black spots

Question
hi... i have an outdoor cat and since like 3 months ago  black spots have been appeared around her noise and now she has a 4 baby cats and aslo have the same 2 sposts around thier noises but now the mam cat have a very big black spot around her mouth... i dnt know where this came from. i wanted to adupt one of the baby cats and to be my indoor cat but i already have a girl cat in my hous and actually am afriad of this black spot that to apeare on my cat too
so what do u think...could these spots a kind of illness?? and if yes how i can heal the baby cats and thier mam??

Answer
Rawd,

I will admit that I'm not sure what these spots can be.  They don't sound serious, and if they're not draining anything, or don't have a foul odor to them, or aren't crusty, and the cats and kittens are acting okay and don't seem to be lethargic, vomiting, or have any other issues, then I wouldn't be too concerned.  

One thing that does come to mind is feline acne.  It's not uncommon for cats and kittens to develop feline acne if they eat out of something like plastic, or rub up against something regularly that irritates their skin.  Plastic is well known for causing feline acne.  I'm not sure if you're feeding them out of plastic bowls, or if they eat anything out of plastic (in other peoples' yards that you may not be aware of), but if so, that could be causing feline acne.  

Feline acne, while not life threatening, does need to be addressed, because if left untreated, it can lead to open sores, abscesses, and secondary bacteria infections.  Feline acne is recognized by black spots that occur usually on a cat's chin, but can occur on the nose or other areas of the face.  The cat will need to have the area cleaned with an appropriate cleanser, and most likely, medication may be applied to prevent infection.  And, you will need to change the type of bowl they eat and drink out of.  Usually, aluminum/steel bowls don't cause feline acne, nor does ceramic.  But ceramic bowls should not have lead in them.  

Essentially, you will need to keep an eye on your cat and her kittens, and see if changing the bowls make any difference.  However, you may want to call your vet and see what your vet says.  It could be something totally unrelated to feline acne, and in this instance, I'd feel more comfortable if you checked in with your vet and had your vet make a final decision on what those spots are and how to treat them.  Without actually seeing them, it's hard to say, and to be on the safe side, seeing your vet will be the best, most prudent action to take.

Savannah