Expert: Jessica - 1/18/2010

Question
We went on vacation a few weeks ago and came back with our cats chin inflamed.  We didn't think much of it but it had gotten worse over the past week and my mother felt it and puss came out of various spots.  I'm thinking it may be insect bites but I'm not sure if it is or not.  Can you help?

Answer
Hi Jessica.  It doesn't sound like insect bites to me, since pus usually doesn't ooze from bites.  It sounds like his chin is infected.  He may have scratched his chin on something, and the wound has become abscessed.  Oral antibiotics will be needed to help clear this up, and the vet may need to drain more pus from the area.

Or, he may have had a condition called feline acne.  Cats get a condition that's similar in some ways to human acne.  The pores on their chin become blocked with a black, waxy build up.  In cats, this build up is usually a reaction to their food bowl.  Some cats have a sensitivity to plastic or glass bowls and should be fed with stainless steel bowls.  This usually resolves the feline acne.  However, cats with the condition can get such clogged pores that their chin becomes infected.  These cats really need an antibiotic to treat the infection, as well as an antiseptic wash to cleanse the area, which your vet can prescribe.

So in either case, your little guy really needs to see a vet for proper care.

Best of luck!

Jessica