cause of fungus

Question
Hello Dr. Gotthelf,

I noticed a cat in my neighborhood that barely had any hair. I discovered it was tame, so I took it to my vet to be treated. My vet said the hair loss was due to a combination of matted fur and a fungus. I neglected to ask - what had caused the fungus?

Thanks,
Laura

Answer
Skin fungi (dermatophytes) in cats can come from one of 2 sources.  MAny of these pathogenic fungi live in the soil.  Some of these fungi are passed directly from animal to animal.  This is most likely the ringworm fungus (Microsporum canis) and it can be passed on to you. So wash your hands well after handling the cat and try and handle this cat as little as possible.