# Frustrated with Feline Acne!-Updated



## kboody (Feb 4, 2009)

Hi All-new here. 

So I've read through a bunch of the posts about feline acne, and I'm pretty sure I'm doing the right thing, but I wanted some opinions/support.

A few weeks ago I noticed my male cat Oswald had a patch of fur missing on his chin. Thought maybe he had somehow scuffed it on something, but watched it. After a week or 10 days, I noticed some dirt-like stuff around the area where the fur was missing. Last Monday I took him to the vet, she said it wasn't quite feline acne but was on its way to becoming it-was just very dirty. She shaved his chin so she could clean it better, and I saw once it was shaved that he had the dirt all over his chin. She cleaned it as best she could, and since then (for the past 10 days) I have been cleaning his chin 1-2 times/day. For the past few days I have been putting a warm washcloth on his chin before cleaning it, which helps get more stuff off, and it can scrape off with my fingernail. I am cleaning the stainless steel food bowls once/day (he eats twice a day-should I be cleaning it every time?). Its not getting better, but at the same time its not getting worse, which I guess is good. There are no pimples or scabs, just crusty dirt like substance. I think I am going to buy some chlorhexadine soap and see if that helps. 

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions or comments!
Thanks!!
Katie


UPDATE:
I have been washing the food and water bowls 2 times/day, cleaning the chin 1-2 times/day with chlorhexadine soap, and its spreading! It is also now affecting my other cat, Sophie, and hers is rapidly spreading as well. No bleeding or actual pimples, just brown and black "crust". Which I used to be able to get off easily but now is not really coming off, and both cats are clearly in pain when I try to clean it. I have an appointment with the vet Wednesday morning, but I've tried everything the vet has suggested and have even taken Oswald to the vet once already. Depending on how the vet appt on Wednesday goes I may have another vet look at it. Could this be something other than feline acne?


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

*Re: Feline Acne? Or just a dirty chin?*

Sounds like you're doing everything right, but I would (and do) wash the bowls after every meal. Feline acne is caused by bacteria and dirty dishes are petri dishes for it.


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## dwadamcat (Oct 1, 2009)

Please keep up to date on this as my button cat has the same thing and I am concerned about it spreading to my baby jackson(kitten ragdoll). She hates the cleaning and I was thinking it must e fungal, as there is no was dirt can form into a lack like scabby grime so quickly, it doesnt sound right. you are not alone, I am concerned to go to the vet and pay for a chin shave and cleaning, both I can to myself.


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## furryfriends251 (Jan 1, 2009)

Milo's chin looked like this when he got acne:










We replaced his plastic bowls with ceramic; from the vet got some shampoo stuff to wash his chin with a few times a day and I think some liquid med...it was a long time ago so don't know what it was called. I still have the bottle of shampoo somewhere at the farm though if you want the name of it.

It took a few weeks but his chin returned to normal


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## katlover13 (Apr 15, 2008)

Charlie and Scottie had feline acne about 6 months ago. Charlie got it first and I took him to the vet - they gave him a shot of convenia and told me to continue using stridex pads on it. It didn't clear up and he got another shot of convenia. Dr Wendy had me stop using the Stridex and gave me a benzoil peroxide product for cats that she said would be less irritating when it was applied. Meanwhile Scottie was starting to get it. I just started using the benzoil peroxide on him also and eventually they both cleared up.
I never did know how they got it because my cats eat out of corelle ware dishes that are washed in the dish washer every time they are used.


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