[texang73]

On Sunday I noticed my normally meticulously groomed Lucy looked like she had dirt on her chin... She's an all white kitty (longhaired), so easy to notice the difference. I scooped her up and took a look and it looked like dark specks of dirt (maybe dried blood?) alittle bit bigger than the size of a nickel... I cleaned it with abit of soap and water and put a bit of anitbiotic cream on it (as well as she'd let me anyway! She's a good kitty, very trusting, let's me do alot things to her, but she was abit squirmy as the spot did seem to bother her a bit). No worries about accidental ingestion of the cream as the spot is literally right under her chin, so she can't reach it with her tongue if she tries to lick the cream off.

I may have scrubbed abit too vigorously as the spot was back again the next morning (Mon), this time looking more like dried blood. I put more cream on it and left for work... checked again when I got home and I think I see what looks like a scab softening and kinda coming off... but it's hard to tell since it's very hard to see exactly what is on her chin since she won't let me look for long and doesn't want to be on her back...

So not sure what to think of it... I have two other kitties, one she sometimes plays pretty rough with, so I'm thinking maybe she got stuck with a claw in the chin during some rough and tumble? She's indoor only kitty and her attitude and appetite are normal, still hungry, still playful, etc. The spot does seem to bother her abit but only when I'm trying to get a good look at it does it seem to bug her (i.e. she's not trying to rub it).

Thoughts? I was thinking of calling the vet, but thought since she seems to be feeling OK, I'd just give it another day or two to see if it improves? Suggestions? TIA!

[Simkie]

I'd bet $100 that it's acne

If you're feeding or watering her in plastic bowls, stop and switch to stainless or stoneware.

A little bit of something like cetaphil to clean the area can be helpful, if she'll let you.

If it's severe enough, see the vet for RX topicals and perhaps antibiotics and steroids.

Decent pic of a bad case here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feline_acne

[texang73]

Yeah that was a thought too, but I feed them dry catfood out of glass bowls that are washed at least 2-3x week...

And it just came out of nowhere, all looked normal the day before. But after looking at that pic, that could very well be it. I'll call the vet today and see what she has to say...

[Bluey]

Every cat owner needs to get their cats used to being a cat burrito.
Most think it is a fun game.
Then, if and when you have to do something like cleaning your cat's chin, your cat won't struggle.

I agree, contact dermatitis is the first that comes to mind, a plastic bowl or something else the cat is getting into.
When in doubt, a vet exam is best.

[texang73]

Every cat owner needs to get their cats used to being a cat burrito.
Most think it is a fun game.
Then, if and when you have to do something like cleaning your cat's chin, your cat won't struggle.

I agree, contact dermatitis is the first that comes to mind, a plastic bowl or something else the cat is getting into.
When in doubt, a vet exam is best.

Ah yes, the ever so helpful Kitty Burrito Technique... She'd probably let me do that if I really persisted.

Like I said I'll call the vet today (she's out for lunch until 3:30), but I can't think of what she'd have some in contact with since their food bowls are glass... though their water fountain is plastic, but they've had/used that for years... It's a mystery...

[Simkie]

I had a cat pop up with it out of the blue once, too. We tried topicals for awhile, but when that didn't really work, she got a shot of depo-medrol. That cleared it up, never to return. Sometimes they just don't read the manual and acne pops up even though you're doing everything right.

[Horsegal984]

The plastic water bowl being old is probably part if the issue. The older and more worn plastic is the more bacteria it harbors. Glass can also get micro scratches as it ages, so replacing it occasionally or making sure to run it through the dishwasher on hot to kill bugs helps.

Cetaphil or some OTC benzoyl peroxide can help clear it up well. And as we all know blackheads can pop up in no time! Does kitty have a big date soon? That always does it for me!

[paulaedwina]

Chin zits. Use stainless and wash the dishes every day. I have quite a few in rotation so they always have a clean dish. I guess you could go the way of paper product and chuck it, but IMO that's generating trash unnecessarily.

Treat the chin zits with a little phisoderm.

Paula

[ellebeaux]

chin zits! My cat had them when we lived in Florida. Moved back North and they went away.

Okay, I'm just going to admit that I got much satisfaction out of popping them though.

GROOOOOOOOOOOSSSS!

[lilitiger2]

I'd bet $100 that it's acne

If you're feeding or watering her in plastic bowls, stop and switch to stainless or stoneware.

A little bit of something like cetaphil to clean the area can be helpful, if she'll let you.

If it's severe enough, see the vet for RX topicals and perhaps antibiotics and steroids.

Decent pic of a bad case here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feline_acne

Didn't read allthe posts but my old girl got the same thing. We went to all paper briefly (throw away) to stainless and porcelin and no more problems! Also did the antibiotics, both topical and oral, which really cleared it up.

[texang73]

Hey all,
Called the vet and the vet tech said the same thing pretty much y'all did... so got rid of the plastic water fountain, exchanged it for a stainless bowl and washed all their glass feed bowls again too.

Per the vet tech's instructions, after wrapping my sweet girl in a 'kitty towel burrito' , washed the area best I could using a washcloth with Cetaphil and warm water (she said diluted Dawn would work too), then applied abit of Vitamin E. Bless Lucy's heart, she is such a sweet girl she sat quietly through the whole ordeal. Love her. Vet said if she's not better in 3 - 5 days, to call back and see what needs to be done.

Thanks for the advice, I was just a little stumped since in 5 years this is the first time I've encountered this with her. Now I know!

[darkmoonlady]

I remember when I had my big tuxedo kitty Flash developed cat acne. He had a white chin and they were quite visible. He got one huge zit finally before it cleared up after a trip to the vet, which was so gross before it finally healed up.

[Superminion]

My parents have a rather large (20+ lbs) all white cat who had serious acne problems. They tried everything to get it to go away, and it ended up being that he drooled. They just let it be and it comes and goes. It doesn't seem to bother him in the least, and if it gets out of hand my Mom will *try* to wash it with warm water and soap. She fails 98% of the time.

He's a rather nasty bugger and they tried to burrito him once. My father still goes pale when he talks about it and he was a Marine.

[texang73]

Mom will *try* to wash it with warm water and soap. She fails 98% of the time.

He's a rather nasty bugger and they tried to burrito him once. My father still goes pale when he talks about it and he was a Marine.

[JB]

Battling this right now as well. And, the kitty involved has always eaten out of a stainless bowl

I've been applying a topical with things like jojoba oil, tea tree oil, and other godies, which has helped a lot, it eliminated the scratching, it's no longer oozing, is now smooth, but I think it's just not getting *there* like it should be. Sooooo, the former-tomcat who is already now leary of anyone coming close to him will be scooped up, suitably burritoed, and washed.

[Bicoastal]

Okay, I'm just going to admit that I got much satisfaction out of popping them though.
GROOOOOOOOOOOSSSS!

You popping the zit on cat's chin or yours? If kitty, we must have video! Or ER records

Do not google popping zits. I almost lost my launch watching a video posted to someone's Facebook. It was in a hospital: gloves, scalpel, gauze -love that stuff- so I had no clue it was a zit. Geez my stomach flips just remembering it.

[IdahoRider]

I think it is feline acne. Here is a link:

http://www.cat-world.com.au/feline-acne

Sheilah

[ellebeaux]

You popping the zit on cat's chin or yours? If kitty, we must have video! Or ER records

Do not google popping zits. I almost lost my launch watching a video posted to someone's Facebook. It was in a hospital: gloves, scalpel, gauze -love that stuff- so I had no clue it was a zit. Geez my stomach flips just remembering it.

Seri, AKA Serendipity AKA Seri Sh*thead The Cat You Love To Hate, has gone on to kitty heaven now but she was a singular cat.

She spent her formative weeks in a chaotic small animal ward at the vet school at Ohio State and turned into the most friendly bombproof cat I have ever met. She was the sort of cat that you would have to kick out of the way when you vacuumed because she just didn't care.

My dog hated her and used to jealously sit outside my bedroom door at night so Seri couldn't get in. Seri would run down the hallway toward her and take a flying leap over Mandy's snapping jaws just to get into bed with me.

Like I said, she just didn't care. So chin zits were nothing to her

[texang73]

Well, thankfully Lucy's don't look like zits (blagh! ), just dirt... Washing the glass feed bowls daily, same for the new stainless waterbowl. I've been washing her chin daily with Cetaphil and it's not getting worse, but not getting better, so another call to the vet may be in order. I'm just glad to know it's not something super serious...

[JB]

tex, how is your girl?

I finally had to take my boy to the vet (coincided with getting his 3yr rabies shot a couple weeks early), and my vet declared "chin acne gone wild"

He got an antibiotic shot and an antibiotic ointment to apply daily.

I opted for the $$ shot over daily medication because I will be lucky to catch him after forcing a pill or liquid down his throat *once*

The ointment is doable.