Feline Acne.. A right pain in the...

[008cats]

I just resolved a bout of this... tried a few things, antibacterial wash and then hydrogen peroxide, but it wouldn't budge. I don't think it is clear weather it is oily food or bacteria, so you have to deal with both. I used only stainless steel, keeping kibble in freezer and only bringing out a bit at a time to room temperature. After not having success, I got a little bottle of a veterinary wash that contained chlorhexidine. I would microwave a small dish of water to warm it up, dip in a clean bit of cotton or microfibre cloth, put a drop of the wash and rub: side to side, up and down. Then I would wipe well with an unsoaped but wet part of the cloth.

I did this everytime after he ate; it cleared up very quickly and has not returned. I think perhaps rubbing alcohol is too harsh. You need to keep it clean, but not irritate it more.

[NutroMike]

Originally Posted by Pushkabounce

Hey guys.

My 3 year old Male cat has his first bout of acne. I've never come across it before so this is still a learning curve for me.

I'm just interested to know if you guys know anything more about it?

He got it a week after I changed his food to a high meat (biscuit) food and I read that acne can be caused by oily foods that block their pores? I have since put him back onto his normal biscuits.. anyways..

I was washing his chin every other day with an antibacterial wash and holding on a warm cloth to draw out as much as possible, after no change I took him to the vet and she wasn't at all worried about his chin and just said to start washing it every day. So I have been.

The only change is that now the bits are bigger and flat. Also like dried dark red flakes of skin. I rub it with my fingers now to create a lather and I find that better at getting bits out BUT IT'S STILL HERE!!

Has anyone found a way to get rid of it, to speed up healing, keep it away? Any other reasons why they can get it other than the normal things?

(He has cane bowls which are cleaned after every meal and his mat his cleaned daily)

Thanks!

I have not read the entire thread yet and this may have already been answered but here goes; I had my first bout of it several years ago. Took Swiffer to the vet and he blamed the plastic bowls. No matter how clean you keep them, apparently they still harbor bacteria. So I switched to all stainless steel bowls, cleaned the acne gently every day and it eventually went away. Haven't had a bout of it since. FWIW

[Luvmyfurbabies]

I had an issue with this once, I was using disposable plastic bowls for my baby that had ringworm to make cleaning easier for me. I thought by giving him a clean bowl twice a day that I was helping to keep everything clean and sanitized. Then the acne showed up. I switched to glass bowls and never had a problem since.

[Pushkabounce]

I use only steel bowls or ceramic ones that I can put in the dishwasher. No plastic ones.

I wasn't giving him fresh ones every day before he got this so I guess that is what has caused it. He has clean ones after every meal now and a clean placemat every day.

I have stopped washing it and it isn't getting worse. He has a sore ear at the moment which he is having drops for. His treatment finishes Monday so I'm hoping he won't be as glum after. Maybe that is why it's not going away

[NutroMike]

Originally Posted by Pushkabounce

I use only steel bowls or ceramic ones that I can put in the dishwasher. No plastic ones.

I wasn't giving him fresh ones every day before he got this so I guess that is what has caused it. He has clean ones after every meal now and a clean placemat every day.

I have stopped washing it and it isn't getting worse. He has a sore ear at the moment which he is having drops for. His treatment finishes Monday so I'm hoping he won't be as glum after. Maybe that is why it's not going away

Did the vet give you a topical for it by any chance? You might ask the vet if there is something that can help clear it up. If it's not getting any worse it's probably on the upswing to getting better!

[October]

Murphy has acne but has never had plastic bowls, so that's not the only answer.

[spirite]

I agree. I've always used glass or ceramic, and Margaux's always had the acne problem. But since it doesn't seem to be causing any big issues, and she's hostile when anyone tries to keep doing something that she doesn't like, I feel like it's not worth trying to get rid of it.

[Pushkabounce]

Tinker has never had plastic bowls with me so I know that's not the reason he has it.

The vet gave me some antibacterial wash and said to do it twice a day. I started to then changed to once a day and I haven't done it at all for nearly a week and it's actually looking better!

Each night I itch it for him which he enjoys and it gives me a chance to see and feel how it's doing. It's still there but not thick like it was before.

Fingers crossed!

P.S Thank you for all of your replies. I went straight into the washing and cleaning of everything that I didn't even think to just see if it slowly goes by itself.

[katlover13]

When some of my cats got it the vet said to use Benzoil Peroxide (teen acne medicine) on it and it seemed to work. I also only use Corelle ware dishes for their food. It seemed to bother me a lot more than it bothered them.