When you think of acne, you might only think of angsty pimple-faced teenagers, but in fact, cats suffer from acne too. 

What does cat acne look like?

It might not be obvious at first, but this beautiful girl (Tilly) suffers from cat acne. It's okay Tilly, we've all had acne! 

In cats, acne most commonly presents as small black flecks under the chin. This can range, however, from black to reddened areas on the lower or upper lip. It most often doesn't cause any pain or discomfort for the animal. 

See the black specks on this cat's chinny chin chin? Those are blackheads, also known as comedones (photo courtesy of cat-world.com.au)

What is the cause of cat acne?

The cause of feline acne is currently unknown (meaning, it's idiopathic.) There are some proposed theories around cat acne, including stress, hormonal changes, poor grooming and food allergies. 

How can you treat & prevent cat acne?

Since there are many skin conditions that can affect cats, we recommend seeing your veterinarian if you suspect your cat has acne. Diseases such as skin mites and ringworm may look similar to this condition.  Additionally, feline acne lesions may be secondarily infected, causing a deeper pyoderma (skin infection) that may require more aggressive medical treatment.  

In general, mild cases of cat acne can be treated with topical antibacterial washes.  More severe cases may require systemic (oral) antibiotics and/or clipping of the fur in the area by the veterinarian to allow deeper cleaning. 

Photo courtesy of: http://cats.lovetoknow.com

To help prevent feline acne, we discourage the use of plastic food and water bowls as they tend to harbor more bacteria than stainless steel, glass or ceramic ones. We recommend washing all bowls daily to keep your cat's chin clean and healthy.