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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / February 2005Cured of ringworm?
I've been told that a young cat I've been interested in adopting had ringworm at one point but is now cured of it. The shelter, however, would want me to sign a waiver that if the ringworm got spread from the cat, they wouldn't be held libel. Is there any sure way to find out if the cat still carries the ringworm before bringing in into my house? I don't want to put my other cats (or my family) at risk...no matter how much I like this kitty. Thanks. beeswing > I've been told that a young cat I've been interested in adopting had > ringworm at one point but is now cured of it. The shelter, however, [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > beeswing Nope. What you can do is put the cat on a regimen of Program which will keep the ringworm at bay, if the cat is indeed, a chronic carrier. -L. "Nope. What you can do is put the cat on a regimen of Program which will keep the ringworm at bay, if the cat is indeed, a chronic carrier." Ringworm is actually pretty common at shelters. I wouldn't be inclined to assume that the cat is "a chronic carrier" because of one bout at a shelter. If it's been more than a month with no relapse, then I'd be pretty confident that you're out of the woods. If it's a shorter time, then the medication is probably a good precaution. > Ringworm is actually pretty common at shelters. I wouldn't be inclined > to assume that the cat is "a chronic carrier" because of one bout at a > shelter. If it's been more than a month with no relapse, then I'd be > pretty confident that you're out of the woods. If it's a shorter time, > then the medication is probably a good precaution. Ask the shelter if they had another culture taken once the ringworm cleared up. If they did and it was negative, I would feel confident bringing the cat home. They probably have the waiver just to cover their butts. Be glad that this is a place where they treat for ringworm. That cat would be dead at many other shelters.  Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG >> Ringworm is actually pretty common at shelters. I wouldn't be inclined >> to assume that the cat is "a chronic carrier" because of one bout at a [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >that this is a place where they treat for ringworm. That cat would be dead >at many other shelters. I doubt if the shelter did a followup culture for ringworm. That is an expense they probably can't afford. I will hold a kitten until there are no visible signs but we don't culture. Mostly we tell people if the cat had ringworm and recommend continuing Program. I usually give kittens Program anyway when they come to me. My vet has described it as the kitten chicken pox. Most get it and get over it quickly. Adults are frequently immune. BarB > I doubt if the shelter did a followup culture for ringworm. That is > an expense they probably can't afford. I will hold a kitten until [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > described it as the kitten chicken pox. Most get it and get over it > quickly. Adults are frequently immune. I think our shelter is a lot more paranoid about ringworm than others. The kittens that had ringworm were taken out of the shelter and put into foster care. Once they finished their course of medicine, which was the liquid that starts with a "g", I can never remember the name, they were cultured again and the vet wants the culture to grow out for three weeks before they can come back to the shelter. Also, we threw away the scratching posts in the kitten room, completely bleached down the cages and the whole room, repainted, and are installing new vinyl floor. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG > "Nope. What you can do is put the cat on a regimen of Program which > will keep the ringworm at bay, if the cat is indeed, a chronic [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > to assume that the cat is "a chronic carrier" because of one bout at a > shelter. Agreed - but if the OP is concerned about an outbreak in the new home, Program will prevent it. If it's been more than a month with no relapse, then I'd be > pretty confident that you're out of the woods. If it's a shorter time, > then the medication is probably a good precaution. Chronic carriers can go months without a flare-up and then BAM! another outbreak. I was involved in a study of a group of Persians who were chronic carriers. Horrible situation. -L. > Chronic carriers can go months without a flare-up and then BAM! > another outbreak. I was involved in a study of a group of Persians who > were chronic carriers. Horrible situation. > > -L. If the adopted kitty has a culture that says she's clear of ringworm, can she still be a "chronic carrier" or might that rule that out? I'm planning to talk to our vet about this, too, on Saturday; one of my other cats is going in for his appointment. Thanks. beeswing >> Chronic carriers can go months without a flare-up and then BAM! >> another outbreak. I was involved in a study of a group of Persians [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >I'm planning to talk to our vet about this, too, on Saturday; one of my >other cats is going in for his appointment. Ringworm isn't the plague - there are obviously different kinds as well, since some people here describe a runaway contagious infection that's hard to irradicate, and others a mild infection that clears up at the first attempt. If the cat has a clear culture, and your other cats are healthy, then I'd think it was OK. You'll be keeping new kitty separate for a bit anyway. We have a longish haired female and a short haired tom. Girl was positive for ringworm, and on medication, had a few scabby patches, neither boy nor us had any symptoms. Girl now clear apparently, rest of us unaffected :-) As you say talk to your vet, but that cat needs a home :-) Jim > As you say talk to your vet, but that cat needs a home :-) One of my two current kitties has been licking till his fur is off a lot of his belly and in other patches...the vet first suspected a flea allergy, but now wonders if it might be behavioral (for a number of reasons). I had my kitty in at the vets being looked at today and we're trying an Elizabethan collar. Poor kitty! While I was there, I asked the vet about the shelter cat. Regarding the ringworm, he basically thought if the cat hadn't had an outbreak for a long time (and I don't know how long it's been without going back to the shelter and asking), it was probably fairly safe; HOWEVER, if we did get ringworm in the house, it could be very difficult to get rid off (with two cats and a daughter, I'm not willing to risk that). And if my cat's licking problems (and his litter box issues, a whole nuther story) *are* beharvioral, then getting another cat could just make it worse. I can't do that to my cat. So -- responsibly speaking, I can't take in the other cat. I feel sad about it, but I'm spending some nice one-on-one time tonight with my poor, collared kitty and it's making up for a lot of it. I hope the other cat finds a nice home. It's a no-kill shelter, so it's almost guaranteed that she eventually will. Thanks, everyone, for all the advice. beeswing >Chronic carriers can go months without a flare-up and then BAM! >another outbreak. I was involved in a study of a group of Persians who >were chronic carriers. Horrible situation. How did this study resolve? Where there any useful conclusions? One of my rescue-cats had ringworm when we got her but we resolved the situation fairly quickly by taking her to the vet, getting the special shampoo bath done for her and then just dabbing each individual ringworm spot on her body every day with the pure shampoo until the ringworm eventually cleared. It has never come back to her and her fur is perfect and the ringworm never spread to any of the other cats. For us it was a short-term problem but I was always curious how we'd have coped if the worm had spread to the others and resulted in frequent outbreaks as you describe. On another separate issue we have frequent outbreaks of eye-infection among our three but they are always resolved quickly - within days - by using L-Lysine. Iain.H >o< Rescued Cats & Kittens Needing Homes >o< >o< www.celiahammond.org >o< >o< www.cat77.org.uk >o<
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