Feline Acne

[Kirsten]

I think I just discovered the first signs of feline acne on Luna's chin (tiny black spots).

My Katz used to have it all her life, very bad, and she never got rid of it. I got an ointment from the vet which did not help.

Does anyone here know how to treat feline acne successfully?

Thanks,
Kirsten

[wayne0214]

Kirsten, did you take Luna to the vets' for an analysis of her skin problem, or did you purchase the meds only, stating that she had feline acne? This may make a difference as to the med's ability to correct the problem.

......wayne

[squills]

My vet recommends Neosporing which has always had some effect.

[squills]

*Neosporin*

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry but I can't help you with this problem. My cats have never had this problem. I've heard that it's usually caused in areas where they can't groom themselves so it happens more frequently in one cat households. My cats will wash each others heads so maybe this helps prevent them from getting it.

[Kirsten]

krazyaboutkatz, that is an interesting theory, sounds logical to me...

I will ask the vet for Neosporin. So far the vet didn't see Luna, and the problem is that vets here in Germany do not do as much tests and examinations as they do in the United States, unless you ask for them. Asking for an analysis now sounds like a good idea!

Thanks,

Kirsten

[wolflady]

Hi Kirsten!!

Quick question...is Luna eating out of a plastic bowl or a ceramic one?? I read somewhere that feline acne is sometimes caused from eating from a plastic bowl, so switching to a ceramic one might help the acne situation a little! :D

Good luck!
**hugs**

[Kirsten]

Hi Wolflady! I've heard about that, too, but Luna has a ceramic bowl all her life. But sometimes she's eating dry food out of the plastic jar in which I store it, maybe that could be the cause?

Kirsten

[sasvermont]

I would wash her little face (chinny chin chin) a few times a day. A little peroxide won't hurt either.

[Kirsten]

Thanks, sasvermont, I'll try that (even though I'm quite sure that Luna won't like that at all! :))

Kirsten

[sasvermont]

My last kitty had bouts of acne. She would have little black spot hear her lips (??) and on her chin. I would just scrape them off with my fingers, put a little peroxide on them and they cleared right up. I think the answer for most kitties is that they need to keep the chins cleaner. If they aren't going to do it, then you have to! Moms! in every sense of the word.

[gini]

I agree with SasVermont. My white kitty, Sugar had feline acne and putting some hydrogen peroxide on a piece of cotton and cleaning his chin helped a great deal.

[shais_mom]

I am so relieved, this sounds exactly like what Kylie has. Under her chin also. I was worried it was melanoma. We are going to the vet on Tues.
Kylie is snow white also.

[BigNyyFan]

Originally posted by sasvermont
My last kitty had bouts of acne. She would have little black spot hear her lips (??) and on her chin. I would just scrape them off with my fingers, put a little peroxide on them and they cleared right up. I think the answer for most kitties is that they need to keep the chins cleaner. If they aren't going to do it, then you have to! Moms! in every sense of the word.

NEVER EVER scrape anything connected to your cat, OFF OF YOUR CAT!!!!!!

Just like people, acne is an infection caused by a build-up of dirt and oils. When people scrape off their pimpes, it causes bleeding, even worse infection, scarring, and worst of all PAIN. You DO NOT scrape these black spots off of your cats chin and lips. They feel the pain, and it's torture to them when you're holding them down ripping off parts of their body. It is infuriating that people think that just because cats can't communicate with you with words, that they're not trying to tell you something. Well listen to them, because they're saying, "OW"

[Craftlady]

What you keep the food in shouldnt matter if it's plastic or cermanic. It's what they come in direct contact with that matters.
Neosporin we can get over the counter here in the states.

[rosethecopycat]

I concurr.

No plastic bowls, stainless steel are the best.
And hydrogen peroxide on a cotton ball.

It worked on Snowy.

[Shady]

My Kewpie gets that from time to time, she's a shaded silver persian, which means basically white.

When I see a small breakout, I take over and gently bathe the area with warm water, sometimes they do bleed a very tiny amount, but usually not, then on goes the Neosporin.

There are different kinds of Neosporin, (cant buy it here in Canada, so when in the U.S. I stock up) I use the *ointment* with PAIN RELIEF, there is also cream (which seems messier). If it does the same thing for her as it does for me on a cut, it's miraculous, regarding pain. A couple of times a day and usually the outbreak is all healed within 48 hours of treatment.

[BigNyyFan]

Originally posted by Craftlady
What you keep the food in shouldnt matter if it's plastic or cermanic. It's what they come in direct contact with that matters.
Neosporin we can get over the counter here in the states.

It absolutely matters what the cats eat out of. Plastic food bowls are bad. They are porous and can retain dirt and food in the bowl. The cats then are in direct contsct with that bowl, causing Feline Acne. And chances are, if you cat has it, he's gonna' have it again, and again, and again.

[shais_mom]

Originally posted by BigNyyFan
It absolutely matters what the cats eat out of. Plastic food bowls are bad. They are porous and can retain dirt and food in the bowl. The cats then are in direct contsct with that bowl, causing Feline Acne. And chances are, if you cat has it, he's gonna' have it again, and again, and again.
ummmm I would like to welcome you but I don't understand where your confrontational attitude comes from? :(
This thread is over 3 years old! Albeit is a good informational one - we are all friends here and I am confused by your tone!

[BigNyyFan]

First of all, if there is a tone, it is a tone of annoyance caused by the ignorance I've read on this site. Second of all, regardless of how old the thread is, people will still use it as a reference when seeking information or help. You state that this thread is an informational one. What is the point of the thread if it is providing misiformation?

[shais_mom]

I don't think calling us ignorant is going to help your cause.
I took my cat to the vet and he scraped it off for a skin scraping.

[Karen]

BigNyyFan, calm down.

These are knowlegable cat people, and there's a difference between scraping gently, which I am sure she did, and scraping hard enough to hurt.

Also, there are many, many different kinds of plastic bowls, not all are as absorbant as you mention, and many people I know put theirs through the dishwasher on a regular basis.

Please be respectful in your posts.

[grybai]

Originally posted by BigNyyFan
It absolutely matters what the cats eat out of. Plastic food bowls are bad. They are porous and can retain dirt and food in the bowl. The cats then are in direct contsct with that bowl, causing Feline Acne. And chances are, if you cat has it, he's gonna' have it again, and again, and again.

Just so you know, they were discussing that she STORES the food in a plastic container which Craftlady was saying didn't matter. If you read the thread more clearly you'd see that the cat EATS out of a ceramic bowl.

[NoahsMommy]

Skin scraping is the way vets check to see if its acne or something like a mite.

Before one goes spouting off about ignorance, maybe one should check their facts first?

Not trying to be rude, but people here are trying to be helpful...not harmful. We ALL have the animal's best interests here...