Bath Time for Bonzos

And so it begins... Bathing unhappy kittens in the ringworm eradication effort. Doesn't Bear look absolutely thrilled??

Honestly? I just happened to get lucky snapping a photo of one of the few complaints. This litter is honestly the easiest that I've even dealt with (in or out of the bathtub). This is the driest and more injury-free that I've ever been after a kitten bathing session.

"Perhaps you should not count your chickens for next time, Lady.

Levi is ON TO YOU!!!!!"

The kittens quickly discovered that my bathroom linen closet has no latch. They huddled together on the floor out of sight in between turns. While Grizzly is uncooperative for the picture above, he was absolutely the easiest kitten by far. He sat still in the water and patiently waited for me to be done with him.

"What has Misty ever done to YOU???"

We had an extra member of the bathing party. There are two kittens with spots to be concerned about... Levi's is definite; Ruby's is a "maybe". I'm treating her as if she has it... baths, medication, the whole kit-and-caboodle. I am not quarantining her yet though. If she does have it, the others have already been exposed. I'm going to try anti-fungals, lots of laundry, and extra vigilance first. We'll see what happens next.

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The Ringworm Protocol

Thank you all for your messages of support... here on the blog, on the Facebook page, the private e-mails. Our little community is fueled by big hearts. Just knowing you're in my corner means a lot when I'm facing down the dreaded fungus among us.

As many of you mentioned, I'm no ringworm rookie. I think I'm far more relaxed this time around. Mostly because I know the drill and have conquered this beast twice before (many kittens over). It's a mild infection and the temperament of these particular kittens makes the process easier.

For the uninitiated, ringworm is a fungal infection. It affects animals in the same way it affects humans. The fungal spores infect the skin and produce a round lesion where the fur falls out. The fungus is highly contagious and can be passed not only between animals but also from animal to human. The cat version of ringworm infection is milder and easier to treat in humans... trust me, I've had it ;-)

Getting rid of ringworm can be tiring and time consuming, but easily enough accomplished for the average person. It's a seven step attack...

1. Kitten baths with a Dermazole shampoo 2-3 times per week to remove the fungal spores from their fur.

2. Miconazole drops applied to the affected areas twice a day.

3. Washing all bedding, blankets, and assorted soft items regularly in hot water and bleach to kill the spores. During ringworm infestations, I wash the blankets whenever I wash the kittens.

4. Wiping down hard surfaces with a bleach and water mixture.

5. Daily vacuuming to remove the excess fur, hair, and fungal spores from their environment.

6. Mopping the floors regularly. I use a steam mop, which should kill the spores with heat. If you use a regular mop, you will probably want to use a splash of bleach if your floors can handle it.

7. Steam cleaning the carpets to remove and kills fungal spores. I own a home model, so I use it during and after the period of infections. If you don't, you may want to rent a cleaner after the infection has cleared in order to remove the leftover spores from the cat's environment.

I completed six of the seven steps yesterday. Today I get to clean the carpets, followed by a round of kitten snuggling. I'm amazed they still like me.