Feline Acne vs Flea Dirt: What’s the Difference?

Your kitty loves chin rubs. But one day, you notice small black spots on his face that won’t come off.

You start to wonder…Does your cat have acne?

It’s not just teenagers who struggle with bad skin: cats of any age can get acne, too. ¹ But how can you know if it’s cat acne or flea dirt?

Both feline acne and flea dirt can be treated, but knowing the difference determines which treatment your cat will need. This guide explains how to distinguish between flea dirt and feline acne on your cat, as well as what you can do about it.

Feline acne and flea dirt both look like tiny, black specks. However, they are symptoms of different conditions.

Although the reasons for feline acne can vary, it’s a skin condition that affects many cats, often in response to environmental allergens, irritants, stress, and bacteria.

Cat acne usually isn’t painful or itchy in the early stages, and it appears around the lips and chin as:¹

• Small black dots between the hair follicles
• Large, white, or red pustules that look like pimples
• Areas of hair loss

But feline acne can progress to large, painful, itchy abscesses if left untreated.¹

Flea dirt is small bits of digested blood that the flea deposits on your cat. ^{2 3} Basically, flea dirt is flea feces, and it means one thing: your cat has fleas.

Flea dirt:

• Appears as small, black specks in the fur
• It is visible when you comb or pet against the grain of your cat’s hair
• It is often closer to the tail or hips than to the neck and head

If your cat is allergic to flea saliva, which is common, they may also have small red, itchy bumps on their skin. That is called flea allergy dermatitis; you can learn more about it.

The first step in identifying if it’s flea dirt or feline acne involves knowing where to look.

Give your cat a good once-over with a flea comb (you can get one from your veterinarian).

Cat acne is on the face, around the lips, and chin; flea dirt can be anywhere on the fur.

As you brush your cat, where does the comb pick up the most black specks? Are they like flea dirt, fine, black, and easily removed with a comb? Or are they fixed on your kitty’s face, just like acne? These differences help you determine which one your cat has.

Treating cat acne can be done, but you should find out why your cat has this issue. There are many possible causes. The reasons cat acne develops aren’t entirely known, but they are often tied to environmental allergens or bacteria.¹ Eliminate those to help prevent recurrences.

Mild cases may respond to topical care, but severe cases may need systemic therapy.¹

There are some basic steps you can take to avoid irritants at home:

• Clean up. Vacuum the floors and upholstered furniture, wash your bedding (and your cat’s). This also helps if your cat has seasonal skin issues related to allergens like pollen, dust, or mold.
• Change your cat’s food bowl. Plastic bowls, or the bacteria building up in the bowl, may contribute to chin acne. Use ceramic or steel bowls instead.
• Avoid aerosols.  Avoid spraying hairspray and perfumes around your cat. Use gentle, animal-safe cleaning products for your home. Home cleaning products may contain harsh chemicals that your cat is allergic to and can harm your cat’s health overall.

Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Feline Facial Therapy is a soothing solution for cat acne. It’s irritant-free and is safe if accidentally ingested. You can use it multiple times a day until the symptoms are gone.

See your veterinarian if you notice large, painful, and itchy pimples on your cat’s face. Additional treatment may be needed. The prognosis for feline acne is good, but it can recur.

Treating fleas is more involved than treating feline acne.

Where there is flea dust, there are fleas. Even if you don’t see any on your kitty’s coat, they’re close: fleas spend only a small portion of their life on their animal hosts.

If your cat has fleas, try all the following to combat the issue:

• Thoroughly clean your home, including vacuuming, steam cleaning, and washing all bedding
• Wash your cat using a pet shampoo, and thoroughly flea-comb her coat
• Use a monthly topical medication on all cats and dogs in the house to stop the flea life cycle and prevent more fleas from getting on your pet and into your home. The best products are available through your veterinarian.³

These products can take 6 to 24 hours to work, so don’t worry if you still see fleas within 24 hours of the treatment.³

Fleas can cause problems for people, too, so you really want to rid your pet and home of fleas if you notice flea dirt.²

No need to worry if you see black specks on your kitty. You’re armed with knowledge. You know how to determine if it’s fleas or feline acne and you have a plan of action for both.

Visit our blog to learn more about Vetericyn’s animal wellness products and other animal health topics.

Sources: 

1. What is flea dirt. https://www.petmd.com/dog/parasites/what-flea-dirt
2. The Spruce Pets. Chin acne in cats.  https://www.thesprucepets.com/feline-chin-acne-possible-causes-signs-treatment-3384889
3. How to get rid of fleas in your house, in your yard, and more. https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-home-guide/how-to-get-rid-of-fleas
4. Shell L. Chin Acne (Feline) Veterinary Information Network. Updated 2023. Accessed February 25, 2025. https://www.vin.com/members/cms/project/defaultadv1.aspx?pid=607&id=4953492
5. White A. Fleas (Zoonotic) (Feline). Veterinary Information Network. Updated 2022. Accessed February 25, 2025. https://www.vin.com/members/cms/project/defaultadv1.aspx?pid=607&id=7208180
6. Dryden M. Fleas of Cats Merck Veterinary Manual. Updated 2024. Accessed February 25, 2025. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/cat-owners/skin-disorders-of-cats/fleas-of-cats?query=treating%20fleas