Is it dead ringworm fungus or is it still alive?
Naomi A Asked: Is it dead ringworm fungus or is it still alive?
Long story short, I took in a stray kitty who's paws were caked in roofing tar. I used Goo Gone on it to get it out, then shampooed her three times to make sure I rinsed it all out. Her stomach smelled stronger than anything else on her body hours later, so I damp sponge bathed her with baby shampoo and water. Later that evening she looked uncomfortable laying down. No position seemed comfortable and she kept adjusting, trying to lay on her side. I figured maybe she had gotten some on her genitals while I bathed her and it irritated it, or had a preexisting bladder infection. By the morning, she was okay. Fast forward 2 weeks and I notice her fur is coming out in CLUMPS, with a thin layer of dead skin attached on her stomach! The skin underneath is not irritated, discolored, nor scabbed. I cannot afford to take her to the vet since I'm moving in less than a week AND I'm 22 weeks pregnant. So, I scour the internet to try and find answers. Nothing matches her symptoms: symmetrical COMPLETE hair loss in chunks with skin attached (similar to scaling, but the hair is attached to it), ONLY on her stomach/chest/armpits, with no itching, nor skin irritation and no obvious rings… Nothing comes up that matches that, so I come to the conclusion that it may have been from the tar removal bath session I gave her a couple of weeks before.
Two days later, a round bald spot near her ear shows up.. and that one looks like ringworm. So, I rub a little tolnaftate 1% cream on it then go out to the store and pick up a black light. Upon shining the blacklight on kitty's bald spot, the spot on her head shows NO green glow, but her torso does. It is a yellow-green, but ONLY the dried skin that is coming off is glowing. Not the skin underneath.
This confuses me. LOTS of things that AREN'T ringworm glow the same color… and the symptoms on her stomach do NOT match the symptoms on her head. Plus, wouldn't the skin underneath glow green as well? And wouldn't it be irritated and itchy?
She's outside my window right now BEGGING to come in.. and I can't even call the vet until Monday (they closed early today and dont open again until Monday). I'd really like some experienced opinions! Thank you in advance!! 
Answers:
Ringworm doesn't take the skin off with the fur, it isn't that, neither does mange (skin mites), I highly suspect the goo gone did a chemical burn on her stomach (it's some strong stuff, I've used it on my hands).The areas you mention are very sensitive, and the hardest to rinse clean.Possibly a combo of the shampoo and goo gone together. If some soap was left under the fur against the skin those areas would respond the hardest.
Let her in.When our cat had ringworm he was indoor 24/7, I treated his ringworm with the tube of 2% miconazole I got from Walgreens, he didn't give any of the other 4 cats ringworm OR us.I didn't go nuts cleaning anything either.He had it, nobody else got it, it took 4 weeks to clear up.When the vet checked him nothing glowed, it took 10 days for the culture to actually show ringworm though we started treating him right away.
His ringworm was 'dry' skin a pale skin color, no ring, no irritation, no skin coming off.Just the fur pulling off in tufts around the edges when I gently tugged on them.
That poor cat has gone through such a rough time – it's clearly stressed. That's why it's fur is coming out in such large clumps. As for the ringworm, constantly wash her, since you can't afford to take her to the vets, if you keep her outside, it will only get worse, and possibly spread onto more cats.
But honestly – try calling the vets and asking for free advice through the phone – professional help is so much better than random strangers on the internet!
Call lots of vets and find out their opinions – tell them what the other vets suggested and work from there.
I still think she needs to be treated at the vets, this poor cat has been through a lot, and it's extremely unfortunate that you're in such a situation too – but there are just times where desperate times call for desperate measures. I would still wait until Monday, though. Good luck!
It could be the cleaner that caused an irritation. Go to PetSmart and see if you can get a soothing spray for the area. If they have an oatmeal spray or something similar that may help it heal. She will need to see a vet. There are many low cost vets around and cat rescue groups that may be able to help. Try to make payment arrangements. The cat has been around you all of this time so I see no reason to make her stay outside now.
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