Cat Acne

[largeheartedgirl]

Does anyone have any good information about cat acne? My Rilo has patches of black crusty stuff on her chin that I think may be acne. It's like tar stuck at the roots of her chin hair. I want to get it out, but don't know what to use the loosen the stuff up. I've tried gently brushing her chin with a tooth brush (an old one, not mine!! :-P).

I'm worried that olive oil may be too strong or burn her nose (we only have virgin olive oil) and that fish oil or cod liver oil may frustrate her. Cats can't wash their own chins and so this is why they develop acne.

My other concern is that if I don't get this acne under control, one might abscess and then I've got a real problem on my hands. A friend had a Siamese that she rescued because she had a cute little under bite. Then the cat started exhibiting aggressive behavior--serious biting (may have been why she ended up in the pound). Turns out the poor dear had an abscessed acne lesion that needed to be drained. Under bite is gone and kitty is oh so sweet.

Does anyone know if acne is more common in Siamese breeds? Mine is Siamese mix (see the blond in my picture) and may be a consideration if anyone is considering adopting a Siamese. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[boscibo]

My dear, late Bo was a siamese mix and he had acne. Have you switched all your food/water bowls to stainless steel or ceramic? I had to abandon bowls for food and went with Pyrex plates instead.

My vet gave me an ointment called Oxydex to put on Bo's chin and it cleared it up quickly.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Several of my cats will also get feline acne from time to time and I use stainless steel bowls for drinking and eating. I've found that using a warm wash cloth will help to loosen up and get rid of the black flecks. Then I use some hydrogen peroxide to help keep it clean. It seems to work well but you need to keep this up for at least 1-2 times a day for a while. I've also noticed that stress will make them break out sometimes too. Good luck.