Chin Acne?

[ty3535]

Hi! My indoor cat has a dirty/scabby area/bump on the side of his face. He’s had chin acne before due to stress (he had to have a complicated surgery that really stressed him out) but it didn’t look exactly like this. That was an actual pimple with a white head and this looks more like black dirt. When I wiped it with a witch hazel wipe, some black specks came off and the wipe looked dirty. Could this be chin acne again?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, what material are the food dishes and water bowls you're using made of? Are you using fresh dishes daily and cleaning the water fountain or water bowls frequently, with some hydrogen peroxide or putting them in the dishwasher to help kill bacteria?

 

[ty3535]

Hi! He has stainless steel water bowls and his food bowls are ceramic and very large and shallow, so I don’t think it’s his food/water dishes causing any issues.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Sounds like chin acne. Phoebe has chronic chin acne since she had to change to Royal Canin Anallergenic a few years ago (she has what we think is IBD, though it was never certain). Her plate is ceramic and water bowl metal. I clean her chin daily with Chlorhexidine wipes my vet makes up (cheaply, too!) and a flea comb when the blackheads get crusty.

 

[ty3535]

Thank you so much! So they can get crusty/scabby? The whitehead/pimple he had never got that way, which is one reason why I was concerned it might be something other than acne. But if it can get kind of crusty I’m pretty positive that’s what it is. I have those same wipes from the first time he had the pimple, so I’ll use those and hopefully it’ll clear up. Thanks so much again!

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Thank you so much! So they can get crusty/scabby? The whitehead/pimple he had never got that way, which is one reason why I was concerned it might be something other than acne. But if it can get kind of crusty I’m pretty positive that’s what it is. I have those same wipes from the first time he had the pimple, so I’ll use those and hopefully it’ll clear up. Thanks so much again!

You're welcome! I've never seen a whitehead on a cat, so can't say. But yes, the blackheads (which do look like flea dirt when they're really small) can be crusty and almost scabby. Have you seen photos of neglected cat acne? It can be very severe, like raw-and-bleeding severe. Sounds like your boy does have a mild case. Hopefully it'll clear up with the wipes!

 

[Furballsmom]

Be sure and clean the dishes and bowls daily/regularly as well, best of luck with this !