Black crust around cat's mouth

[Lmastro]

Hi all

I have my cat who gets from time to time these black crusts around his mouth. Normally they come off with a damp cloth after some vigorous cleaning however he doesn't like that very much of course so it is almost impossible to get them off. However, I've tried to figure out what might be causing them but to no avail... It looks like some sort of acne but this is far worse than the typical black dots on the chin or sides. Any suggestions?

 

[Norachan]

Hi Lmastro

That does look like feline acne. It looks like he needs his teeth cleaning too. Are you able to get him to a vet? I'd recommend taking him in for a dental appointment, getting his teeth cleaned and asking your vet for their advice about his acne. This can be caused by an unsuitable diet, using the wrong kind of bowls (Steel or ceramic are the best) but could also indicate some digestion problems. This could also be why his teeth aren't looking their best.

Please let us know what your vet suggests.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Norachan beat me to every point, so I'll just second her suggestions. IF you are using plastic bowls, switch to steel or ceramic immediately, and scrub them well after each meal until this totally clears up. In fact, I'd pour boiling water over them after washing until he's clear, simple because he could be shedding bacteria into the bowls at mealtimes.

 

[Lmastro]

Using ceramic bowls since over three years already and cleaning them always with hot water. His teeth are like that because we picked him up from the street when he was already an adult and he used to fight with lots of cats before we got him castrated. He's over 20 years old now.
He hates being touched around the face so us brushing them is out of the question. I thought I could at least get an idea of what it could be here before getting him to a vet since he gets extremely anxious and stressed once he is touched by one. But thank you anyways.

 

[Norachan]

My cats won't let me touch their teeth either. I understand what it's like when you're trying to care for former feral cats. If he will eat them chicken gizzards are great for cleaning teeth naturally. They remove a lot of plaque as the cats chew.

What food does he like? Do you give him canned, dry or both?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Ah, so you're ahead of us on that. And it could be an extreme cat acne. I've seen it get very bad, even though you are not using plastic, and are using very hot water to wash. Some cats seems to be very susceptible. It might also be rodent ulcer (more properly, Feline Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex...nothing to do with rodents). This is also treatable. And this would be early stages, I think. It can get quite severe.