What is this black stuff on my cat's chin and why is it bleeding?

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.

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 is chin acne. I would make sure you are feeding Peaches out of stainless steel or ceramic bowls and they are being cleaned daily. Even the water bowl should be cleaned daily or even multiple times a day. I would recommend wiping her chin clean also. Sometimes these cases need antibiotics, so if it doesn't resolve with cleaning everything then I would recommend taking her to a veterinarian. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

Hello, Thanks for the good photo. This looks like it may be either a bad chin acne lesion or a small abscess or infection. You can gently clean the area with a warm saline or epsom salt water solution. Otherwise, keep it dry and don't apply any ointments, as these can sometimes trap bacteria and worsen infections. If it's not significantly improved within a week, I'd have Freya seen by her veterinarian when possible. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

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!