Black crust around cat's nostrils

When you find a black crust around your cat's nostrils, the first thing you need to determine is whether it is blood or secretion. If it is blood, it indicates that there may be a wound or foreign object in the cat's nasal cavity, which requires immediate treatment. If it is a nasal secretion, it could be due to a respiratory infection or a long-term lack of cleaning of the nose. Additionally, cats with skin diseases may also show this symptom. Skin diseases have various causes and require a skin scraping examination before targeted treatment. Apart from these common pathological causes, nutritional deficiencies caused by a lack of vitamin B can also lead to black crusts on the cat's skin. Owners can feed their cats vitamin supplements to address this issue.

1. Secretion or coagulated blood

This black crust on your cat's nostrils could be either nasal secretion or dried blood. If you can't distinguish between the two, you can take a small amount of the black crust, soak it in water, and then wipe it with paper. If it turns red, it indicates blood, suggesting a possible wound or injury in the cat's nasal cavity. If it doesn't turn red, it's likely just a regular nasal secretion.

First, owners should carefully examine their cat's nose for any obvious wounds or foreign objects. Since the nasal cavity is moist, wounds are prone to infection. If there are any abnormalities, consult a veterinarian and seek treatment promptly. Additionally, diseases such as viral infections and tooth inflammation may cause nosebleeds in cats, but these usually accompany other symptoms. Consult a veterinarian and get your cat treated.

If it's just regular secretion, it could be due to a respiratory infection in the cat, leading to an increase in secretions that accumulate at the edge of the nostrils, forming the black crust. Furthermore, if dust or food debris gets onto your cat's nose and isn't cleaned promptly, it can accumulate on the nose and form this black crust.

1. Skin diseases

Serious skin diseases can cause severe keratinization of a cat's skin, leading to crusting. The causes of skin diseases are numerous, including fungal, bacterial, and parasitic infections. Simply looking at the appearance usually isn't enough to determine what's wrong with the cat's skin, and a skin scraping examination is necessary for diagnosis.

During treatment, if the skin disease is caused by a fungal infection, use antifungal medication. Since the nose has a unique anatomical structure, it's recommended to use oral antifungal drugs containing itraconazole. For bacterial infections, shave the affected area and apply topical antibacterial sprays. Make sure your cat doesn't lick the wound. If the skin disease is caused by parasites, give your cat an emergency deworming treatment.

1. Nutritional deficiencies

When a cat lacks vitamin B, it's prone to nutritional deficiencies, which can also cause black crusts around the nostrils. The cat may also exhibit dry and brittle fur, weight loss, mouth ulcers, and loss of appetite. This nutritional problem is usually caused by a lack of variety in the cat's diet. Feed your cat specialized pet vitamins under your veterinarian's guidance and pay attention to its regular diet.