So of course as soon a I mention pet acne I notice that my calico Dim Sum is suffering from it. I know it’s crazy that cats and dogs can get breakouts, but they can, and if you aren’t quick to treat them those gnarly black heads on your kitty or pup’s chin can get infected. After the jump, signs of pet acne, causes, and solutions!

What’s pet acne?
Just like with us humans, our pets can have breakouts. Rather than looking like a pepperoni pizza though, cats and dogs get blackheads. They tend to get them on their chins, as this is an area that interacts with the most bacteria on a daily basis. You know if your pet has it if they suddenly look like they have a lot of dirt in their fur. It can literally look like they dipped their chin into a pot of soil, but it’s all blackheads. Gross!

What causes pet acne?
The most common cause is a dirty bowl. If you don’t wash your pet’s food and water dishes often (some recommend after ever meal) the bowls can harbor gross bacteria that your cat or dog will them rub their face into when they’re inhaling their meal. The best way to avoid or alleviate pet acne is to wash dishes at least once a day. Also, make sure to ditch plastic food and water bowls, as they can harbor more bacteria than glass, metal, or ceramic.

So my pet has the black chin, now what?
Rather than just leaving it alone, pick up some witch hazel and cotton balls from your local drug or health food store. This natural astringent is like Clearasil for those looking for a less harsh way of dealing with bad skin (works great for both pets and humans). Just douse a cotton ball with the tonic and then rub the affected area. Don’t get too rough, as you don’t want to irritate the area, but you want to scrub a wee bit to help get those blackheads out. You can do this up to four times a day — that is, if your cat will let you.

Do not use tea tree oil! Cats are allergic to the stuff.

How do I prevent feline acne?
Washing bowls is key, but you can also give your kitty an extra boost by adding vitamin E into their food, which fortifies omega fatty acids and also helps fight
inflammation. Just buy some E capsules at your local health food store and break one open over your cat’s food for every meal. The extra vitamins will help keep acne at bay. As soon as you see blackheads swab ‘em with some witch hazel.

If your cat has persistent acne, make an appointment with the vet as something else may be going on.

^{Images: Sonia Zjawinski}

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