It looks almost like there are specks of dirt on their chin. They have been scratching a lot and I think they are actually tiny scabs. They cats are indoor cats and I live in the city so they dont have fleas or bugs. Ive switched to glass bowls since and no change there. What could be causing this chin disease, chingervitus
2007-03-16 06:01:01 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Just because they live inside doesn't mean that they can't have a parasite. My indoor city cat got fleas from someone coming over whose cat had fleas and they carried over on the human. You would be amazed at how it can happen.
It sounds like something contagious if they both have it. I suggest a vet trip
2007-03-16 06:04:46 · answer #1 · answered by allyalexmch 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Kitties with chingervitus... poor kitties....
Try scratching the tops of thier heads and the other places they can't reach, if there is grainy black stuff then it's not cat acne, or an allergy, or a rash, or mange. The black grainy stuff is dried blood certainly, it can't be anything else. This tends to rule out anything but mites and fleas.
Cats are clean and wash a lot, so even if they have fleas you might not see many at all. If they have mites you just can't see things that small, but mites would have to be pretty bad to make blood, so it's probly fleas.
Look in thier ears, if they are black and dirty in the canal they have mites, if not, they have fleas.
If you wanna try a flea detection trick get a white bowl of soapy water (not a ton of soap, just a little squirt of dish soap) and put it on the floor near where the cats are at lot (They should'nt drink it, but watch them incase they get curious) place a light over the bowl, about a foot above the water, and within a few hours you should have some fleas in the bowl of water. If you have fleas nearby they will definetly try to jump into the light and fall into the water. Mites on the other hand are unable to jump anyplace, so if your bowl is empty in the morning fleas arent your problem.
The vet isnt a bad idea, but if youre broke right now, and your problem is fleas, you could try over the counter stuff. Flea collars do not work. Neither does bathing (ever try to bathe a cat? it's horrible!) There are wipes that work pretty good, and kitties think your petting them when you use the wipes, and I guess theres the stuff you put on thier neck and back too...
Good luck kitties!
2007-03-16 13:32:25 · answer #2 · answered by twilightinsanity 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Believe it or not, your cat may just have chin acne. My oldest cat get this from time to time. She used to have it a lot when we had plastic bowls. Now we have metal bowls and it is better. We also have to clean her chin from time to time. Wash your cat's chin when you see it start getting blackheads (or what looks like little dirt particles) with some antibacterial soap and water. Do this every day until the chin looks good again. Some cats may need medicated cream from the vet in order to completely heal. It is not a parasite or disease though, just a dirty chin that is prone to acne - your kitty isn't doing a good job of cleaning her chin! My cat is white, so it really shows when she starts breaking out.
2007-03-16 13:31:23 · answer #3 · answered by mmct21 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Chingervitus??? Did you mean Gingivitis? That's a disease(inflammation) of the gums and has nothing to do with her chin(who the heck gave you that information?).
Aside from bugs like fleas, I'd say black heads are a safe bet. I had a ferret with black heads on the tale and I had to wash her tail with acne soap for a while and rinse it really thoroughly. It worked. Ferrets are carnivores, just like cats, so they are not all THAT different. Ask your vet about the black head thing and if he thinks the acne soap might work for your cat first, because of where the black spots are located. With it being so close to the mouth I'd feel better if you made sure first. Good luck.
2007-03-16 19:26:22 · answer #4 · answered by Huh? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all your cats could have fleas even though you live in the city and they stay indoors. Fleas can be brought in to your home by friends and family who have animals with fleas. With cats, it is harder to find them because they clean themselves so much, but look for specs that look like dirt. It could also be allergies! I know it sounds crazy, but my cat is allergic to certain foods. Did you switch cat foods lately? That could be the problem. Maybe you should give your vet a quick call and see what they say. Good luck!
2007-03-16 13:11:04 · answer #5 · answered by Shelly C 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Your cat most likely has mites. They are most common in the ears, but can show up on the body also. You can't really see them, but they make you cat look like they have dirt in their hair. Try getting some Revolution from your vet. I highly recomend it over anything over the counter. Your vet may also give you a topical medication to treat with. Mites do not go away easily on their own, so treat ASAP!
2007-03-16 13:08:40 · answer #6 · answered by HEIDI 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I am not vet and I have no experience, but since I have a say, I would say that your cats just might have mang. The best way to help your cats and treat them is to take them to the vet. Good luck!
2007-03-16 13:09:53 · answer #7 · answered by angel_of_the_united_states 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
this sounds dumb, but its true, the others are garbage, my cat has it to. i had them checked out, its cat acne, you can get a cream for it, but applying it to them is hell. good luck
2007-03-16 13:09:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋