Is Black Spot on Cat's Ear Fur Feline Ringworm? How to

It's not always ringworm that's to blame when black spots appear on a cat's ears. In reality, this condition can stem from a variety of factors, and a proper diagnosis can only be made after a thorough examination. Nonetheless, due to the high prevalence of ringworm and its potential to cause follicle damage and melanin deposition, it's advisable to prioritize the possibility of ringworm as a cause.

What Are the Black Spots on a Cat's Ears?

Black spots on the skin surface are typically a sign of hyperpigmentation, often a "side effect" of severe follicle damage caused by a skin condition.

Any skin condition can lead to follicle damage in cats, including but not limited to ringworm, trauma, folliculitis, mite infections, and allergic dermatitis.

Additionally, if the spots are raised, it may indicate melanoma. Benign tumors usually do not require treatment, but malignant ones can spread rapidly and should be treated promptly.

How to Diagnose?

If you suspect that the black spots on your cat's ears are due to ringworm, you can use a Wood's lamp for an initial check.

The Wood's lamp emits a narrow spectrum of ultraviolet light at a specific wavelength (about 320400 nanometers). Most cases of ringworm are caused by Microsporum canis, a fungus that produces fluorecein compounds on the skin surface. These compounds will glow under the narrow spectrum of ultraviolet light.

Therefore, if the spots on your cat's ears show a green fluorescence when illuminated by the Wood's lamp, it's likely that ringworm is the culprit.

However, it's important to note that not all fungal infections produce fluorescence, and other substances can also glow under ultraviolet light, so fluorescence does not always confirm a diagnosis.

For a more accurate result, it's recommended to visit a veterinary clinic for a skin scraping examination.

Treatment and Prevention

If the black spots on your cat's ears are due to ringworm, consider the following steps for treatment:

Trim the hair around the spots and the surrounding area to expose the affected skin completely;

Fit your cat with an Elizabethan collar to prevent it from scratching the affected ears;

Disinfect the area with iodine and then apply a medicated ointment such as Daktarin (a ketoconazole cream) twice to three times a day;

Maintain a dry, clean, and wellventilated environment, and regularly disinfect the surroundings to prevent recurrent ringworm infections.

If the black spots are caused by other issues, treatment should be tailored to the specific condition. During treatment, you can supplement your cat's diet with B vitamins, lecithin, and fish oil to aid in skin repair.

Generally, mild hyperpigmentation can return to normal in one to two months, but more severe cases may take up to a year or more to revert to a normal skin color, and may not fully recover.

However, as long as new fur grows back in the affected area, the cat's appearance will not be significantly affected, so pet owners need not worry excessively.