Posts Tagged ‘cat health’

Feline acne is a typically mild skin condition that some cats develop. Acne in cats is not much different than acne in humans. Feline acne affects the faces of cats and is most common on the cat’s chin.

Acne in cats often looks like blackheads on the cat’s lips and chin. The blackheads may not be clearly visible in which cases the acne may make the chin look dirty. The acne may cause abscesses which open and crust over.

Though most cases of feline acne are minor, more severe cases can lead to skin irritation, hair loss, swelling, open sores, and infection. If the cat is scratching the area of the acne, the risk of hair loss, sores, and infection increases.

Common causes of acne in cats include poor grooming, stress, allergic reactions, and dirt or food caught in skin folds of the cat’s face. Cat acne can be due to overactive oil glands in the cat’s skin.

Skin conditions such as a yeast infection of the chin, bacterial infections, ringworm, and mange can resemble acne in cats. Light-haired cats often develop changes in skin pigmentation which may look like black dots on the chin. These dots can resemble cat acne.

The skin condition should be examined and properly diagnosed by a veterinarian. A skin scraping, skin biopsy, or other tests may be done to determine the appropriate diagnosis.

The veterinarian may prescribe a special shampoo, mild soap, or wet compresses with an Epsom salt solution. A topical ointment, fatty acid supplements, or antibiotics may be prescribed. Corticosteroid injections are sometimes used for the treatment of this condition.

The cat owner may be able to help prevent feline acne. The cat owner may need to pay more attention to keeping the cat’s face clean. If the cat is getting feline acne on its chin, the cat owner might help this condition by cleaning the cat’s chin after the cat eats.

Plastic food bowls can sometimes be responsible for triggering feline acne due to allergies. Switching to ceramic, glass, or stainless steel water and food bowls may prevent these breakouts.

The cat owner should not squeeze the blackheads since this can create sores that are prone to infection. The skin condition should be checked by the veterinarian again if the condition does not clear up with the recommended treatment. A different treatment may be prescribed.