Feline acne is a skin disease present in cats on the chin and lips and can affect any cat, regardless of breed or age. To properly treat this problem, it is vital to understand the causes of its appearance and to put in place the measures necessary for a cure.
In this article, you’ll learn all about your cat’s acne and how to get rid of it. I will explain to you step by step everything you need to understand.
Cat Acne: What is it?
As with us, cats can have skin lesions, and if acne is red in us, it is always black in cats. And is not present on the T zone of the human but especially on the lower face. And as in humans, it is the sebaceous glands that cause it, and which cause inflammation in contact with the hair, then causing hyperseborrhoea leading to cat acne.
Is it really acne?
To find out if your cat really suffers from acne, take a good look at the outline of his mouth and his chin where it is located. If it is indeed this skin problem, then your cat will have the following symptoms:
- Comedones: Blackheads
- Papules: Which take the form of pimples
- Scabs: If your cat has not scratched
- Erythema: When the cat has scratched itself
- Hair loss: Often linked to cat scratching
If your cat is scratching until it bleeds or you notice inflammation and swelling, these are also signs that he has acne and is making it worse in an effort to relieve the itching.
The different causes and their solutions
A number of factors cause feline acne, here are the most common causes of feline acne and their solutions, which will prevent aggravation of symptoms such as edema or infection.
The stress
Cats abhor stress and their bodies can react negatively to it, causing physical symptoms like acne. You must at all costs find the cause of his stress, which often lies in the changes, to prevent the problem from recurring.
A lack of hygiene
Spending several hours a day licking themselves , cats are very hygienic animals that hate dirt. For example, a cat will hate having its litter box where it eats. And even his litter box needs to be cleaned regularly.
Plastic bowls should be avoided and bowls cleaned regularly. The cat’s corner should be in fresh air away from household product odors and cigarette smells.
You must ensure that your cat lives in clean air and in a healthy place to prevent this from affecting its body.
An allergy
Like us, cats have allergies and often the same as us. If you have changed your diet, it is most likely an ingredient that is harmful to it. It will be necessary for a veterinarian to diagnose the problem so that it is put away from the allergen or has enough to support it on a daily basis in the case where it is pollen for example.
An immune disease
Certain diseases cause acne in cats and only treatment prescribed by the veterinarian can help prevent periods of acne in your cat.
What can I do myself?
Sometimes simple natural solutions coupled with the implementation of solutions to avoid recurrences can make cat acne disappear quickly. Here are the different solutions to overcome cat acne:
- Warm compresses: These will be effective in treating mild acne and reducing swelling. Attention, hot does not mean hot, the heat must be bearable for your cat, its temperature being higher than ours (38 degrees Celsius) if it is bearable for you it will be for him.
- Omega 3: This fatty acid is excellent for the skin. You can give it in the form of oily fish which are rich in this acid. It’s also a food he loves and you can be sure he won’t snub it.
- Medicated shampoos: If the acne is mild, antibacterial or antifungal shampoos will help clear up the acne. These shampoos must be for cats and not for humans, because what is good for us is not necessarily good for him and can even be harmful to him.
- Ointments: Ointments applied to the skin are effective and will allow your cat to no longer have itching and will not slow healing from scratching.
- Ointment with vitamin A: The one that is often used in case of eye injury and which allows healing more quickly. Vitamin A will aid in healing.
The veterinarian if the situation does not resolve quickly
If you can’t find the cause of this acne or nothing helps in everything you’ve tried, then it’s vital to go to a veterinarian. He will carry out a physical examination which will make it possible to establish the cause and to set up the most adapted solution.
If the acne is already in a serious condition, then only corticosteroids will be able to relieve it. Aggravated acne is not only unsightly, it also hurts your cat.
In case of non-aggravated acne, antibiotics and cleaning with chlorhexidine 2 to 3 times a day will overcome it without the use of invasive drugs.
Cat Acne: Contagious?
Contrary to popular belief, cats do not transmit acne to humans. The reason why this belief is so tenacious is that ringworms can create lesions on the skin and that this one can reproduce it on the man in contact with it. But acne has nothing to do with this parasite and you don’t have to worry about it.
Cat acne and betadine treatment
Cat acne can actually be treated with betadine. But be careful, because cats can be very irritated by human products. It is therefore vital to dilute the betadine well in the water, and must be very light in color, showing that it is sufficiently diluted, so that it can be applied without causing your cat pain.
Acne in cats: The final word
If your cat has acne, try to find the cause, it’s the only way to ensure that the problem does not recur. If the acne is mild, then natural solutions can be put in place and if nothing helps, go to the vet.