Why Do Black Flecks Appear on My Cat’s Chin?

Originally published June 21, 2017

Unfortunately, blackheads and acne are not just for teenagers—they can turn up on your cat’s chin, too, as they have on Chiggy and Caymus (see videos on this post to see what I mean). If your cat has black stuff on his chin, this is the first sign of cat acne. Fortunately, you can get rid of these black flecks before the turn into full-fledged zits.

What is Cat Chin Acne?

The first sign of cat chin acne is the blackheads, which actually aren’t attached to the skin, just to the cat’s fur. For this reason, pet owners sometimes mistake them for flea poop on a cat’s chin, but vets point to acne instead because fleas would not leave poop solely under a cat’s chin. If the blackheads are not cleared away, they can turn into whiteheads. These whiteheads are actually on the cat’s skin and they can turn into zits, which are really painful for a kitty.

Causes

One of the biggest causes of cat chin acne is plastic—plastic feeding bowls or other plastic around the house. For this reason, it’s good to either get rid of plastic feeding bowls or rotate them with other bowls like ceramic or metal. That said, it’s worth noting that cracks in ceramic bowls can lead to acne-causing bacteria, and stainless steel bowls can react with wet food and cause acne. Other causes could be hormonal, genetic, allergy related, or the result of an Omega-3 deficiency.

Treatment

The first step is to remove the cause of the blackheads by replacing plastic food bowls or water fountains. Next, remove the existing blackheads from your cat’s chin. You can do this just with your fingernails (be sure to wash your hands), or with a toothbrush, comb, or warm saltwater and a towel.

For a more complete explanation of causes and treatments or cat acne, check out our post “Cat Zits: Feline Chin Acne”.

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How do you treat blackheads on your cat’s chin?

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