Because he’s coming around a lot and all over me for affection, rubbing against me and swishing his tail all over my arms and face. Which means even despite wearing gloves and still wearing long clothing I have to constantly be showering and changing clothes and doing laundry on hot to decontaminate ringworm spores. And risking bringing it into my house if it isn’t already.

I tried getting a UV torch but it didn’t get delivered and I’ve since learned I need an actual Woods lamp which I can’t afford. Real ones are pricey and I haemorrhaged so much money just trying to keep Melbcat alive. I spent so much on her hospital stays and her cremation and a keepsake print of her paw.

The mosquito zapper I have was UV-A black light, possibly also near the 395nm range, and did cause some things to fluoresce but not the lesion. So it won’t help me with any information about whether he is affected or where to focus the cleaning efforts. I hunted down a replacement bulb that had the necessary filter and the connection type to fit the bug lamp but they’re either very expensive or out of stock. And not all strains of ringworm fluoresce.

I don’t want to ignore him because I do like patting him and am already attached. He’s a sweet guy and a love bug who’s already attached himself to me. Already considered trying to adopt and thinking of a name. I also don’t know if anyone else is caring for him, massive red flags there.

Catching him and taking him to the vet may not do anything because treatment has to be thorough and consistent. Just applying anti fungal ointment will be ineffective and court resistance to the chemical. I could try diluted iodine instead but that risks drying and irritation, plus I don’t see the little round bald spots anymore. And he’d just keep going back into the infective environment. I don’t know what to do there.

Edit: Also I have a nightmare neighbour who I strongly suspect harms and kills pets of people they don’t like, who is still being crazy towards me and may go after this cat if they see him here and think he’s mine. There was an attempt to poison bait Melbcat while she was alive.

I can’t safely send him to the shelter without knowing whether he has an owner who will definitely pick him up. They’re slammed. Between being an adult, a black cat and the ringworm/cat flu he would be less adoptable and possibly be euthanised if nobody gets him. My local is bad for that. I don’t use facebook anymore, even making a burner email might open me up to people wanting to come to my house to get him, and I really don’t feel able to field a lot of contact from random people.

He may even be owned by one of the a holes here which would massively complicate things. There are neighbours I completely avoid and cannot safely talk to. But even if not and I could adopt him he would have to abruptly become an inside cat which I don’t think he would accept. He’s younger and more energetic than Melbcat and her transition was slower. Plus I’d have to rigorously treat him for weeks to months and the environment with him quarantined in my bathroom which I really don’t feel capable of right now.

And even if he’s not the source of the issue I’m not ready for another cat yet. Melbcat has just died a couple of days ago and I’m struggling to even absorb it. I haven’t moved any of her things and sometimes even think for a second she’s still in the other room or hidden under the doona, automatically taking care not to disturb her or sit on her. I rushed through notifying people right after then arranging and paying for her cremation the next day because I just wanted to do what was needed before it hit me and I couldn’t deal with any of it. But this situation has created more pressure to come up with a plan for him.

Plus Melbcat hated this cat hanging around. Her last days were spent getting stressed about me frantically washing things to try and protect her, and me trying to care for both of them. And she hissed him away. It feels so disloyal to be caring for her nemesis even if it’s just the basic mercy of food, water, parasite treatment and pats.