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My cat has black spots on her chin. Is it a bug or chin acne?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 2 years and 6 months old | 16 lbs

What is this regenerating bug that imbeds itself in my cats chin? It’s the only one and my other cat has nothing and they are indoor cats. After THREE attempts to remove it her chin has begun to turn black. It’s the holidays and I have hardly any money I live on Social Security but I’m scared for my

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Elva Ma DVM

Veterinarian

Published on December 19th, 2017

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!

6Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on November 12th, 2019
This could be from feline acne. Cats can get this on their chin, and it appears as a cluster of black spots. I understand being very concerned about Max, but if he's eating, drinking, and otherwise acting normally, those are good signs! Good on you for taking him into the vet in the morning.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on April 30th, 2020
Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about your kitty. It looks like he may have feline acne. He will need to see a vet to have this definitively diagnosed and treated. Treatment includes a medicated wash. I would also change his bowls to metal or ceramic if they are plastic. Give his vet a call now to make him an appointment. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on December 11th, 2016
It sounds like Ginny may have feline acne. Feline acne commonly occurs on the chin of cats, and the black skin is comprised of blackheads. I would take her into the vet in the morning. Feline acne can be treated with aniseborrheic washes, antibiotics if there is a secondary infection, and possibly corticosteroids if there is a large amount of inflammation present. The vet can prescribe which medications they feel is necessary to treat it.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on August 20th, 2018
It could be that Cloudy does have feline acne, but without seeing him in person, I can't say for certain. He will need to see a vet to confirm that he does have feline acne, and the vet can prescribe medications to treat it such as a medicated shampoo. Best of luck, I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

My cat has brown spots and bleeding on his chin. Is it feline acne?

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.

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My cat has white bumps on its chin. Is it acne? How do I fix it?

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!

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My cat's chin has black bumps. Is it acne and how can I treat it?

Hello there, I agree with your vet that Eve likely has feline chin acne. It can be frustrating to manage. You can try a different type of bowl, washing it more frequently, and using stridex pads on her chin. Here is a link: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/chin-acne-in-cats I hope this helps! Thanks for using PetCoach!

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My cat has black dots on its chin. Could it be cat chin acne?

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.

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Why does my cat have black dirt under her chin? Fleas or chin acne?

There is a possibility this is related to flea dirt but it also could be related to feline chin acne, ringworm, food allergy, or dermatitis. It's a good idea to have Lolita on a quality flea preventative like Frontline, Revolution, or Feline Bravecto incase this is flea related. Feline chin acne can result from using plastic bowls so it's best to use stainless steel or ceramic bowls. You can use a gentle shampoo to keep the skin clean and remove some of the debris. If the issue persists then I'd recommend having Lolita examined by your veterinarian as skin samples may need to be checked for infection. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and best wishes to you and Lolita!

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My cat has blackheads under her chin. Is it cat acne or mites?

I don't think it is skin mites. Blackhead (chin acne) is pretty common in cats and can be treated with daily Chlorhexidine solution OR you can use a topical human topical benzoyl peroxide gel 5%. Trimming away any long hairs is helpful as well.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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My cat has black crusts on his chin. Is it flea eggs or acne?

Hello there! I have great news for you- it doesn't look like flea eggs, but it does look a different problem with a very cheap solution! It appears that Alex has something very common, called feline chin acne. This results in accumulations of blackheads on the chin. Rarely, these can become infected and need antibiotics, but it is almost always just a cosmetic problem. Signs of an infection requiring antibiotics would be swelling, redness, warmth to the touch, and greenish discharge. You can use an acne wipe with salicylic acid (oxy, stridex, etc.) on his chin once a day and that will help reduce the acne over time. :) I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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