# What Happens to Animals That Catch Ringworm- Eventually? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 2, 2009, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-animals-that-catch-ringworm-eventually/512333 "2009-10-02T12:40:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-animals-that-catch-ringworm-eventually/512333/1 "2009-10-02T12:40:52Z")
Some months ago I asked for advice re ringworm on a cat. That battle is still going on but we are winning. However, I was wondering what happens to animals that catch ringworm and are not able to be treated as they are feral or their owners can’t afford the bills? Do they lose all their hair and die or does the fungus eventually go away? (Please note I am not going to take that step with our moggies- I was just wondering). ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-animals-that-catch-ringworm-eventually/512333/2 "2009-10-02T13:00:13Z")
> [@](#): > > What Happens to Animals That Catch Ringworm- Eventually? The same thing that happens to everything else! ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-to-animals-that-catch-ringworm-eventually/512333/3 "2009-10-02T13:24:38Z")
The fungus, if untreated, grows and the animal scratches more. Eventually it dies from some other cause.