In early April, we had 4 kitties come into our shelter. They were still young and tiny, so they were put into foster care to grow big and strong. These kitties were ringworm +. Ringworm is a fungal infection that requires specialized care. As most kitties with ringworm, it took them a little while to get adopted. Eventually, they all got their happy endings in their fur-ever homes. Here is an update on one of those kitties, Prismo.
“I adopted Prismo from the Nevada Humane Society in Reno on July 3rd, 2023. We walked in to the kitten section of the building, and many kittens were available… and all sleeping in their clean little cubbies. Prismo was the only one I couldn’t see right away. He’d had his litter pan tipped and blocking most of the front view. I thought his area was actually empty…He launches from the other side of the litter box into sight, COVERED in shredded paper litter bits. Pretty much knew he was coming home at that point. WHAT A GOOB! Prismo (which is 100% an Adventure Time reference). It fits him, and I just love it. (He also goes by Little Man, Goblin Man, Menace, Pridmo, Mr. Mo…. also his “rap name” is ‘P-Mo’…) Pet owners get this struggle! Prismo was, however… on adoption… a Ringworm kitten! (I CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW COMMON AND EASY THIS IS TO MANAGE) The Humane Society provided us with his daily oral ringworm medicine, syringe, and some medicated shampoo to clear up a few patches of his itchy skin. AND waived his adoption fee (this is why donate!!). It only took 6-8 weeks of giving him a warm bath every 3 days. He was managed very quickly and allowed to meet our other pets (the ringworm never spread! Easy if you follow the steps provided by the Humane Society. During the treatment time, I had such a wonderful opportunity to bond EXPONENTIALLY with Prismo. The bathtime schedule was a place to build trust and comfort…(Plus, he had to stay in the bathroom, isolate himself from “siblings” and furniture, etc..until his skin was managed… we partied hard in there! I couldn’t stand the idea of that little lonely floof in there… so I spent a LOT of time in the bathroom just chilling out!) More than worth it. He doesn’t LOVE baths… but we’ve built a trust bond, and he allows it. Lots of sweet words, no sudden movements and an encouraging/reassuring tone… all he needs! Good future asset for grooming his fluff! Now, Prismo might have the biggest personality in the room! He’s beyond playful, smart, attentive, and a very sweet and well-behaved cat.
I can pick him up and cuddle him, kiss his face, or initiate him chasing me around the house and jumping on me… He LOVES his toys, the empty bathtub (which is very cute if you think about it!), and his “cat bridge” in our bedroom doorway. His favorite thing lately is shredding paper and cardboard into confetti. He has his own cardboard box with paper shreds he has torn up and stashed. He LOVES… jumping into laundry baskets or tote bags to be carried around. The cat carrier door opening means he gets to taxi out to the rock shop with mom. Comes RUNNING and leaps in, top speed. Thank you, Nevada Humane Society for giving me my best bud. He is phenomenally loved, is explosively himself, and does an exquisite job at both. PS- please consider adopting ringworm pets (IF YOU CAN PROVIDE PROPER CARE!)…It’s something so simple to cure once and for all! Many pets are passed up in shelters and don’t always have happy endings… because of misunderstanding or fear of taking on a fungal skin condition. The Humane Society makes this possible by saving pet lives from being left behind for a minor, which can be… a very temporary issue. In my experience with this little monster… a couple weeks to months of **patience, gently scheduled care, discipline and effort** will be a speck of energy compared to love to and from the animal you’re working for, and will earn in the end.”
We are so grateful to Prismos’s adopter for putting in the extra time and love, and we are happy she was rewarded with such an amazing kitty. We are so grateful for all of our adopters and fosters, especially those who take ringworm +.
To learn more about ringworm, visit our blog post here.