What are the black dots/residue on my cat's mouth that keep returning?

It looks like feline chin acne. If he eats from plastic bowls, switch them out for glass, steel or ceramic bowls. Some cats are allergic to plastic. You can clean his chin twice daily with a Stridex acne pad (NOT the kind with salicylic acid, but the kind with benzoyl peroxide), or you can use a cotton ball with regular hydrogen peroxide to clean his chin. If it does not improve significantly in a few days or gets worse, please get him in to see your vet as this could indicate a more serious condition.

Hello, it sounds like Mimo may have chin acne. This has been associated with skin sensitivities to something in their environment. Especially something they like to frequently rub on or have frequent direct contact with. One common object includes plastic food bowls. These can cause sensitivities of the skin and inflammation leading to formation of these black heads. You can try to change Mimo's food bowls to stainless steel or ceramic bowls. This can reduce the incidence of chin acne. You can also acquire skin sensitive baby wipes and wipe the area daily to see if this helps clean his skin. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Given the location of the white bumps on Kira's chin, it's most likely that this is a case of chin acne. Cats tend to develop this condition as a result of eating/drinking out of porous bowls, such as plastic or ceramic. While I don't know which type of bowls you're currently using, I would recommend using either stainless steel or glass bowls, taking care to wash them daily. This change should help minimize the chance of future recurrence. For now, you can clean Kira's chin with an antiseptic cleanser, like chlorhexidine (Hibiclens is one brand) twice per day. Be sure to rinse his chin after wiping with the cleanser! If the bumps persist in another week or two, or if they get worse at any point, then you'll need to take Kira to his vet for further evaluation. I hope that everything goes well!

The lesions on Chubbs' chin and mouth could be feline acne, viral in origin, among others. Make sure that Chubbs is eating from stainless steel or glass bowls rather than plastic or ceramic, as these materials are more porous and can harbor bacteria, leading to irritation of the chin and feline acne. You can also use dilute antiseptic solution (such as betadine or chlorhexidine) to clean his chin 1-2 times per day, but take care to rinse and dry the areas thoroughly. If he continues to scratch, you can put an e-collar (cone) on him. However, if the lesions persist or worsen, Chubbs may need to go to his vet for further evaluation and medication, such as antibiotics and/or steroids. I hope that he's on the mend soon!

This looks like it could be a scab or potentially feline acne. Feline acne can be related to using a plastic or dirty food bowl so you may want to switch to glass or ceramic if you have a plastic bowl. It does not typically require treatment and does not bother the cat. If this lesion is getting bigger, if you notice redness or discharge or if it seems to be bothering Lydia I would recommend having your vet examine it.

Hello, and thank you for your question. The black spots look suspicious for chin acne, which is common in cats. It is not a bug at all, but in fact sebaceous secretions that plug up the hair follicles on the cat's chin. These can become infected, so the best thing to do would be to take Little to the vet to see if she needs antibiotics. For mild cases of chin acne, however, you can try wiping the area twice a day with hydrogen peroxide. This may help to open up the hair follicles and prevent them from getting clogged up again. Other possibilities for the chin issue may be infection, or tumours. Again, it would be best to get this checked out by a vet eventually to confirm the diagnosis. I hope this advice helps in the meantime!

You should use a plate for Fluffy’s food and clean it frequently since oils from food or a reaction to plastic bowls can lead to acne. Occasionally medicated benzoyl peroxide wipes or ointments like mupirocin are needed to help with acne. Depression shouldn’t be related and can be a sign of a number of diseases so if it continues and you’re concerned your should see a veterinarian.