Does your cat have a lot of dark spots on your cat's chin? It could be that your cat has feline acne, which can be experienced by cats of all types and ages. The cause of cat acne is still unknown, but it is more common in older cats. It is thought that stress, a poor immune system, poor cat grooming habits, and other skin conditions are the triggers for this problem. While this isn't usually a serious problem, it can irritate your cat, especially if it's infected. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to work around it.
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Part 1 of 3: Identifying Cat Pimples
Step 1. Look for small black spots
Usually, these pimples are found on the cat's chin. These spots (blackheads or pimples) are small, hard and black in color. If you stroke the cat on its chin, you will notice that the skin on the chin is uneven.
Although acne is usually found on the chin, it could be that your cat has a pimple on the upper lip
Step 2. Understand the potential causes of acne
Although the exact cause of cat acne is unknown, there are several things that can trigger acne. These include a reduced frequency of grooming, food build-up on the chin, and a weakened immune system with age. Usually these pimples are harmless, but can be painful if the bacteria causing the infection.
These pimples are made of soft material (sebaceous) that gets trapped in the hair follicles. This causes the follicles to swell and bulge and then emerge to the surface of the skin
Step 3. Be careful with infected pimples
If there is an infection, this area may appear more swollen, which makes the chin appear more prominent than usual. It looks as if your cat is sticking its chin up. You may also notice bloodstains, which can be runny or smelly and like pus, coming out of each pimple.
The infection is caused by a popped pimple or the soft material inside the spot is contaminated with bacteria. If this happens, treat it immediately because it can make your cat's chin hurt. Your cat can be encouraged to scratch more and more and irritate the skin. This irritation will cause further trauma so that the infection will also get worse
Step 4. Look for a chin that looks flat
If your cat has frequent acne problems, the hair follicles can become severely damaged. This makes the wound tissue and hair no longer grow at that point so that it becomes tacky.
If you notice patches on any part of the body, try having your cat examined by a veterinarian. There are other problems, such as food allergies or tumors, that may be the cause of these patches and may need special treatment
Part 2 of 3: Diagnosing Cat Acne
Step 1. Take the cat to the vet
If your cat has black spots on her body but she looks healthy, your vet may recommend that you keep the area clean with a disinfectant cleaner. You may be instructed to clean the area with something like diluted chlorhexidine and asked to keep an eye on this pimple. However, if the area is painful, swollen, or infected, your vet may need to run tests to diagnose the condition and check your cat's general health.
A weakened immune system can be the cause of your cat's frequent acne breakouts. The vet may do a blood test to check if your cat is anemic. This test will determine the balance of white blood cells and check the condition of his organs
Step 2. Have your doctor test your cat for parasites
With this test, your vet will find out if parasites, such as demodex mites, are inhabiting your cat's hair follicles. This parasite can cause problems similar to cat acne. During the test, the vet presses an unbroken pimple and places its contents onto a microscope slide. This glass will be observed to determine whether there are parasites or not.
If parasites are present, your veterinarian may recommend topical treatments, such as medicated shampoos or sprays or baths with certain medicated solutions
Step 3. Have the vet run tests on the cat to see if there are other infections
With other tests, the vet looks for an infection, such as ringworm, that is causing the skin to become inflamed and sore. This test is done by rubbing a sterile cotton swab or brush on the skin to take a sample of fauna from the skin surface. This sample is then placed into a transport medium which is then examined to determine whether there is growth of fungal organisms that cause ringworm.
By taking this sample, the vet will not only know if bacteria is present, but also know what antibiotics can be recommended to kill the infection
Step 4. Submit a tissue sample for biopsy
A more accurate diagnosis of cat acne can be obtained by biopsy. In this method, the vet performs surgery to remove a small amount of tissue from the area where the cat's acne is present. This sample is then sent to a pathologist for testing and diagnosis.
This method can also be helpful in detecting other factors such as mites (which dig into the skin and can give the appearance of a cat having an acne infection), cancer, or a type of inflammation related to the immune system known as eosinophilic granuloma complex
Step 5. Understand that you don't have to take medication
Not all cases of cat acne have to be treated. If your cat only has one or two comedones (dark spots) on her body and it doesn't irritate her, you can simply treat them at home. You can try to gently clean the area and keep it clean after your cat has finished eating.
If your cat has ever had an infection problem with his acne, it's a good idea to treat it
Part 3 of 3: Dealing with Cat Acne
Step 1. Clean uninfected pimple spots
If there are pimple spots on the cat's body but they are not infected, all you have to do is clean them. You can clean it with rubbing alcohol by moistening a cotton swab with it and wiping your chin twice a day until the spots disappear. Or you can use a topical cleanser like chlorhexidine, which comes in a concentrated, pink liquid soap. Dilute chlorhexidine with water, in a ratio of about 5 ml of chlorhexidine to 100 ml of water. Wet a cotton swab with this solution and wipe it on your cat's chin twice a day. Continue to monitor the area and if the acne gets worse, try taking your cat to the vet.
Chlorhexidine is suitable for use on cats because it is non-toxic to them and does not sting. These chemicals clear bacteria from the skin and make it less likely for bacteria to settle in the hair follicles
Step 2. Use shampoo to clean the follicles
When cleaning your chin, wet your chin with damp cotton wool and add a drop of benzyl peroxide shampoo to the wool. Wipe this wool on your chin and let it dry for 5 minutes. Rinse the area well with a clean flannel cloth soaked in water. If you want to treat the cat's entire body, dilute the shampoo, apply it to damp cat hair, and rinse well with warm water. Clean the area in the morning and evening. If redness or pain occurs, stop this treatment until the skin heals. Then repeat again, but dilute the shampoo with more water.
Pet shampoos containing benzyl peroxide are useful for cat acne because the benzyl peroxide absorbs into the follicles. This substance will thoroughly clean the follicles, destroy bacteria, and get rid of excess oil that can contribute to cat acne
Step 3. Wipe a warm compress on the cat's skin
Wet a cotton swab with warm water mixed with salt. Make a water mixture by bringing water to a boil and adding a teaspoon of salt. Allow this solution to cool until it reaches body temperature. Once you have soaked the cotton ball in this solution, squeeze out the excess water and press the cotton ball against your cat's chin. Do it for 5 minutes. Repeat this two or three times a day until the pimple breaks or gets smaller.
Hot compresses can help reduce the size of the spots or break them up. This reduces the pressure on the follicles, which is a good thing because the pressure can irritate your cat's skin
Step 4. Give the cat antibiotics according to the veterinarian's instructions
Your vet may prescribe oral antibiotics that your cat must give to kill bacteria on the surface of the skin. This medication is given by mouth at the recommended dose until the acne spots have cleared and then this medication is extended for at least another week. Antibiotic drugs that are often prescribed to treat cat acne are:
- Cephalexin: This is a first-generation antibiotic from the beta-lactam group that targets and destroys bacteria. Usually the dose is 30 to 50 g, twice daily. So, a cat weighing 5 kg was given Cephalexin at a dose of 50 mg twice a day. You should give it with food if your cat has a sensitive stomach and is prone to vomiting.
- Clindamycin: It belongs to the lincosamide group which prevents bacteria from reproducing. The dose is usually 5 to 10 mg/kg twice daily, or the doses can be combined and given once daily. So, a 5 kg cat can take 25 mg capsules twice a day. These antibiotics are most effective when given on an empty stomach.
- Clavulanate-potentiated amoxycillin: This antibiotic works by interfering with the metabolism of bacteria and destroying the cell walls of bacteria. The dose for cats is 50 mg per 5 kg, so cats weighing 5 kg are given a dose of 50 mg twice daily, with or without food.
Step 5. Prevent cat acne
While older cats are more likely to develop acne problems (possibly because they have arthritis that makes it difficult to groom their fur and remove food debris from their chins), there are things you can do to reduce your cat's chances of developing acne. If your cat has a history of acne, wipe her chin after she eats and pat the chin dry. This can prevent oil build-up and bacterial infections from getting trapped in the hair follicles.
