Denial’s a funny thing. You’d think, at 51 years old, I’d know that just proclaiming something doesn’t make it true.
“Esmee’s face looks like that because she had food caked on it pretty much for the first 10 days she was with us. It got irritated, but it’ll heal,” I said with misplaced confidence.
And when it spread, I said “Well, that’s odd. I’ll just wash her face and maybe that’ll help. Maybe she was allergic to something on the (unscented, sensitive-skin) baby wipes I was wiping her face with.”
“BUT IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE RINGWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORM,” I wailed.
And yet.
Hello, you ringworm-ridden sweetheart.
(I was going to the vet Tuesday anyway, and brought Esmee and Amelie with me so the vet could do a look-see and I could get a professional opinion, and hey – don’t you wish you were my vet? “Please tell me this isn’t ringworm,” I said to the vet. “PLEASE?” The vet agreed that her face didn’t look like ringworm, BUT when she saw that there was a spot on Esmee’s paw, she decided that it probably was. I could have opted for a culture test, and very well may once the ringworm is gone, just to be safe, but we got sidetracked by an exam of Amelie and both forgot.)
Amelie’s got a bit of it around her nose, too. Which is what made me admit that it wasn’t “irritation.”
Last summer with the Mainers was such a nightmare that I so DID NOT WANT ringworm again, nope, no that’s okay, no that’s fine, I’ll just bury my head in the sand and pretend it’s not ringworm.
Yet here we are.
This year is going to be different, because for one I refuse to go nuts the way I did last year. I bathed them every other day, I put topical stuff on them three times a day, I scrubbed the foster room every day, I did SO MUCH laundry, and you know what? I’m not doing it again. I spent so much time doing that that I didn’t get to spend any time just enjoying them. So this time I’m going to keep in mind that ringworm has never killed anyone (note: it’s a fungus, not an actual worm, in case you didn’t know that), it’s an annoyance, and I’ll treat the spots as they pop up and do some reasonable cleaning and laundry, but that’s it.
THAT. IS. IT.
(Weird thing: no signs of ringworm on Margeaux or Jacques. What does it meeeean? Even if they just tossed Margeaux and the kittens together the day I got them (and they didn’t), I’ve had them for just over three weeks, and I should be seeing signs of ringworm on them, shouldn’t I? Are some cats immune? Could I request that ALL cats be immune from here on out, please?)
That’s a Face of Nope if I’ve ever seen one.
That, on the other hand, is a pretty happy Mama.
“Not a darn one of these is mine, but whatever.”
“The milk bar was packed, so we’re pouting and taking a nap.” (Left to right: Antoine, Francois & Madeline)
Katriane’s kittens, taking over the milk bar (and Amelie right in the middle!)
Esmee’s little face of concentration… OH, that girl!
She’s a mess, but I love her.
Amelie’s looking less like an alien and more like a kitten these days.
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The cats are loving the pot o’ nip lately, can you tell? Newt’s a fan.
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Previously
2018: “WHAT DOIN’, LADY?!”
2017: This-Universe Robyn often seems to think that THINKING of doing something is the same as actually doing it.
2016: “HI, Unca Stefan! Hi!”
2015: #Skelton has a skeptical. “I does not NEED to be tutored, lady, I am already super smart!”
2014: I love the whiskers in the sun, and also love Dennis’s face, all “WHAT IN TARNATION IS GOING ON?!”
2013: “He’s sucking the life out of me, lady.”
2012: “That little stomping brat always steals all the attention and I DON’T LIKE IT!”
2011: “OH MY STARS! Doesn’t ANYONE ever vacuum this room? Look at this mess!”
2010: No entry.
2009: No entry.
2008: Warning: May cause cavities due to the sheer utter adorable cuteness.
2007: One of these things is not like the others,.
2006: No entry.
2005: Edgar would just like to sleep, please.
Some cats (and people!!) are seemingly immune from ringworm. I’ve never been that lucky but it happens. I stopped the constant bathing the second time through, too. Although I did still obsess a bit over the laundry. With the last time, it was more trying to prevent me from the outbreak than to intervene with the kittens; it previously had become vicious cycle – kittens -> me -> kittens -> me – so I didn’t want that again
Good luck.
Oh no!! But only 2 actually are showing signs? Let’s hope the rest do have a resistance to shmingsmerm!!
What I’ve found with ringworm is that whether you treat it aggressively or hardly at all….it just has to run its course. And the aggressive treatment: oral medication, bathing, topicals, extreme cleaning–don’t seem to do much at all to shorten the course of the infection for all the work, time and expense! Ringworm is basically the same as athlete’s foot and jock itch—so it’s nothing to get alarmed about. As you pointed out, I think the name is what scares people.
Oh — I feel for you. It is, maybe, the one thing I haven’t had to deal with yet and I am so very grateful. I’ve had a close call, but that’s it. We’re very lucky. Our local Humane Society has a specific ringworm quarantine space. If it’s spotted (no pun intended) early enough, the city shelter (and some of the rescues) all send their ringworm cases there. Again, we are so lucky there is so much communication and cooperation in our city!!
Well, thankfully it’s just a few of them… Dumb question, but can adult cats pick up ringworm? Or is it just a kitten thing like pink eye in a daycare (one gets it, they ALL friggin’ get it. No, I don’t have kids but oh boy do I remember many a co-worker tell me about that nightmare.)?
Antoine, Francois & Madeline have the pouty face look down pat, Madeline in particular.
I love Newt.
adults CAN get it, but what I’ve noticed in a rescue setting is that those with immune issues (FIV, malnourished, etc) tend to get it while really health adults tend not to get it. Not all the time mind you, but in some cases
oh joy – the fungus. I will say, when I had the Texas kittens after Harvey, we noticed ONE spot on the tail of the boy. Treated it, it never spread and his sisters never had a spot. I know it is contagious and spreads and whatever, but it isn’t the plague and no one dies from it. Just breathe….
I’ve never had a cat with ringworm, but one summer when I was a kid, I got it. I have no idea where, I just had one spot on my leg, and no one else in my family got it. All I remember doing is putting some sort of topical cream on it; I’m not even sure I went to the doctor. All this to say — I think you are taking the right course.
This sounds very familiar – ugh! I’ve now had two back to back litters with RW. (And another litter last year) I’m unfortunately not able to foster RW kittens, but the rescue I foster for has ISO unit that can take on RW kittens. With my most recent litter – RW signs didn’t show up until 3 wks after intake. And like yours, only one kitten was affected and didn’t obviously show classic RW signs. So we re-tested with the lamp (no hot spots) and ended up doing a culture (which did show something but not definitively RW.) Kittens were placed back with the rescue and put into ISO and all were treated with standard RW protocol just in case – and so the affected kitten wasn’t lonely. I’m currently in quarantine and kittenless in kitten season. I submitted a sample from my foster room (carpeted unfortunately) and growing a culture to see if I’m in the clear… that’s the part that stinks about RW. I can’t give homeless kittens a home and the rescue fills up a spot with the limited ISO spaces they have.