Instructions
Symptoms
The most recognizable sign of ringworm is a patch of hair loss, usually circular, on your cats head, ears or limbs, although it can occur in other areas. You may notice red bumps in the area of the hair loss.
In the areas of hair loss you may notice scaling or crusting of your cat's skin. The area maybe itchy and inflamed.
Your cat may develop what looks like dandruff or flaking of the skin. The hairs around this area may appear to be broken.
In mild cases your cat may develop gray patchy areas of baldness that may or may not be accompanied with itching.
Diagnosis
Use a black light. In about 50 to 60% of cases, ringworms will glow green when shown under a black light. However, just because you do not see any bright green glow does not mean your cat will test negative for ringworm.
Your vet will take a sample of your cat's hair from the infected region and send it to the lab. There they will use a special culture that will enhance the fungal growth. This is the most reliable method of diagnosing ringworm. The whole process usually takes about 10 days to perform.
For a faster diagnosis the veterinarian will examine the hairs of your cat under a microscope and look for fungal spores.
How to Tell If a Cat Has Ringworm or Allergies
Ringworm in cats is not a deadly disease, but it is not pleasant. Ringworm causes your cat to lose its hair and to experience itchy red bumps. Ringworm in cats is a common diseases as well as extremely contagious not only to other animals but to humans as well. Ringworm spreads fast and has a slow recovery time. The symptoms of ringworm can look similar to other skin diseases, including flea allergy dermatitis, so it is best to get your cat in to see a veterinarian as soon as possible.