Kitty Acne

[anoushka]

My big boy, Norman, seems to have a case of kitty acne on his chin. I looked this condition up in my cat book & it seems to happen mostly to "only kitties." Norman has an older sister, but she does not groom him as much as he grooms her.

My book didn't offer a solution to Normie's problem, other than cleaning the afflicted kitty's chin for him (and antibiotics if the condition worsens). Has anybody else dealt with this?

All suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,
Annette :confused:

[AmberLee]

??? We've had threads that dealt with this before, but I don't remember all the tips that were suggested. Perhaps if you search on cat AND acne in the search area it would help?

[sasvermont]

I would visit the Vet and get advice from him/her.

If you wash the cat's chin each day, it may prevent the acne. Also, try not to use plastic dishes at all and feed the cat on a flat plate rather than a bowl, that way the chin will be less likely to get in the food.

I have also heard of folks using a diluted solution of water and 3% peroxide to clean the cat's face.

Hope this helps. I think if you do a "search" on the older threads, you will see a few posts on this subject!

Keep us posted as to how it is going for you and the CHIN!

;)

Sas

[anoushka]

Thanks!

[catland]

sas is right. I once had a cat with kitty acne and I thought she was just old (she was!). But when our new kitten developed it also, I mentioned this to the vet and was warned about plastic bowls. (We were using inexpensive plastic bowls for water). Sure enough, I stopped using the plastic and the acne went away and the fur grew back on both of their chins.


My current crop of kitties now get their dry food in a plastic tower feeder, and their water in stainless steel bowls, and none of them have ever had kitty acne.
:p

[anoushka]

Thank you all for your suggestions. Yes, I was feeding the kids from plastic bowls. I bought new stainless steel dishes this weekend, and I am keeping my fingers crossed. One problem is that Norman and Isabelle (Norman's sister) are terrified of the new dishes. How they hate change!! I know they will get over their fears, but I feel so sorry for them. Dinner time was one of their big excitements of the day!

I'm also cleaning Norman's chin each day with cotton soaked in a light saline solution (this was a tip from my cat care book). No new outbreaks to report. Let's hope this clears up "the problem."

:p

[moosmom]

Anoushka,

My cat Maya Linn has kitty acne. I wash it with an exfoliating glove soaked in a medicated cat shampoo. Then I put 10% Benzoil Peroxide on it (at the advice of my vet). Maya Linn doesn't seem to mind it and it does help clear it up. All their dishes are stainless steel once I learned that plastic harbors bacteria.

Good luck with your kitty!

[anoushka]

Thanks, Donna!

Have I ever learned my lesson about cheap plastic bowls! I've had kitties for almost 20 years and I've never had to deal with this before.

A:eek:

[Rachel]

Originally posted by anoushka
. I bought new stainless steel dishes this weekend, and I am keeping my fingers crossed. One problem is that Norman and Isabelle (Norman's sister) are terrified of the new dishes. How they hate change!! I know they will get over their fears, but I feel so sorry for them. Dinner time was one of their big excitements of the day!



Some stainess steel dishes are very reflective, others have a brushed metal appearance. My dogs can't deal with the reflective ones. I think they could see themselves in it.

I still use one plastic water dish for my dogs. Maybe I need to reconsider based on this thread. Guess us dog people can learn a thing or two by popping over to the kitty side. :)

[sasvermont]

I use china rather than stainless steel. I've never had a problem. I wash them when I wash my daily dishes and that has kept my cats happy so far. I put their dry food in a ceramic (china...whatever) serving bowl....and the wet food, at night on flat <------- important too, salad dishes.... then pick them up when they are through and dump 'em in the water in the sink....cat food isn't that awful that I worry about food contamination etc.....with my own eating habits....

:)

[Pam]

I too use ceramic bowls for the kitties and dog. In fact the main water dish in the kitchen is a very heavy ceramic bowl because Bella had tried to carry the lighter weight one around (what a mess) and Andy, who loves to bathe in the water bowl, was causing it to upset (more mess). This bowl that I have now stays put no matter what they try. ;)

[anoushka]

I am happy to report that Norman & Isabelle have adjusted well to their new dishes & Normie has had no new outbreaks!

We just need to keep out fingers crossed that his chin hair grows back. The loss of it makes him look a bit like a sourpuss!

Rachel's post about the reflective aluminum dishes gave me pause for thought, since that is the type I bought for the kids. After a few days of gingerly approaching the new dishes, they seem to have gotten over their fears. I've also switched to plain salad plates for the kid's wet food (one can at night & one bowl of dry in the morning). They do create a mess pushing the food off the dish, though! Yuck! Maybe Norman will lose weight this way, but that is another story!!

Thanks to all for your helpful ideas & advice! I'll keep you updated about the "chin condition"!!

A


;) ;) ;)

[anoushka]

Donna,

I forgot to ask - does Maya Linn still have kitty acne even though she is fed from stainless dishes?

A
:eek:

[moosmom]

Anoushka,

Yes she does still have it. But I took her to the vet today and she prescribed Cepha Drops (antibiotic) for 10 days and acne pads for kitties called Malaseb. You rub it on their chin 2-3 times a day and then distract the cat for a couple of minutes while it dries (smells like they have alcohol in them) so they don't lick it off. $59 later Maya Linn is on her way to becoming a zitless wonder!! Heck, I never had that much acne when I was a kid.

I took her to the vet because it seemed like the other treatment wasn't working. The vet said it could very well be infection or virus from the inside that's causing it.

Good luck with your kitty. I'll let ya know how this stuff works and how long it takes to see results.

[sujei]

WOW. now i am so curious. do u think one of u pet talkers with a kitty suffering from acne could post a picture. I AM JUST SO CURIOUS!!!:eek: By the way. thnx for the tips cause i am getting a kitty next month and now i will be buying stainless steel dishes from the beginning. thnx a lot guys;)

[anoushka]

Hi Sujei,

Norman is a bit too shy about his "condition" for photos!

Seriously, I have had kitties for almost 20 years and I had never even heard of kitty acne until Norman developed big bumps on his chin, almost on his bottom lip. I don't have a photo (maybe someone else does?), but Norman starting getting little white bumps that grew bigger and turned red until they came to a head and started to recede. The danger is that the acne can lead to abscesses.

Norman's chin/mouth area hair also stopped growing. Since he is black, this is very noticeable.

I am sad to report that Norman has a new "boo-boo" on his chin right now. He has an appointment with his vet next week. I had hoped that the bowl change would help, but I guess that is not always the cure.

This site is great for learning new things about kitties!

P.S. Norman is 8 and he just developed the acne problem.

[sasvermont]

Have you tried feeding him from a flat dish. That way he is less likely to get his chin in the food. I have also thought I heard some recommendations to wipe the cat's chin at least once a day with 3% peroxide.

You may have a different situation than the average acne and the Vet is the right road to take until it's cleared up. Once it clears, I would switch to a flat dish..... and cleaning his chin often, to prevent the accumulation of food goo!

Keep us posted!:p

[anoushka]

A few weeks ago, I switched to stainless bowls for dry food and for water. I also bought a supply of small, flat ceramic salad plates that I use for wet food.

I've been cleaning Norman's chin daily, as well, but not with a peroxide solution. I think it is definitely time for a vet visit! I'm sure these eruptions are not too pleasant for the little boy!

Let's keep our fingers crossed that the vet can clear up the problem!

[kdjkiwi]

Took my two babes to the vet last night, as I noticed one had what appeared to be acne about two weeks ago....and then checked the other cat on the weekend and he is showing early stages of it too!
My cats have never eaten out of plastic bowls, always china ones, which I clean in the dishwasher.
First of all the vet (over the phone) got me to try Betadine from the drug store. Turns out it is an iodine solution which can be bought over the counter and is good for scratches etc...to prevent infection.
However, my female cat's acne was quite advanced and it bled everytime I dabbed the iodine on her, so I hated doing that.
Anyway, went to the vet after the weekend and they are both on antibiotics.
It is possible that they are reacting to some new cleaner that I am using (cleaned all the rugs), as the vet can't think of anything else obvious.
The acne is quite dry looking, not too many ruptured pimples...and has black flecks which are possibly dried blood.
Once the acne dries up completely the vet suggested that I wash their chins with a little soap and water from time to time just to help them keep it clean as it is the hardest place for them to keep clean.

[lovemymaltese]

I have never heard of this, wow.

[anoushka]

This has been such a busy week with work and an unexpected family emergency, that I am postponing Norman's visit to the vet until next week. He seems to feel fine, except his "boo boo" seems to annoy him, if I try to mess with his chin.

His acne, if that is what it is, starts out as a small red bump on the edge of his bottom lip/upper chin area and then progresses to a larger blisterish bump. Then it recedes without erupting. He hasn't had any bleeding in the area at all.

There do seem to be many kitty chin ailments!

:mad:

[AvaJoy]

Just make sure your vet has taken a culture to test for Ringworm. I took my newly trapped and neutered kitty (Schuyler) to the vet for another matter and although she did not think his facial boo-boos resembled typical ringworm, she did a culture at my urging. It came up positive and the vet could not believe it (thought it was a false +) so she took another culture and again . . . positive!!!:eek:

He is now on topical treatment daily for a month. I only hope my other kitties don't contract it . . . or me, for that matter! I honestly don't know why I have NOT gotten it, because I have been kissing his face and rubbing his neck and petting him and all; I had no idea that his scabs were the highly contagious ringworm! :(

Hopefully, your vet did already rule out ringworm and that it is just feline acne.

[anoushka]

Wow! I never would have even thought about Norman having ringworm!

He has a vet appointment on Monday morning & I will definitely ask the vet to check for ringworm. I hug & kiss Norman and his sister as well!

I looked up ringworm on the internet & I didn't realize it was so contagious. One site recommended burning items that might harbor it, i.e. bedding, etc. What did your vet advise you to do to combat it?

Thanks for the tip and good luck!





:eek:

[AvaJoy]

Hi Anoushka ~ I will talk to my vet tomorrow when I bring my other cat in for an xray. The vet tech called to tell me about Schuyler's positive culture the other night and I quickly dropped in to pick up the lotion. The only advice she had was to keep him isolated from the other cats, to which I replied that it was a little late for that now . . . :( :mad: I kept him isolated for the customary week or two when I first brought him home after being neutered, having shots, etc. I would think that they should have checked his facial abrasions then, but as the vet told me when I took him back in (for a lump in his abdomen area that is now decreasing in size . . . yea!) his scabs don't look like ringworm but she went ahead and did the culture because I insisted. She remarked that the test only costs $5.00, so we may as well find out.

Meanwhile, I, too, have researched ringworm on the internet and it seems rather drastic to advise burning toys and bedding . . . ringworm runs its course and then is gone, from what I have gathered. There is also a pill to treat it but the cat must be watched carefully because it is quite toxic.

Schuyler has been co-mingling with my other cats for almost a month now. He is a super friendly and layed-back guy, so he has no qualms about invading their "territory" and sleeping in their favorite places, etc. I have noticed a tiny area on Debra's ear that appears bald, so I am applying the lotion to her just to be on the safe side.

Some cats (and I guess people, too) are resistant or immune to it, so lets hope that holds true for our combined other furry and not so furry family members!

Best of luck to you and yours, and I hope you get negative results if your vet does test for it. :)

[anoushka]

Norman went to the vet & definitely has feline acne. The vet put him a 10-day antibiotic treatment and I also must was his chin daily with a benzoyl peroxide wash.

The vet mentioned getting Stridex pads for Norman's chin, but cautioned me to use only those with benzoyl peroxide. I went to 5 stores and couldn't find any brands of and b.p. pads (they all had a different active ingrediant), so I just bought a b.p. wash that must be rinsed off. I hope it does the trick!

Norman hates pills, and the vet had a really good suggestion for calming Norman's pill fears. He suggested I give the boy a couple of treats while he is held in "pilling" position, and that I give Norman a treat both before & after pilling him, so that he associates the act and the position with something pleasant.

Pretty cool!!

Wish me luck with the "chin."

;)