’s start with the basics. There is a common cat ailment called Dermatophytosis or ringworm. It is a fungal infection. The first indication that your cat has ringworm is the lesions on the skin. These will appear like red bumps in a circular pattern and they will be raised. Because the lesions are red and circular it is known as ringworm. You must know that there are no worms however. This is highly contagious so it is important that cats are treated as soon as it has been detected, so that other household pets and members of the family do not get this infection. It is likely that humans and other household pets can get infected. Pay close attention to steps below to learn exactly how to get rid of ringworms in cats.
Take Your Cat to the Vet
First, take the cat to the veterinarian immediately. Most often the veterinarian will prescribe antifungal creams like Itrafungol, Terbinafine and Lufenuron. Make sure you use these creams correctly at the right time. You might have to give your pet any other medication that he prescribes to ensure the treatment is complete.
Bathe Your Cat Regularly
Second, the cat has to be bathed frequently through the week. While bathing the cat, make sure you use antifungal shampoo for the cat. You will have to first wet the cat’s hair thoroughly. Once that is done you can use the shampoo. Lather it into the hair nicely. Leave it like that for about ten minutes. Once it has soaked in then you can wash it off. Bathing the cat several times a week can help a great deal.
Topical Creams or Ointments
The veterinarian will also prescribe topical creams or ointments. Use these regularly but only as prescribed. Over use does not necessarily mean that the cat gets better sooner. However, you will have to use these topical creams with whole body treatment. This is because ringworm can spread easily and there may not be lesion also. So in actual fact you may not also be aware of where exactly the ringworm has spread on the cat.
Do Some House Cleaning
Another thing you will have to do is clean up the environment. Bleach, either in concentrate or diluted form, has to be sprayed around the place the cat is likely to use – like bedding, fabrics etc., You can also steam clean the carpets and make sure you throw away all items that are likely to be contaminated. Finally wash the walls with the bleach solution.
Try Antifungal Products
There are antifungal products specially made for cats, just as there are antifungal creams made just for humans. Do not try to use creams meant for humans on the pet as they can be harmful for the pets. Some of these creams can produce very harsh reactions on the cat and also if ingested could cause a lot of problems as they are most often poisonous. Do not at any cost try to do the treatment based on your own knowledge. All treatment for ringworm should be recommended by a qualified professional.
Give Him a Haircut
Some vets recommend that you trim the cat’s hair. In this case you may go ahead and do it. However, if the vet does not recommend this then do not at any cost attempt to do it. Earlier, this was considered a sure fire method of cure. But then it has now been discovered that ringworm spores can easily spread in the environment if the cat’s hair is cut.