Oh such a lovely topic! :) It brings back such memories..... To Anna whose cat has ringworm: Ringworm is very contagious and Bill is correct in saying you can get it too. Believe me, it's something you don't want to get. I used to work at a daycare and I caught ringworm from the children there twice. Not real pleasant. The burning itch is bad enough to make you want to do just about anything to make it stop. On humans, ringworm is a patch of skin that is red, very itchy, and lumps up off the skin. It's often roundish in shape. I believe it's pretty much the same on animals except I believe that there is some hair loss. (Humans also if they get it on their scalp.) Ringworm tends to get better from the center outwards. It looks like a ring after awhile - hence its name. Check medical references for more info on symptoms/treatment. If you get it, you'll know it. The same goes for your other little critters. Since it is so contagious, I would make sure to wash up really well after contact with your new little cat. Athlete's foot, which is a kissing cousin to ringworm, can be spread by things outside of the host like locker room floors.There for, I would be cautious of things like clothing that your infected cat has touched or letting the animals in the same rooms (even if at different times). I'm no medical expert here so maybe the experts have something different to say. I would tend to err on the side of caution especially since 1 animal to treat is easier than 4. As for treatment, for humans there are a number of over the counter treatments for athlete's foot which work against ringworm also. For your little critters, I imagine your vet would have to give you something since both cats and ferrets are both fanatical coat groomers and you wouldn't want them ingesting anything that wouldn't be good for them. I don't know if I helped at all. Good luck! :) -kim Kimberly Burkard | _ Everything I needed to know in life Xerox, Rochester, NY | _____C .._. I learned from my ferret: [log in to unmask] | ____/ \___/ Dance for joy often. Play often. [log in to unmask] <____/\_---\_\ Be determined in your ventures. [Posted in FML issue 1113]