Why does my cat have black specks or crumbs on her chin?

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Why does my cat have black specks or crumbs on her chin?

By: Dr. Jon Rappaport

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Our question this week was:

Dr. Jon - my cat has black specks/crumbs under her chin on one side. I thought they were flea poo but she doesn't have them anywhere else and I can't find any fleas on her. It was just on one side of her face but has now spread to the other side. I try to brush/rub/comb them away but they keep coming back & the skin in starting to look a bit raw. What could this be?

Steph Deferie

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email Steph. You wrote that your cat has black specks on his chin. Without examining your cat and being able to see for myself, it sounds like your cat has blackheads on his chin.

Cats can get "acne" or feline acne that is often focused on the chin. It often begins with small plugs of dark material in the hair shafts that are similar to blackheads. They don't bother some cats and other cats will progress to have red itchy infected bumps.

An article that might be helpful to you is Acne in Cats.

Best of luck!

Dr. Jon

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Why does my cat have black specks or crumbs on her chin?

Why does my cat have black specks or crumbs on her chin?

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