10 Best Antifungal Shampoos for Cats in 2023 – Reviews & Top Picks

Bathing your cat may not be your favorite pastime (or theirs), but sometimes they are essential for their health. Fungal infections of your cat’s skin will be best tackled with a shampoo treatment that can battle fungal spores and leave no residue product.

Suppose you suspect a fungal infection on your cat. In that case, you should contact your vet for specific advice and recommendations for shampoo. But if you are looking to treat mild symptoms and prevent harsher infections, you can treat them at home with an over-the-counter shampoo.

You’ll want only the best for your sensitive kitty, so here’s a detailed report of some of the top picks of the market, all extensively reviewed.

A Quick Look at Our 2023 Favorites

The 10 Best Antifungal Shampoos for Cats

1. Vetoquinol Universal Medicated Shampoo – Best Overall

This medicated shampoo from Vetoquinol is our pick for the best overall antifungal shampoo. This affordable product has many positive reviews from delighted pet owners, and there was barely a negative review in sight.

This product is highly effective in treating external fungus infections. Additionally, it is deep cleansing, so it helps to remove scales and flakes of affected skin. We liked that it did not interfere with other topical treatments, such as flea and tick treatments.

The ingredient list does include added fragrances, which may irritate extra sensitive skin. It also has a thick consistency, but some owners used water to dilute the solution for easier application. Overall, most owners saw a significant difference in 1–2 washes.

2. Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiseptic & Antifungal Shampoo – Best Value

This product from Veterinary Formula blends effectiveness and affordability to be the best antifungal shampoo for cats for the money. With a low cost and hundreds of positive reviews, it’s a great value choice.

In addition to fungal fighting chemicals, it contains nourishing coconut oil and soothing aloe vera to care for the skin during treatment. The recipe is free from moisture stripping parabens, so skin retains moisture while actively fighting fungal infections.

However, this shampoo is just for fungal treatment, not general cleaning. It doesn’t have deep cleansing properties, so a pre-wash is required if you want a deep wash.

3. MiconaHex+Triz Shampoo – Premium Choice

This shampoo from Dechra offers multifunctional approaches. Not only is it antifungal, but it is also antibacterial and moisturizing. The antibacterial qualities tackle harmful bacteria that can worsen fungal infections of the skin, while moisturizing properties reduce irritation.

For extra skin-soothing, the formula contains some natural essential oils. Fungal infections and their treatments can cause dry and sore skin, so these soothing effects can increase your cat’s comfort while they kick their infection.

Of course, these extra features will result in a higher price than other shampoos. Ultimately, you can save money as you won’t need additional products for fighting bacteria or restoring moisture to the skin.

4. Vetnique Labs Dermabliss Medicated Shampoo Anti-Bacterial & Anti-Fungal

This medicated shampoo from Vetnique Labs is backed up by hordes of positive reviews. Within those are people who swear by this product to ease the skin alignments of rescued cats and dogs.

It features two active ingredients: ketoconazole for antifungal and chlorhexidine for antibacterial. Its powerful formula tackles the fungal issues at the source to reduce itching and discomfort. As an added bonus, it’s deodorizing!

However, this product is for medication purposes, not nourishment. Usage can dry out the skin and the coat of natural oils, so a moisturizing treatment is recommended after use.

5. Ark Naturals Neem Protect Dog & Cat Shampoo

For a more natural approach to mild skin irritations, this shampoo from Ark Naturals uses the power of Neem oil. Neem is a natural antifungal, so it can contribute to treating budding fungal infections.

However, it’s not a powerful enough recipe to battle a severe infection and prescribed veterinary treatment should be utilized. However, this shampoo can fight off fungi organisms on the skin for the early stages of infection. It can also be used regularly as a preventative measure for cats prone to infection.

The natural formula is free from sulfates and parabens, so it won’t strip the skin of oils, causing increased irritation. Ark also claims this product to be eco-friendly.

6. Pawstruck Keto-C Dog, Cat & Horse Shampoo

Pawstruck’s Keto-C pet shampoo works in a two-prong method. It contains potent antifungals to target irritation at the source, and it also has soothing moisturizers to nourish the skin.

The formula is free from soap ingredients like sulfates and parabens that dry out the skin, which may increase the itchiness of an already irritating fungal infection.

The shampoo comes with the vet’s stamp of approval and is cheaper and easier to source than vet-prescribed shampoos. The shampoo itself has a lovely cucumber melon scent, which is artificial. While it may smell good, the smell may bother your cat, who is very particular about how it smells!

7. Pet MD Antiseptic & Antifungal Medicated Dog, Cat & Horse Shampoo

Pet MD has made a medicated shampoo that ticks a lot of boxes. It’s effective as an antibacterial and antifungal while limiting skin dryness and itching. It’s a helpful treatment for suffering cats and an effective preventative measure.

Most reviewers rated this product highly, but one warning was emphasized. The shampoo is red/orange colored, and if not adequately rinsed from the fur, it can cause staining on light-colored pets. If your cat has a lush white coat, maybe this product is not for you.

8. Davis Miconazole Dog & Cat Shampoo

For targeted treatment of fungal skin infections, this shampoo brings together active chemicals and natural remedies. The two main active ingredients are Miconazole, a strong antifungal, and ground oatmeal, which has anti-inflammatory effects.

The absence of dyes and fragrances makes the formula gentle on irritated skin. Additionally, aloe vera and fatty acids nourish the skin. It also contains emollients—medical-grade moisturizers—to protect the skin from moisture loss.

It’s not a good shampoo for coat cleaning, and the lather is poor, meaning lots of the product is needed for total coverage.

9. Douxo S3 PYO Antiseptic Antifungal Chlorhexidine Dog & Cat Shampoo

For an effective general shampoo with a bonus antifungal effect, this shampoo from Douxo is a good choice for many. It effectively cleans and moisturizes the coat, so a separate cleaning shampoo is not required in addition to a fungal wash.

Ophytrium works to restore natural microbe balance on the skin, promoting self-healing of fungal infections.

While this product is fragrances, the active scent is hypoallergenic. Many reviewers don’t like the recent formula change from Douxo, as it is now ineffective for their pets who used the previous shampoo for a long time.

10. Strawfield Pets Chlorhexidine Medicated Dog, Cat & Horse Shampoo

This medicated shampoo from Strawfield Pets has just one active ingredient: chlorhexidine. However, it is present in a large amount, potentially offering a better result for severe fungal infections.

The formula is “sting-free,” so treatment can be more comfortable despite the strength. It is already troubling enough bathing a cat, let alone when the shampoo is causing discomfort on their irritations.

The thickness of the recipe is difficult for owners to work with, especially as it is hard to pump out, reducing the convenience of a hand pump bottle. However, it’s a good general shampoo and may work well for your dog.

Buyer’s Guide – How to Find the Right Antifungal Shampoo

Skin Fungal Infections in Cats

Fungal infections in cats are the presence of parasite fungi spores on the skin. They inhabit the host for survival and cause pain and discomfort. The most common infections are external and are present on the skin, and these can be treated with medicated shampoos.

Other infections can be systematic or internal, where they can cause some more serious damage.

Your vet can diagnose a fungal skin infection by visual observations coupled with skin scrape testing. From there, they will usually offer a topical treatment. For cats, this can be risky as they will lick away anything applied to the skin.

This is where medicated shampoos can have their use. Washing with antifungal shampoo can battle fungal spores without remaining on the fur as a risk of ingestion.

What to Look for In Antifungal Shampoos

Active Chemicals

Natural remedies may help keep your cat’s skin healthy and aid in prevention. But for established fungal infections, more serious measures should be taken to avoid worsening the condition.

Active antifungal chemicals can target infections by destroying fungus and inhibiting the growth of spores.

Not all active ingredients will work on every type of fungus. Once your vet identifies the culprit, they can tell you which ingredient will work best to destroy it.

Helpful Additives

Alongside a powerful active ingredient, shampoos with additional antifungal ingredients can boost the shampoo’s efficiency. Substances such as oatmeal have antifungal properties of their own, while others can act as skin soothers and moisturizers.

Look for some of the following ingredients:

No Unnecessary Ingredients

For medicated shampoos, you don’t want a product with many other ingredients that traditional shampoos have. Many shampoo ingredients clean hair by stripping natural oils, and this drying effect can increase the irritation of affected skin.

Avoid ingredients such as parabens and sulfates. Added fragrances can be harmful to sensitive skin. You know your dog better than anyone; if they are super sensitive, choose a fragrance-free shampoo.

Conclusion

Getting a fungal infection certainly is not pleasant for either your cat or yourself. Choosing the right product to deal with it will make all the difference in your cat’s comfort and quality of life.

Our favorite product was Vetoquinol Universal Medicated Shampoo. It acts quickly to offer instant relief for your cat. Reviews hardly had a negative thing to say about this product. It provided great results to many pets and their owners.

For great value, we liked Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiseptic and Antifungal Shampoo. For such an affordable price, this product really packs a punch—an excellent choice for treating fungal infections.

Featured Image Credit: Madhourse, Shutterstock