Need Your Opinion (Long and Ventish-Like)

On Saturday I noticed that Esper had dried blood under her chin. At that point I freaked out completely and checked both her and Russell over completely. I instantly thought that they had actually been fighting for real while I was out shopping. This didn't turn out to be the case. Lack of injuries, no broken skin and they did start grooming each other while I was checking so I gave up on that idea.

So I did the only thing I could think of, bathe the area. I thought that it would be easier than bathing her entirely. In the end I gave up and bathed her entirely. She started to play with the water coming out of the tap and fell into the laundry sink. The dried blood came off quite easily without any problems. The area was swollen, red and hot to the touch. I wiped the area with some antiseptic swabs and wiping off the excess. Esper was such a good kitty and let me do all that without fussing.

I couldn't contact my vet for an appointment or anything even on their 24 hour emergency contact number. I was worried and angry at this point in time. I couldn't access the TCS website and figured it was the server playing up again. I eventually gave up and waited until Monday.

I called the vet on Monday first thing in the morning to arrange for an appointment. The appointment was at a time that neither myself or my fiancee could get there because both our workplaces said no. I wasn't impressed at that point and quite angry and upset. I don't trust the vet at the moment and all he seems to worry about is money rather than your pet or how you might be feeling. But that's a whole other issue. So I left Esper there at the vet by herself for half a day with a note for the vet explaining the situation and that the last course of antibiotics prescribed caused her to have severe diarrhoea and if she was going to be prescribed antibiotics again, that I would like to discuss it first.

I arrive there after working back late at work before their closing time. (I really do NOT like my work's attitude and my boss owns a cat and dog. *mumble grumble* ) The vet tech/nurse/receptionist girl, (I will say girl because she's younger than me and doesn't seem to know much about anything.), tells me that Esper is fine and that there is nothing wrong with her. (Yeah, that's obviously why I made the appointment.) So I mention politely and calmly that I brought Esper in because of the lump under her chin and that I would like to know what it is and what I am supposed to do in order to help. She went and I quote, "Oh. Well all she has is cat acne. It's probably caused by an allergy. I'd keep her indoors for the next week." At this point I was close to exploding like an over-heated nuclear fission reactor because I PLAINLY stated that she was an INDOOR ONLY cat when I dropped her off and it was stated CLEARLY on the note provided but I had to remain calm for the sake of every other animal in the room.

I politely stated that she was an indoor only cat that isn't allowed outside unless on a lead. I then politely asked what was cat acne and what I could do about it. She told me that it was allergy related again and that I should wipe the area with diluted Betadine. I then asked her whether it was anywhere else on Esper. She then told me that it wasn't checked and whether I would like the vet to check. I simply told her that I expected to be able to talk to the vet personally when I came to pick up Esper.

The vet FINALLY came out. (During all this time he was out the back on a phone call organising his television repairs. ) He came out and told me the same thing. I then asked him about the dilution factor of the Betadine and he said 1 in 5. Do it for a week and that if I'm still concerned, to go back with Esper. I left there more concerned than going in and a whole lot more upset.


Is there anyone out there with another suggestion as to how to deal with cat acne. I'm not happy about putting an iodine solution on my cat with the potential there for her to lick it off. I don't understand how she could have gotten cat acne. I use porcelain bowls that get washed after each meal. The water bowl is porcelain and that too gets washed. *sigh* She could just be in the teenage years. She's about 15 months.

Mags I use hydrogen peroxide for chin acne. Scrubbing the bowls out daily as you do is good, and acne can also be caused by stress.

My Max had chronic acne. The vet told me he was just a lazy chin cleaner and to wash his chin on a regular basis. I used a minute dab of cat shampoo on a damp rag to wash it off. Like Hissy said, hydrogen peroxide works better and I used it if it got out of hand. Don't use plastic bowls.

Acne is fairly common - keep on top of it and don't sweat it too much!

What concentration of hydrogen peroxide do you use? And how often?

Stress....hmmm...geez...now that's going to be hard...we work all day so I don't know what could have happenned. And we leave clothes with our scents on them in our bedroom for them. We haven't changed our habits, though we did go on holiday and left them for two weeks. But we've been back for two weeks now. Oh darn...that could be it.

Well I do have Feliway on hand, Bach's Rescue Remedy, fresh catnip, cat grass, toys with catnip.

I use it full strength three times a day. But Betadine is just as acceptable-

Thank you for the info and advice.

I think I'll use peroxide. I'm just not at all comfortable with the iodine. At least I know the peroxide breaks down to water and oxygen. Things that aren't harmful to my cat. Iodine...well I just don't know.

Amber had that when I first brought her home. I had read up on it and so just left it alone, it wasnt really serious. She is ok now. I attributed it to stress, and age. she was less than a year old. I just hope it doesnt come back and get bad like Esper's. I keep an eye on her though.

I think if cats have a problem with acne, it is ok (IMO) to put stuff because they are having a problem reaching the area in the first place. If they cant clean the chin, they cant wash off the medicine.

rfox, Esper is one of those kitties that keeps herself clean. And I've watched her, she cleans everywhere except between her shoulderblades. She's quite a fanatic about her cleanliness.

Esper is doing a lot better now and my nerves and temper have subsided. The swelling has gone down a lot now. And now when I clean the area, there's not much blood or build up.

I decided to use the betadine and the peroxide. I wipe on the betadine first, then use the peroxide. And then water, and then peroxide again. Over the top, but I really don't want this to get out of hand or happen again. I don't think I could survive another vet visit in this town. There's only one vet, and the next vet is in another town, two hours drive away. And it is seriously getting to the stage where I want to drive my cats to another town just for vaccinations.

There was a great article in a recent Cat Fancy magazine about feline acne. It was in the health question section. I think it was the October issue, but it was definetly in the past 6 months. Maybe check their website and see if you can search it.
Peroxide is what they recommended. I put it on a washcloth and scrub Morgan's chin. He of course hates it. Betadine would work too, but it is awfully messy and stains fur and skin and everything else.

Good luck.

Mary Fran

PS. I LOVE your quote!! It is so true!!

When some of my group had kitty acne I switched to flat glass plates for food bowls. The flat plates seem to help in keeping stuff off their chins. I have not had any problems since switching.

........or flat stainless steel plates. It usually is platics bowls that facilitate bacteria and kitty acne.