Chin Acne In Cats?

[morgan331]

Hi everyone,

So my outdoor cat Ginger has really been through it lately. Before anyone tells me I should keep her inside, she has lived outside her whole and life and basically adopted us. She was my husband's grandma's cat and one day just came over and never left. We do bring her inside when it's too hot/cold/bad weather, but she is miserable inside so we try to limit her time inside. We also have 4 other strictly indoor cats and have to keep her separated from them because they don't get along.

Anyway, a few weeks ago she caught and ate part of a rabbit and has been through it with having surgery for an obstruction and is finally on her way recovery. The last couple weeks I have noticed spots under her chin and thought it was related to her scuffle with the rabbit, but now after they are not going away, and doing some research I have found it looks like cat acne. I just started applying diluted hydrogen peroxide and Neosporin to the area a couple days ago but wondered if you guys ever dealt with this and how long does it usually take to go away?

Part of me wants to bring her to the vet, but we just spent $1500 on her procedure and honestly I hate to put her through the trauma of going back to the vet already. Is this something that should clear up on its own? She doesn't seem at all bothered by it, is eating normally, playing, all of that.

Just looking for some advice for treatment as well as advice on whether a vet visit might be necessary. Has anyone dealt with this? She just has little dots and some hair loss under her chin.

Thank you for any help!

Morgan

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Assuming that you're feeding and watering her from metal or plastic bowls/dishes, try ceramic ones, washed and fresh/clean daily. Hopefully that helps, also if you're providing water make sure it's filtered. Either with a pitcher (clean these thoroughly to avoid buildup) or a faucet end type. These remove a lot more contaminants than the ones in pet Fountains.
Good luck!!

 

[morgan331]

I am feeding her from metal and ceramic food and water dishes that get washed daily. We feed her water from the faucet and we live in the country so we have fresh well water. Now, my indoor kitties drink from a pet fountain, are those not good?
It's so much to keep up with everything when you have 5 cats! But they are my babies and my world I would do anything for them!

Thanks for responding.

 

[Kieka]

I'd stop using hydrogen peroxide, it actually slows down healing and damages new tissue. It's benzoyl peroxide you should use on acne spots. If you can post some photos someone may be able to say better if it does look like chin acne. Acne usually is the result of dirty food bowls so if she is eating out of plastic bowls you should replace them with stainless steel, ceramic or glass to prevent reoccurance.

There is also rodent ulcers which can appear similar. Those typically are treated with a steroid from the vet, although I have heard people having success with home remedies but none I can promote with any assuridity.

If the spots start getting larger or turn into identifiable bumps with white or black cores or larger wounds she needs to see a vet for proper treatment. It is not a home trestment option for that one. I don't want to scare you or gross you out by saying specifically what I am thinking and it is unlikely but since she did tangle with a rabbit it is a possibility. Just see a vet if the spots turn into noticable lumps.

 

[morgan331]

Wow! Those rodent ulcers look terrifying! Her issues do not go into her mouth at all, they are all on her little chin. It's really just a patch of fur missing, with some small bumps, and then she will scratch it a little and make it bleed, but just a tiny bit. I will see if I can get a picture but as you can imagine she does not want me messing with it for long!
I will stop with the hydrogen peroxide! Maybe just using a warm compress and then some Neosporin? Is that a good idea to be using the Neosporin?

 

[Kieka]

Wow! Those rodent ulcers look terrifying! Her issues do not go into her mouth at all, they are all on her little chin. It's really just a patch of fur missing, with some small bumps, and then she will scratch it a little and make it bleed, but just a tiny bit. I will see if I can get a picture but as you can imagine she does not want me messing with it for long!
I will stop with the hydrogen peroxide! Maybe just using a warm compress and then some Neosporin? Is that a good idea to be using the Neosporin?

Warm compress and a very thin layer of Neosporin shouldn't hurt it.

 

[Furballsmom]

I love, love well water, -- do you get it tested now and then?
Your indoor fur buddies should be fine water wise

 

[morgan331]

Warm compress and a very thin layer of Neosporin shouldn't hurt it.

But am I wasting my time? Will it help? She absolutely hates when I do it, so I can save us both pain if it's not necessary. Should I just leave it alone completely?

 

[morgan331]

I love, love well water, -- do you get it tested now and then?
Your indoor fur buddies should be fine water wise

We will on family property and my husband's grandmother gets it tested. The only thing I worry about is all the farm land we live around and pesticides...

 

[morgan331]

We will on family property and my husband's grandmother gets it tested. The only thing I worry about is all the farm land we live around and pesticides...

We "live" on family property...

 

[Kieka]

But am I wasting my time? Will it help? She absolutely hates when I do it, so I can save us both pain if it's not necessary. Should I just leave it alone completely?

If the problem isn't extreme it may clear up on it's own assuming it is chin acne and you replace any plastic bowls. You have used the compress and Neosporin to remove any immediate problems and the neosporian should be already helping if it will. I'd try to take a photo so you have a way to compare how it looks now to how it looks in a few days.

If it gets worse, see a vet. But hopefully it will get better with some time.

 

[Furballsmom]

You might think about a faucet end filter..., see if one would take care of the contaminants you're dealing with.
Let us know how things go!

 

[Dandelions]

I've

 

[Dandelions]

I've been dealing with similar issues for awhile. Unfortunately I am not much help as I haven't really figured out how to help my kitty. I've used stridex acne type wipes for people on my kitty to try to clean her chin. Saw it as a tip online, not sure how safe it is but didn't seem to hurt her. Since your kitty has recently been injured/had surgery, I'd say it's a definite possibility that shes having this acne flare up due to stress or maybe poor grooming habits assuming she probably hasn't been feeling well. As an antiseptic, my vet recommend betadine/iodine instead of hydrogen peroxide. This case of acne doesn't sound too bad, if she's healthy otherwise you can probably wait on the vet visit. My cats chin got so bad it was all over her face and bleeding and infected with pus, my vet didn't seem all that surprised lol I was feeling like a bad pet parent and expecting the lecture about waiting to long. Good luck, I hope your kitty feels better.

 

[cmayau]

I have had success with applying a couple of drops of witch hazel on a cotton ball and gently wiping the cat's chin once a day. I hope this helps.

 

[morgan331]

Thank you for all the tips/advice! Ginger still wasnt healing so I took her to the vet Weds. Turns out its a secondary skin infection, likely from the rabbit incident. They gave her slow release shots of antibiotics and steroids. It does seem like it's getting better, little tufts of hair are starting to grow back. We have been keeping her inside but she hates it so much, mainly at night. We live in South GA though and it's hot and humid and I feel like that will slow the healing process. Is that right? I feel like she will be more itchy outside and just like being indoors in the AC will help it heal faster. Am I crazy? I don't want to put her through misery if it's not in her best interest. What are your thoughts?

 

[morgan331]

She just meows and meows at night and I feel like we are torturing her. I of course want to do what's best for her.

 

[duckpond]

Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiseptic & Antifungal Shampoo this is what my vet has me use with cat acne, or anything else i think might be an issue. i swear by this stuff.

I agree with you on keeping her in. We are in Ar. and this hot, nasty, so very humid summer we are having i think makes everything worse. indoors with the ac on is the only way to go

 

[morgan331]

I wish Ginger would let me do things to her, like use that shampoo, but she won't stand for it! She's a big girl, 15 lbs, and she hates anything other than a short brushing. Giving her medicine is next to impossible so I always have to go the shot route. I am glad you agree about keeping her inside. It's only bad at night when she just meows and meows. We have 4 indoor cats that aren't socialized with her so she has to stay in the office by herself Im worried to have them together because Ginger has lived outside most of her life and is super tough and my indoor cats are little princesses.