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Depending on the nature of the problem (deduced by a fungal culture, skin scraping and bacterial culture), and your veterinarian's preferences, Weigner says over-the-counter benzyl peroxide, or veterinary products such as Protopic or Douxo might help.

"A veterinarian should be able to figure this one out," Holub adds. "Having said that, some cats just live fine with mild acne for a lifetime. In dark-colored cats, owners aren't even aware of the problem, which shows up (mostly) on white or light-colored cats."

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Q: My 10-year-old Maine Coon sneezes when he's excited. Staff at the veterinary specialty hospital said the cat makes a heavy breathing noise, but it's in his nose, not his chest, so he doesn't have heart disease. He's on an antihistamine and had a Convenia (antibiotic) shot. This improved his condition, but the problem persists. The next step, I'm told, is a rhinoscopy to determine if there are any polyps up the cat's nose. Any advice? -- B.F., via cyberspace.

A: All three veterinarians agree that in a 10-year-old cat polyps are very unlikely. And Convenia, they say, isn't likely the right choice to treat the problem.

For starters, if the sneezing is a fairly new behavior, Weigner suggests talking with your veterinarian to rule out a variety of problems, including nasal mites and lymphoma. In this case, rhinoscopy makes sense, and perhaps an MRI or CT scan to learn more.

"If you simply have always had a chronic sneezer, you want an antimicrobial that kills bacteria and an antibiotic (of which there are several) which is appropriate for that (problem)," Holub adds. "No matter, the root of the problem is likely primarily viral."

The antihistamine could help control symptoms, as could a supplement called L-Lysine. There may be no "magic bullet" to zap the problem, however, which is why the Winn Feline Foundation continues to fund feline health studies.

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