Cat scratching his chin raw

[meownomania]

My cat, starting this morning, has been scratching his chin repeatedly. When i noticed it was all red and irritated. does anyone know a potential cause for this? or have any solutions? i’ll take him to the vet if the issue persists but is there anything i could try before it gets to that point?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
Is he an indoor/outdoor cat? Could he have come into contact with a plant that had thorns, or irritating sap? Could a spider or other insect have bitten him?

This is not a cure or replacement for a vet visit, but try dabbing store bought chamomile tea, brewed and cooled onto it. The tea is anti bacterial, anti fungal, will help ease discomfort and is safe if he ingests it (garden grown chamomile isn't safe for cats however.).

 

[meownomania]

Hi
Is he an indoor/outdoor cat? Could he have come into contact with a plant that had thorns, or irritating sap? Could a spider or other insect have bitten him?

This is not a cure or replacement for a vet visit, but try dabbing store bought chamomile tea, brewed and cooled onto it. The tea is anti bacterial, anti fungal, will help ease discomfort and is safe if he ingests it (garden grown chamomile isn't safe for cats however.).

he’s only an indoor cat. I don’t think he’s come in contact with any bugs but i wouldn’t rule it out. i’ll grab some tea at work later and definitely try that! thank you

 

[carrie640]

I would watch him. If it continues and it starts to scab/sore, I would take him in. Lucy started doing this in the fall and it turned out she had bad teeth that need to be removed. But then....they found oral cancer in her jaw. So, my good advice would be that....just watch it carefully. If you think it's excessive, then there probably is a reason he is doing it.

 

[neely]

If you try the tea just make sure it's the type of tea suggested below and follow the directions.

Buy plain, unblended chamomile tea bags from the grocery store. You want the commercial tea because it is the German variety. The English variety, which grows in most gardens, is useless medicinally, and can be toxic to cats. SO...take a tea bag, and brew a cup of tea. Chill it in the fridge, and administer from one to three teaspoonfuls, up to three times a day. You can use either a needle-less syringe or a medicine dropper. It is naturally, gently calming without being sedating.

Also, what type of bowls are you using for your cat? The reason I asked is because plastic bowls can harbor bacteria and lead to chin acne. The best type to use to avoid skin irritation are stainless steel, ceramic or glass.

 

[meownomania]

If you try the tea just make sure it's the type of tea suggested below and follow the directions.


Also, what type of bowls are you using for your cat? The reason I asked is because plastic bowls can harbor bacteria and lead to chin acne. The best type to use to avoid skin irritation are stainless steel, ceramic or glass.

i use a ceramic bowl!

 

[fionasmom]

I agree with the above comments, but want to add that I once had trouble with ceramic bowls, not flat dishes, which allowed the cat's chin to touch the rim of the bowl. It can be a long shot, but most ceramic contains lead or cadmium or sometimes even a finish that can be irritating. To me, this does not look like the chin acne I have seen, but I am not a vet.

There is an OTC product called Vetericyn Hydro Gel which is anti-microbial and safe for pets as it is entirely non toxic if they were to lick it. I have found it to be effective on hot spots and chin acne, but sometimes a non-prescription product can only do so much.