I recently noticed this scab type thing on my cats chin. I don't use plastic dishes; could this be acne? She gets stressed easily and if I can avoid a trip to the vet I'd like to...
Those black specks are acne. Acne can be caused by a variety of things, not just from plastic bowls. The area around a cat's mouth tends to be pretty dirty with saliva so acne can develop.
A t rip to the vet is not needed. Just keep your cat's mouth clean by wiping it with plain water or a pet grooming wipe. Run a fine toothed comb through the fur backwards to gently remove the black specks. Some people use Stridex acne pads to help clear the acne but I personally wouldn't use it so close to the mouth where a cat's tongue may lick at area where the pad was swiped and potentially ingest some acne medicine.