Expert: Jessica - 2/28/2010

Question
Hi i have noticed that cat acne stuff on my cats chins. its black and flakes off when scratched and the skin underneath is raw. I have tried shaving the chin but doesn't really help. i have also tried peroxide, cleaning the affected area daily, and antibiotic ointment. what is a treatment i can do at home to remedy this? how do i keep it from coming back?

Answer
Hi Laura.  Using a mild facial toner for people can be helpful, as long as it doesn't contain salicylic acid, which may become toxic if ingested or absorbed through the skin.  A better treatment may be a chlorhexidine wash or wipe.  This is a safe antiseptic to use on cats.  Continue treating with a triple antibiotic ointment until the area appears to have healed.

However, the root cause of most feline acne is their food bowl.  Bacteria build on the food bowl and are deposited on the chin when the cat eats.  Many cats have a sort of allergic reaction to the material the bowl is made of, too.  Plastic bowls tend to be most allergenic.  Plastic and glass bowls tend to scratch easily, and bacteria flourish in these grooves.  If you're using plastic, glass or even ceramic food and water bowls, consider switching to stainless stool ones.  These are hypoallergenic and also won't scratch.  If you wash them with soap and hot water daily, bacteria won't have a chance to build up on them, and his chin shouldn't become infected anymore.

Sometimes when feline acne has become very severe, an oral antibiotic is needed to get rid of the infection, but changing to stainless steel bowls should keep the condition at bay once it's under control.

Good luck!

Jessica