Ringworm

[missy]

Yes, I get it... Wining the lottery would be great. Hugs to you!!

I just want to get everyone well. But that seems to much to ask for these days. Greg says we will be OK but I am not feeling it. I won't give up as much as I really just want to give up. That isn't an option. I slept 2 hours last night. Between being itchy where the spots are and thinking about all of the cats being infected and the daily routine we must do and missing Francesca well let's just say it is more than I think I can handle but what choice do I have?

Yikes!

Urgent care or walk in should be able to give you and Greg what you need for your spots. I'm sorry this is all happening.

So for isolation my suggestion is pop ups. We use them for fosters. Let me pull some links.

Thanks Eliza. We bought something on Amazon earlier in the week but Greg has not had time to put it together. Here's what we got.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XTG94TH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought 2 so we can stack them high so Oliver doesn't jump out but we don't have enough for all the kitties. I guess we will see if it seems to work and if so we can get more but the other 3 won't tolerate being isolated and the stress alone could really hurt their health. I am as I wrote before at my wits end. Truly.

 

[missy]

Ok, last idea :anyone from the local cat rescue community willing to help ? Administering meds and /or cleaning.
If there's anyone who currently doesn't have a cat themselves they might be willing to help - especially given what you do for the ferals and that you rescued Oliver?

Great ideas but unfortunately anyone who is a cat person already has cats and this is so contagious. And all our cat rescue people are super busy with helping the animals and just wouldn't have the time to do this with us and it is so contagious they could spread it to all their cats. And we are far from friends who might be able to help and honestly I wouldn't feel right asking since it is so contagious. We have to go it alone.

 

[missy]

Oliver this AM






And @ecf8503 here's a photo of the lesion on his leg. The big bald spot. We are applying Miconazole lotion topically and we are administering oral Itraconazole started this AM. And weekly lime sulfur dips but if the other cats can't get rid of it they will all keep reinfecting each other and us. That is why I am so overwhelmed.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

i have said this a million times on account of Bruce Springsteen living in NJ
but i wished i lived in NJ
id come over and help Missy
i feel so sorry for everyone
maybe you can get a topical treatment for humans you can put in the bath because it sounds like you deserve 40 min to soak in the bath and relax
its hard work getting medicine into a cat who suddenly desides mommy and daddy want to poison then
my other half just refused to medicate dear Tinky because they had a Rocky enough relationship as it was
you both love your cat family so much and they love you
love will get you through

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Oliver this AM






And @ecf8503 here's a photo of the lesion on his leg. The big bald spot. We are applying Miconazole lotion topically and we are administering oral Itraconazole started this AM. And weekly lime sulfur dips but if the other cats can't get rid of it they will all keep reinfecting each other and us. That is why I am so overwhelmed.

oh poor baby

 

[missy]

i have said this a million times on account of Bruce Springsteen living in NJ
but i wished i lived in NJ
id come over and help Missy
i feel so sorry for everyone
maybe you can get a topical treatment for humans you can put in the bath because it sounds like you deserve 40 min to soak in the bath and relax
its hard work getting medicine into a cat who suddenly desides mommy and daddy want to poison then
my other half just refused to medicate dear Tinky because they had a Rocky enough relationship as it was
you both love your cat family so much and they love you
love will get you through

Thank you Daisy. Exactly. The cats think we are trying to kill them and don't understand and I think it will only get harder with each med application as they are smart and almost outwitted us today with the meds. They got away more than once times 3 and we did get cut. With each application it is going to be more challenging. I wish we could just live with ringworm. I am so itchy.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

honestly im woundering if American ring worm is different to NZ ringworm - ive never heard of it being so bad
but then again my mother used to tell a really sad story about their family cat from the 40s who had to be put to sleep because of ring worm
thank goodness my friend's husband doesn't know how bad it can get because he's such a hypochondriac he would have got it this bad all on his own
i don't usually but a lot of faith in naturopaths but id be trying everything right now

 

[elizat]

So, you if you need to contain animals, you can use these. You can wash these too and clean them well. It won't contain the spores, but it will let you put everyone separate and not on the same furniture, linens, etc. And limit access to what they can reach to minimize your cleaning.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Thank you Daisy. Exactly. The cats think we are trying to kill them and don't understand and I think it will only get harder with each med application as they are smart and almost outwitted us today with the meds. They got away more than once times 3 and we did get cut. With each application it is going to be more challenging. I wish we could just live with ringworm. I am so itchy.

https://www.healthline.com/health/home-remedies-for-ringworm#soap-and-water
i found an internet article to releave the itch on humans till you can get to the chemist
you might have some of these things in your pantry

 

[elizat]

I guess I'm very surprised that the shelter/rescue group didn't know they had ring worm? If you adopted through a rescue group, I'd honestly ask for help on vet bills or to have approval to use their vet at discounted rates.

Are they willing to take your boy and get him over this, and then you take him back? It sounds like he has it the worst. Maybe then your older cats can heal in the interim until baby is clear?

 

[missy]

So, you if you need to contain animals, you can use these. You can wash these too and clean them well. It won't contain the spores, but it will let you put everyone separate and not on the same furniture, linens, etc. And limit access to what they can reach to minimize your cleaning.

I have this for Oliver right now. Got it when we adopted him and we had to separate him due to his corneal herpes ulcer. Thanks Eliza. I don't think the other 3 would do OK in the playpen though. Too small for them. It works for Oliver somewhat because he is little but even too small for him that is why we got the extra panels from Amazon that I linked above. Thank you so much for your input. Really appreciate it.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

can the medicine come in a paste
i always ask for paste so i can smear it around their lips then its just licked off
im sorry your getting scratched
who would be a vet ????
our Borris is a tiny little girl but i know she is as strong as an ox and as quick as lightning when she doesn't want to do something

 

[elizat]

I just want to get everyone well. But that seems to much to ask for these days. Greg says we will be OK but I am not feeling it. I won't give up as much as I really just want to give up. That isn't an option. I slept 2 hours last night. Between being itchy where the spots are and thinking about all of the cats being infected and the daily routine we must do and missing Francesca well let's just say it is more than I think I can handle but what choice do I have?




Thanks Eliza. We bought something on Amazon earlier in the week but Greg has not had time to put it together. Here's what we got.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XTG94TH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought 2 so we can stack them high so Oliver doesn't jump out but we don't have enough for all the kitties. I guess we will see if it seems to work and if so we can get more but the other 3 won't tolerate being isolated and the stress alone could really hurt their health. I am as I wrote before at my wits end. Truly.

I have those dividers. I use them for kitten pens for little guys. They work well.

I'm sorry you are going through all of it. It's really hard when it's a bad case and you have multiple animals. I think that you are doing all you can.

 

[ecf8503]

Oh Missy, I'm so sorry! This must be a particularly virulent form. You're doing everything right! We all know how much you love them, and you are going above and beyond. Keep your chin up - this too shall pass!

 

[ecf8503]

who would be a vet ????

LOL - Uh... me! >^..^<

 

[missy]

I guess I'm very surprised that the shelter/rescue group didn't know they had ring worm? If you adopted through a rescue group, I'd honestly ask for help on vet bills or to have approval to use their vet at discounted rates.

Are they willing to take your boy and get him over this, and then you take him back? It sounds like he has it the worst. Maybe then your older cats can heal in the interim until baby is clear?

Yeah Elaine (the rescue group head) said she was sorry but due to the 28 day incubation period she had no clue and the other 3 littermates just came down with it. I contacted her Monday and she said she would find out and then she texted me yesterday when we were at the vet's office saying they all have it. She is sorry. LOL yeah I know it is not her fault per se but I am pretty aggravated we infected everyone in the house. My other 3 cats are very high strung and this is not helping. All my fault. We are already in love with Oliver and cannot just give him back. It wouldn't be fair to Oliver. Who would care for him? Who would adopt him? The ringworm treatment is hard and I don't trust Elaine to do it right. I am so sad and stressed and there is no good solution. Even if I wanted to give Oliver back Greg wouldn't let me lol. But again just thinking about the welfare of Oliver. Plus since our cats are already infected I don't think that would make much of a difference but I hear you. Less cats to treat and less environmental spores etc. Sigh.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

LOL - Uh... me! >^..^<

well if your a cat loving vet id definatly be coming to see you

 

[missy]

Oh Missy, I'm so sorry! This must be a particularly virulent form. You're doing everything right! We all know how much you love them, and you are going above and beyond. Keep your chin up - this too shall pass!

Will it? I am scared it won't. Poor Greg has a huge ringworm spot on his torso. Huge and I have 3 on my neck and this is only the beginning. And the adult cats are wild when trying to give them meds. @ecf8503 I am so scared right now. Thank you for your comfort and support and help. I so appreciate it.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Yeah Elaine (the rescue group head) said she was sorry but due to the 28 day incubation period she had no clue and the other 3 littermates just came down with it. I contacted her Monday and she said she would find out and then she texted me yesterday when we were at the vet's office saying they all have it. She is sorry. LOL yeah I know it is not her fault per se but I am pretty aggravated we infected everyone in the house. My other 3 cats are very high strung and this is not helping. All my fault. We are already in love with Oliver and cannot just give him back. It wouldn't be fair to Oliver. Who would care for him? Who would adopt him? The ringworm treatment is hard and I don't trust Elaine to do it right. I am so sad and stressed and there is no good solution. Even if I wanted to give Oliver back Greg wouldn't let me lol. But again just thinking about the welfare of Oliver. Plus since our cats are already infected I don't think that would make much of a difference but I hear you. Less cats to treat and less environmental spores etc. Sigh.

you serously need a friend to come over with amoung other things a bottle of wine
a cat loving friend who could shower at your place and change before going home to her pets
someone else to do some of the medicating so you and the cats can have a break from you having to be 'bad cop'

 

[Slickk]

Oh my @missy No words of wisdom I can share about ringworm and it’s treatment. Just wanted to send you hugs and encouragement. You all can and will get through this. I am so sorry you are dealing with such a contagious malady.
It is discouraging to hear that Ollie’s litter mates have it as well. Too bad they couldn’t catch it and treat before you brought him home to your other loves.
Sending strength and healthy vibes to your whole household.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Will it? I am scared it won't. Poor Greg has a huge ringworm spot on his torso. Huge and I have 3 on my neck and this is only the beginning. And the adult cats are wild when trying to give them meds. @ecf8503 I am so scared right now. Thank you for your comfort and support and help. I so appreciate it.

i.wounder how long its this contagious for ?
it'll get eaiser
you'll get it under control

 

[elizat]

@missy I understand. I understand not trusting her either. I view it as the rescue group issue personally. We have cats or kittens that get sick but we will foster until they can go back home to adopter that took them originally. They should be offering to get him through it and then you take him after.

I'm sorry, but I call bs on the explanation. How long was he in foster care? Most kitties aren't a quick cycle. And he has the issues with his eye. It's not like they probably got him and he's gone a week later. Big sigh-They should not have adopted him out until he was completely medically cleared including his eye. I don't understand why they did they. The care for his eye and the meds should not fall in you. I know you love him and are happy to do it, but why would they adopt out a kitten that is not fully ready? It ticks me off that they did that.

 

[missy]

i.wounder how long its this contagious for ?
it'll get eaiser
you'll get it under control

Contagious for as long as they and we have it. Can be many many months. Treatments often take a very long time. We have an older immunocompromised cat Fred (almost 16 and on long term steroids so age and steroids make him immunocompromised) and a cat who is 12 who is almost feral at times especially when it come to meds and a cat who is 10 who almost outweighs me (lol JK but he is heavy). And that cat Bobby needs the biggest dose which is more than one syringe and he keeps spitting it back out even when I give him it in small amounts. Oy Vey. We are applying topical Miconazole to the ringworm spots we see and doing the oral Itrafugol on all the cats. Doing the best we can one day, one hour, one moment at a time and trying not to look too far ahead right now. Keeping my emotions in check and trying not to feel overwhelmed as much as I was the past few days. It doesn't make anything better so what is the point. Concentrating on what is happening right now moment by moment.


One of the more punishing aspects to this (and there are so many lol) is the daily cleaning and disinfecting. Takes us together at least 2.5 hours a day to vacuum and mop and disinfect the floors. We are doing laundry almost constantly during waking hours. Everything on the sanitary cycle which takes 2 hours per wash. Thank goodness we have 2 washing machines and 2 dryers. Please don't let them break now.

We are washing everything every day. We are keeping Oliver in his playpen (in our bedroom) most of the day but letting him out for a few hours every morning so he can run and jump and play in the bedroom and on our bed and hang with us. We then wash and disinfect the bedroom in the afternoon. Doing the best we can. It's all we can do. He is at a critical stage in personality development so we have to nurture that as best we can despite the ringworm contamination to us. This is my first experience with it and it's challenging on many levels. One of them being the isolation of the cats. I have to weigh that with their emotional well being.

 

[missy]

@missy I understand. I understand not trusting her either. I view it as the rescue group issue personally. We have cats or kittens that get sick but we will foster until they can go back home to adopter that took them originally. They should be offering to get him through it and then you take him after.

I'm sorry, but I call bs on the explanation. How long was he in foster care? Most kitties aren't a quick cycle. And he has the issues with his eye. It's not like they probably got him and he's gone a week later. Big sigh-They should not have adopted him out until he was completely medically cleared including his eye. I don't understand why they did they. The care for his eye and the meds should not fall in you. I know you love him and are happy to do it, but why would they adopt out a kitten that is not fully ready? It ticks me off that they did that.

Hi Eliza, thanks. I know you get it if anyone does. It is sort of a nightmare and even the vet said to me "you have a nightmare of sorts on your hands here" and she also said "no good deed goes unpunished" and yes I have been thinking that too. However it isn't constructive for me to think that and we did save Oliver's eye and so I do not regret that. The rescue person Elaine is nice but all 18 of her cats now have ringworm. She called me yesterday apologizing again and I feel for her. However she is immune to ringworm so at least she can treat the cats and not get it. Unlike Greg and I who now both have it. She said there was no way of knowing because of the 28 day incubation period. She had Oliver for I think 3 weeks and when his eye just kept getting worse Greg and I volunteered to take over his care. I did not want him to lose his eye and he wasn't going to see the vet ophthalmologist as she was too far away and it is expensive. I am not blaming anyone because E is saving lots of cats and doing lots of good. No one is perfect. Yes this is a horrendous situation but I cannot look backwards as it won't help what is happening right now.

I appreciate your anger on our behalf. I went through that emotion and yes I wish this had gone down differently. My poor cats are all infected and miserable and this will be for a long time. It breaks my heart. And all so soon after losing our baby girl Francesca. My heart is broken from her loss and we both miss her so much. She was our heart kitty but truth be told they all are. I am in pain seeing them all suffer now. Crying and fighting against the meds. I am crying myself having to put them through this awful routine.We have to grab each one hold them down with a towel and administer the liquid oral antifungal. They each get a different dose and poor Bobby's dose is so big (he's a big kitty) he needs more than one syringe and he spits it back out. We have to do better for Bobby. This routine sucks for all of us but I feel most badly for the cats as they do not understand why we are torturing them.

Having said that I take strength knowing others have been through it and succeeded getting their cats and themselves well. Thank you all for sharing your experiences with me. I truly appreciate it.

 

[missy]

Oliver this morning. Little rascal running like a wild child (he is a kitten after all and pent up in his playpen most of the day and all night) around the bed and bedroom. He is so adorable and has a decent cattitude despite all he is going through since he was just a little baby. He is growing fast. The little munchkin nut bar that he is. Haha.







Please excuse the wrinkles. Apparently washing and drying on super high heat really wrinkles the cra* out of everything.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Contagious for as long as they and we have it. Can be many many months. Treatments often take a very long time. We have an older immunocompromised cat Fred (almost 16 and on long term steroids so age and steroids make him immunocompromised) and a cat who is 12 who is almost feral at times especially when it come to meds and a cat who is 10 who almost outweighs me (lol JK but he is heavy). And that cat Bobby needs the biggest dose which is more than one syringe and he keeps spitting it back out even when I give him it in small amounts. Oy Vey. We are applying topical Miconazole to the ringworm spots we see and doing the oral Itrafugol on all the cats. Doing the best we can one day, one hour, one moment at a time and trying not to look too far ahead right now. Keeping my emotions in check and trying not to feel overwhelmed as much as I was the past few days. It doesn't make anything better so what is the point. Concentrating on what is happening right now moment by moment.


One of the more punishing aspects to this (and there are so many lol) is the daily cleaning and disinfecting. Takes us together at least 2.5 hours a day to vacuum and mop and disinfect the floors. We are doing laundry almost constantly during waking hours. Everything on the sanitary cycle which takes 2 hours per wash. Thank goodness we have 2 washing machines and 2 dryers. Please don't let them break now.

We are washing everything every day. We are keeping Oliver in his playpen (in our bedroom) most of the day but letting him out for a few hours every morning so he can run and jump and play in the bedroom and on our bed and hang with us. We then wash and disinfect the bedroom in the afternoon. Doing the best we can. It's all we can do. He is at a critical stage in personality development so we have to nurture that as best we can despite the ringworm contamination to us. This is my first experience with it and it's challenging on many levels. One of them being the isolation of the cats. I have to weigh that with their emotional well being.

Missy i was just thinking of you and woundering how you were doing
you two are the best cat mum and dad ever

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Oliver this morning. Little rascal running like a wild child (he is a kitten after all and pent up in his playpen most of the day and all night) around the bed and bedroom. He is so adorable and has a decent cattitude despite all he is going through since he was just a little baby. He is growing fast. The little munchkin nut bar that he is. Haha.







Please excuse the wrinkles. Apparently washing and drying on super high heat really wrinkles the cra* out of everything.

he's so adorable
its so hard right now but they are so worth the effort
your a cat saint
you know i bet they adore all that fresh laundry ....

 

[beigenarwhal]

Would it be an option (depending on where the spots are) to have the cats wear coveralls so their shedding is contained to cut down on the cleaning? I'm trying to think outside the box here because I really applaud you in your dedication to disinfecting so thoroughly and so often! I know of two brands that might work:


Shed Defender is a spandex outfit hat is specifically designed to prevent shedding and covers practically everything.


Suitical is cotton (and some Lycra) and covers just the torso. The fabric weave isn't as thick as the Shed Defender though so some hair might come through.

Both options are sold at Chewy.com which has a great return policy if they don't work out! Maybe @ecf8503 could chime in if these would actually do anything on containing the spores. In any case, animals in coveralls are funny to look at!

 

[missy]

Would it be an option (depending on where the spots are) to have the cats wear coveralls so their shedding is contained to cut down on the cleaning? I'm trying to think outside the box here because I really applaud you in your dedication to disinfecting so thoroughly and so often! I know of two brands that might work:


Shed Defender is a spandex outfit hat is specifically designed to prevent shedding and covers practically everything.


Suitical is cotton (and some Lycra) and covers just the torso. The fabric weave isn't as thick as the Shed Defender though so some hair might come through.

Both options are sold at Chewy.com which has a great return policy if they don't work out! Maybe @ecf8503 could chime in if these would actually do anything on containing the spores. In any case, animals in coveralls are funny to look at!

Aww so adorable. But sadly nope not an option for our kitties. They are sort of like title wild lions. They won't tolerate wearing that and it doesn't seem practical tbh but I so appreciate your brainstorming for me. Thank you.

he's so adorable
its so hard right now but they are so worth the effort
your a cat saint
you know i bet they adore all that fresh laundry ....

Thank you sweet Daisy. Yes we all adore fresh laundry. But this high heat business is OTT but it has to be. I am hoping our washing machines can deal with the volume of hot washes we are doing every single day.

We have a possible added complication that would explain why Greg got ringworm. We expected I would get it as I get everything since my immune system sucks. Well Greg just might have shingles. I do not know what consequences that might have for this ringworm business but I know he can get a very bad infection from the ringworm if he does have shingles. Just when you think OK we have somewhat of a handle on things...You cannot make this stuff up.

 

[bludiva]

Sending healing wishes and hugs for your whole household, Missy.