People often ask what to do if a cat has a black chin. Today, let’s talk about a cat’s black chin.

Today’s content:

① What is a black chin

② Why do you have a black chin

③ How to prevent and treat black chin

What is black chin?

Dark chin is also called "folliculitis" or "cat acne". It is actually cat acne, which usually occurs on the cat's chin, lips and tail. and other parts (the cauda equina disease I wrote about before is the same as this one).

The affected area has blackheads that look like cinders, just like humans? Like blackheads on nose.

But it will develop to different degrees:

A mild black chin will appear as relatively scattered small black spots, while a moderate black chin will appear as a continuous black chin, thick. A layer of black secretion will make the cat unwilling to be touched, and it will feel a certain amount of pain; while a severely black chin may have pustules, redness, swelling, pus and other problems.

What are the consequences of a black chin?

Dark chin is equivalent to acne on the human face. If your acne is red, swollen and bulging, how would you feel?

First, it affects the appearance of the cat and the feel of the rua cat. When he raises his head, his chin will be black and greasy, and in severe cases, he will lose hair.

Second, if the hair follicles are clogged and swollen, the cat will feel pain, and then out of instinct, it may scratch its chin with its claws, which will then bleed, and the wound will be prone to inflammation and infection.

Third, if not handled well, inflammation will spread and cause boils (jiē), carbuncles (yōng) and pyoderma.

Why do we have black chins

Why do 90% of cats suffer from black chins? Because the causes of dark chin are too wide-ranging! !

① Food residues: Although cats will clean themselves, the chin is actually an area that is more difficult to clean. There will be some food residues in the hair, especially cats who often eat soft cans. . If the cat is not properly cleaned, over time, the hair follicles will be clogged, resulting in a black chin.

② Food is too oily: If there is too much oil in the food, it will easily lead to excessive secretion of oil in the cat, resulting in a dark chin.

③ Food bowl problems: Factors such as the material of the food bowl and the frequency of cleaning of the food bowl: Cat bowls made of plastic can easily harbor dirt and accumulate bacteria and become a source of infection. And many cats are sensitive to plastics and dyes.

If the tableware is not cleaned regularly and the bacteria comes into contact with the cat, it can easily reach the face and cause black chin problems.

④ Endocrine problems: If the cat has endocrine disorders, such as estrus, which leads to strong hormone secretion and endocrine imbalance, black chins and oily tails are common in male cats.

⑤ Psychological factors:

If the cat is in a bad mood for a long time and cannot develop healthily physically and mentally, it is not uncommon for the cat to accumulate fat in its tail. For example: long-term small-scale captivity, such as cages, ropes, etc.

⑥ Cat's Stress Response

Environment The stress response caused by excessive stress in cats may also cause black chins in cats.

⑦ Allergy factors: Cats may have their chins come into contact with some substances, such as detergents, and become allergic to them. Cats with allergies will constantly scratch their skin, and in severe cases, the surface of the skin will be damaged. , which in turn causes infection and leads to black chin.

⑧ Decreased immunity: Once immunity decreases, cats will have many minor problems. Black chin, cat moss, and ear mites are the most common ones.

How to prevent and treat black chin

1. Preventive measures:

① Pay attention to hygiene: the cat bowl is made of stainless steel or ceramic and should be cleaned thoroughly every day or every other day . Wipe your cat's chin with a wet paper towel every day to remove food residue, and then dry it with a dry paper towel.

② Age-appropriate neutering: If the male cat is in heat and has a serious black chin, it is best to click his balls. After neutering, the body's hormone levels will return to a balanced state and oil secretion will be normal. stand up.

③ Pay attention to nutrition: Choose better cat food, the nutrition will be more balanced, and it will not be too greasy. The cat’s resistance will increase, and the chance of folliculitis will also decrease. At the same time, give it to the cat. A little saury rich in unsaturated fatty acids can supplement omega-3 and vitamin B, which can help promote the health of the coat

2. Treatment measures:

The treatment idea is very simple: clean Disinfect, keep dry, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.

If it is a mild black chin:

No medication is needed at this time, the main focus is cleaning and disinfection.

① Use a towel or wet paper towel soaked in warm water to moisten the cat to soften the blackheads, and then wipe them, which will make them easier to wipe off.

② After wiping off the black stuff, use a cotton swab or cotton ball to soak in medical chlorhexidine (chlorhexidine) solution or commonly used iodophor at home, and rub it on the cat’s black chin. disinfect. Disinfection is very effective in treating dark chin.

If it is a moderately severe black chin, you may need to apply medicine:

① The cleaning and disinfection steps are the same as above

② Usually Use topical antibiotic ointments: erythromycin ointment and mupirocin ointment. In addition to antibiotics, hormones, such as prednisolone, may also be used to relieve edema and furuncle; vitamins, such as vitamin A, exert anti-keratinization and anti-inflammatory effects. In severe cases, oral medication may be used.

③ Finally, when the cat recovers and no longer has acne, the ointment can be stopped. But it still needs to be kept disinfected and clean within 2 to 3 weeks.

Finally, there are some folk remedies that I heard may be useful. You may wish to try them:

① Use green tea water to wipe the affected area once a day. It may be because of the tea. It contains tea polyphenols, which have a certain disinfection effect. (But isn’t it fragrant to use chlorhexidine or iodophor? Using green tea water is not only a waste of tea, but also troublesome)

② Wipe the affected area with sulfur soap and water. The sulfur soap can remove mites and solve the problem of worms in the hair follicles. Black chin caused by parasitic mites. But be sure to wash it off after wiping it, and do not leave sulfur on your chin, otherwise it will irritate the skin and possibly cause deterioration.

Finally, today’s black chin prevention guide is written here. I hope it will be of some help to everyone.