Fine peppery specks
Visible when you comb or pet against the grain of your cat’s hair
Often closer to the tail or hips than to the neck and head
As you brush your cat, where do you see the most specks? Are they fine, peppery, and easy to remove with the comb, like flea dirt? Or are they fixed on your kitty’s face, just as acne would be? These two different presentations should make it easy to determine which ailment your cat is suffering from.
Treating Cat Acne
Treating cat acne is an easy fix, but you should first figure out why your cat is having this issue. If your cat has acne, there are a number of possible causes. Because in many cases, cat acne is tied to environmental allergens or bacteria, there are some basic steps you can take to avoid any possible causes in your home. These include:
Cleaning up. Vacuum, launder your bed and clothes (and your cat’s, too), and wash your kitty’s food bowl. If he or she is experiencing seasonal skin issues related to allergens like pollen, dust, or mold, cleaning up is the best line of defense.
Changing your cat’s food bowl. Some believe that cat acne is tied to a plastic bowl allergy, while others think that it is actually bacterial buildup on plastic bowls. Either way, ceramic and steel bowls stay cleaner for longer and are less likely to create cat acne.
Avoid aerosols. Try to avoid spraying hairspray and perfumes around your cat. In addition, try natural cleaning products over chemical-heavy solutions. These types of products often contain harsh chemicals that your cat is allergic to and can be harmful to your cat’s health overall.
However, just as with people, cats’ allergies and skin conditions can be difficult to diagnose. If your cat’s acne persists after your cleanup and vet visit, the best option is to soothe your kitty’s skin.
Vetericyn’s Feline Antimicrobial Facial Therapy spray is a soothing solution for cat acne. Better yet, it’s irritant-free and is safe even when ingested.
Eliminating Flea Dust and the Fleas that Cause It
Where there is flea dust, there are fleas. Even if you don’t see any on your kitty’s coat, they’re closeby: fleas spend only a small portion of their life on their animal hosts.
You’re probably grossed out right away by the ideas of fleas all over your favorite cuddle buddy and in your home. If you need another reason to begin the battle against fleas, though, it’s important to note that flea dust is sometimes only the beginning of your cat’s skin problems. Many cats are allergic to flea saliva. They might develop rashes or lesions from the flea bites and scratch at themselves to soothe the itch. (If this happens, antimicrobial face therapy spray can help soothe their skin.)
If your cat has fleas, try all the following to combat the issue:
Thoroughly clean your home, including vacuuming, steam cleaning, and washing all bedding
Wash your cat using pet shampoo, and thoroughly flea-comb her coat
Begin to use a monthly topical medication to defend your cat from fleas in the future.