My kitten has ringworm. Could my older cat be a carrier? How to tell?

Question

We have had our cat for 6 yrs. She an indoor only cat. She has never been sick in any way. We just got our new kitten from the shelter June 13. On June 28th we noticed a bald spot above the kittens eye. The vet told us it was ringworm. We have been treating him topically and it has spread. He is isolated from our older cat. My concern is if the kitten got ringworm from the shelter or our home. Could my cat be a carrier? How do I find out? And if she is, does that mean we can't have the kitten? Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Female | spayed | 6 years and 7 months old | 8 lbs

Sara Farmer, DVM · Accepted Answer

I would guess that it's a little more likely that the kitten acquired ringworm at the shelter. Some cats can be asymptomatic carriers, and can be diagnosed by getting a sample for fungal culture using a brush technique - you can make an appointment with your veterinarian. If your cat tests positive she should be treated, and some veterinarians choose to treat all cats in the home regardless of testing because of the difficulty in controlling ringworm in the environment.

My kitten has ringworm. Could my older cat be a carrier? How to tell?

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