Here’s a little survey about the theme skin fungus diseases. To be 100% sure that you are confronted with a fungal skin infection you should consult your vet and discuss the treatment.

A strong immune system is important for the cat therefore we as cat owners should especially direct our attention to it. Cats with a weakened immune system are more susceptible to illnesses than other ones.

Fungal spores exist everywhere in our daily life, on plants, on food, on the walls especially in the bathroom  or in the kitchen. But the cat only gets infected when its immune system is weakened by stress, illness etc.  That’s why often kids and kittens are concerned.

All fungal infections  of skin, hair and claws are called dermatophytes.

One divides between
 infectious funguses ( mikosporum or trichophyten)
non-infectious funguses (yeast funguses or mildew)

to a) the germs of the infectious funguses are called dermatophytes.

Mikrosporie and Trichophyty

The infection follows through direct body contact between animals. There can be a transmission to human beings, too, what also should be thought of.

Nearly all infections on cat skin are caused by “ Mikrosporum canis “.

It stays on the body of the cats, the cat (or another pet) is so to speak the basis of a fungal attack.

Especially there in households where more pets are present, the danger of a transmission is extremely high because there can be a transmission of the spors from one animal to another.

Besides there can also be a transmission of the very long durable spors via the animals’ favourite places, combs, brushes, laying-around hair or spore containing skin sheds. This kind of spores are durable for a very long time and can be infectious  for several years. Moreover there can be a transmission via outer parasites ( fleas, mites,...).

Trichophytes are diagnosed more seldom at cats. With trichophytes infected cats mostly have a kind of infection called “Trichophyton metagrophytes.” This germ can be found at pets and wildlife animals, especially rodents. The contact to wild animals and rodents can be a reason why cats get infected with this kind of fungus.

The incubation period usually lasts 1-4 weeks. During this period out of the fungus spores develop a kind of ´network` which gets into the hair and the over skin cells.

On the attacked hairs an outer and (seldom) a inner spore development can be seen.

This kind of spores causes a fall out and  a break off of the hairs. An infection of the skin layer effectuates a development of sheds.

Mostly there are circular or ring-shaped changes, round shed- or crust- developments or  circular loss of hair (in English called “Ringworm”). Usually the symptoms occur at the cat’ s head but they can also be found on other parts of the body.

Rarely there are small bubbles or pustules instead of the circular changes. Especially at old cats the development of the sheds can be very slight.

To make a clear  diagnosis the vet has the following possibilities:

The ‘Woodsche lamp’: it produces am ultraviolet light of a special wavelength.

Mikrosporie produce under this lamp a bright yellow-green fluorescence.

Microscopic examination: the vet takes with the scalpel some skin sheds or infected hairs and the vet or a lab examines it under the microscope.

 Cultural examination: that’s the safest method to find out a fungus and its kind. In the lab there’ s a special kind of culture medium on which the fungus is cultivated (with the skin sheds or the hairs). After 2 or 3 days you often have a clear result, but sometimes it can last some weeks. If the cat has spores in its coat the culture always will turn out positively. But a skin disease and a positive culture point out to a fungal skin infection.

Therapy

 A therapy must consist out of 3 measures:

1.  internal treatment with medicaments

2. external treatment of-  in best case all cats in the household

3. desinfection of the flat or the house

To 1.) concerning the internal, medical treatment you obviously consult your vet. There are different medicaments but not all can be used for each animal. Besides some medicaments have big side effects, therefore they should be dosed exactly.

To 2.) there are different methods: e.g. owners of long-haired cats are recommended shaving all their cats. But that’ s not always a “must”. There are several shampoos or solvents with witch you can bath your cats. One solvent is called “Imaverol”, you get it from your vet (after having agreed with her/him) but there are surely other solvents existing, too.

To 3.) A hygienic household is very important, especially during in an infection time.  You should clean the rooms, the sleeping places of your cats, the combs, the brushes etc. with a disinfectant against funguses.

Yeast funguses and mould

 This kinds of funguses are spread in nature everywhere. As an example they live on the skin of pets, but they also exist in the ears and organs. They get a problem when the normal bacterial flora gets damaged trough illnesses, a non-solid immune system, an infectious disease (as Feline Leukemia) or a longer treatment with antibiotics.

If “only” the skin is damaged in much cases an external treatment with medicaments helps.

Funguses existing in the mouth or in the digestive system can cause granulomes or abscesses. With solvents, douches and medicaments you can get this under control, but sometimes the vet has to take the scalpel and remove the granulomes or abscesses.

Addition for breeders

In most cat clubs you must report the outbreak of these illnesses. Please be so solicitous and inform your club when your cat gets infected with a fungus.

Moreover at an entrance control of an exhibition the hair of the cat should be combed with a flea-comb. You have to insist that your own comb is used because a short spraying with a disinfectant is not enough to kill the spors.

References

 “Katzenkrankheiten” from W. Kraft und U. M. Dürr
“Die Katze” from Michael Wright und Sally Walters