Feline Acne

Feline Acne is a skin disease affecting the chin of cats. Although fungal infections and allergies may be a cause of this condition, it is thought to be primarily the result of the inability or lack of desire of some cats to clean their own chin.

Symptoms Of Feline Acne:

Most cats groom themselves on a daily basis and clean their chins by licking their front feet and then utilizing the moist foot to clean the underside of the chin.

Cats that are ill or just too lazy to thoroughly groom themselves are prone to the “blackheads” that characterize feline acne. 

These blackheads are nothing more than blood and infection that have accumulated in the hair follicle. The condition can sometimes be very severe and painful. In severe cases, it can result in open sores on the chin.

Diagnosis Of Feline Acne:

Diagnosing feline acne will require a thorough examination of your cat by your cat's veterinarian.

Your cat's veterinarian may need to do skin scrapings to rule out other diseases which can produce similar symptoms.

Cultures of the lesions may be necessary in order to identify the bacteria involved with the infection and to find out which types of antibiotics the causative bacteria are most likely to respond to.

Your cat's veterinarian may also recommend a basic blood screen to rule out other causes of disease and to make certain that feline acne is a secondary result of another disease condition.

Treatment Of Feline Acne:

Treatment involves cleansing of the chin area.

Often antibiotics and sometimes even anti-inflammatory medications, such as cortisone injections or oral preparations, are necessary as well. Your cat's veterinarian will be able to determine the proper course of treatment for your cat.

Recurrence of the problem after treatment is common because many of these cats continue to ignore basic grooming procedures. Manually cleansing the chin area by the owner periodically can help control recurrences.