Kitty Acne Treatment and Symptoms

If you suspect your kitty has feline acne, you may wonder what you should do to help your poor kitty. Fortunately, feline acne is usually easy to identify and treat. Just like you pay attention to proper feeding and medical treatments, you'll want to add grooming and acne prevention to your regular pet health program. You should be able to get kitty's acne under control in a few weeks with proper treatment.

Feline Acne Symptoms
Feline acne looks much like the pimples and blackheads that form on humans. You might notice black specks on your cat's chin or around your cat's lips. Perhaps you've noticed the chin area has become lumpy and sensitive; your cat may pull away if you accidentally touch the chin area. In serious cases, you'll notice sores or abscesses that ooze pus. All of these are symptoms of feline acne.

Feline Acne Causes
Bacteria cause acne in both humans and cats. If your cat has acne, your cat has a compromised immune system that is not fighting off the bacteria that is building up every time your cat eats.

Since bacteria cause feline acne, you'll want to do your best to minimize contact with bacteria that might cause the infections. Try the following:

• No More Plastic: You'll want to ditch your plastic food dishes for glass dishes and make sure you wash the dishes daily so bacteria doesn't build up and irritate kitty's chin.
• Wash Up: If you can get kitty to sit still for you, you'll want to quickly wipe your cat's chin after every meal. Wash it will very mild soapy water, then rinse. Don't use antibacterial soaps or dishwashing soap; these will be too strong and will irritate your cat's sensitive skin. Ask your vet for mild cat soap, or use cat wipes or a very diluted solution of iodine and water.
• Trim That Beard: If your cat has a lot of hair on its chin and food is getting stuck in it, you may wish to shave or trim his beard to keep him bacteria-free.
• See the Vet: If your cat has severe acne, oozing abscesses or large pimples, bring your cat into the vet for professional treatment. Do not squeeze pimples yourself; let the vet decide if anything needs to be lanced or drained. You don't want to spread the infection further or make your cat resent you for hurting her.