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Feline acne may affect both male and female cats of all ages. The specific causes of the disease are not known. Cats with weakened immune systems are more susceptible.

Contributing factors in the development of the disease include stress, poor grooming habits, and abnormal sebum production.

In affected cats, lesions vary in severity, but are typically mild and asymptomatic. Pain and/or itching are not common unless there is a secondary bacterial skin infection. Lesions usually initially present at about 1 year of age, and remain cyclic for the life of the cat.

Your veterinarian will determine whether or not treatment is required. This will depend upon the severity of the symptoms, and whether or not any secondary conditions exist.

Feline acne symptoms and signs — Acne in cats may include lesions on the chin and lower lip, as well as swelling of the chin and around the mouth. Your cat may display dark brown comedones or crusted reddish papules.

Secondary bacterial infections may be present, and you may see swelling or drainage of the lesions. In these cases, both topical and oral antibiotics may be prescribed.

Sometimes ringworm or yeast infections can be mistaken for acne, as can bacterial skin infections as well.

Treatment of feline acne — Treatment is often not necessary, except in more severe cases. In fact, skin lesions can be made worse by overtreatment.

Topical therapy of some kind may be prescribed to help treat the comedones (blackheads). Depending upon the severity, more aggressive treatment may be recommended.

Your vet may remove excess skin from the lesion area. This facilitates cleaning of the area, as well as the application of topical medications. You should never do this yourself as you can hurt your cat or cause an infection.

Antiseptics may be used, such as Listerine or alcohol, as well as antiseborrheic shampoos. Some of these contain a common component of human acne treatment formulas, salicylic acid.

As with acne in people, topical benzoyl peroxide solutions are often prescribed. These are available in small animal strength formulas, which is one-half that of the human preparation, in shampoo or gel form.

You should know that even the milder animal formula benzoyl peroxide treatments may be irritating to your cat’s skin when used over time. In any case, never use a preparation made for humans on your cat unless instructed to do so by your veterinarian.

In cases where patients are immune compromised, such as feline AIDS patients, treatment may include steroid therapy. Additional supplements may be used as well, including off-label drugs.

Tags: Kittens

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