Causes Of Feline Acne
A common, mild skin condition that affects cats is feline acne. Acne in cats is similar to the acne that affects humans. The faces of cats tend to have acne.
Acne in cats may look like blackheads on the cat’s chin. If the acne is not clearly visible on the cat’s skin, the chin and lips may look like it is dirty. The acne may form crusts.
Most cases of feline acne are minor and cause no complications. Severe cases can cause hair loss, skin irritation, swelling, open sores, and infection. The risk of these complications increases if the cat is scratching the area.
Common causes of acne in cats include poor grooming, stress, allergic reactions, and dirt or food caught in skin folds of the cat’s face. Cat acne can be due to overactive oil glands in the cat’s skin.
Light-colored cats often experience changes in skin coloring which can cause black dots on the chin. These dots can resemble feline acne. Other skin conditions like bacterial infections, ringworm, yeast infections, and mange are sometimes mistaken for cat acne.
The acne should be examined by a veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis since these and other skin conditions can resemble feline acne. When diagnosing feline acne, the veterinarian may do a skin scraping or other diagnostic tests.
The veterinarian may prescribe a special shampoo, mild soap, or wet compresses with an Epsom salt solution. A topical ointment, fatty acid supplements, or antibiotics may be prescribed. Corticosteroid injections are sometimes used for the treatment of this condition.
The cat owner may be able to help prevent feline acne. The cat owner may need to pay more attention to keeping the cat’s face clean. If the cat is getting feline acne on its chin, the cat owner might help this condition by cleaning the cat’s chin after the cat eats.
Plastic food bowls can sometimes be responsible for triggering feline acne due to allergies. Switching to ceramic, glass, or stainless steel water and food bowls may prevent these breakouts.
The cat owner should refrain from squeezing the blackheads which could make the cat’s skin susceptible to infection. If the cat acne does not clear up with treatment, the cat should be examined by the veterinarian again. Another type of treatment may be needed.
Tags: cat, Cat Health, family, home, home & family, pet
