Can kittens get ringworm from their mother's milk or direct contact?

Question

4 week old kittens came down with ringworm at 2 weeks. Could they have gotten it from their mothers milk?

David Darvishian · Accepted Answer

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about your kittens. The answer to your question is no but the mother is probably the source of the ringworm. Adult cats can carry ringworm (fungus) and not show any clinical signs. The fungal organisms are on the hair and skin so direct contact and even contact with shed hairs can be a source of infection to the kittens. I would advise you getting the kittens to your veterinarian. They can get a history and do a physical exam and then they can advise a diagnostic plan. A Woods lamp exam, fungal culture or other skin tests may be needed to diagnose this. Once a presumed diagnosis is made, treatment can be started while awaiting test results if needed. Your vet may advise topical treatment of the lesions and/or oral anti fungal meds to treat this condition. The worst part of this is that ringworm is very contagious to all pets in the household and all family members (Zoonotic Disease) so it's very important to get a proper diagnosis and treatment. Good luck.

Can kittens get ringworm from their mother's milk or direct contact?

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