All You Need to Know About Cat's Primordial Pouch?

All cats have different physical characteristics, including hair, colors, and other body parts, but not limited to genders, whether they are males or females. However, there's a unique part of the cats that you never observe, which is a primordial pouch. So what is a cat's primordial pouch, and what are the functions of this sagging belly?

What is a Primordial Pouch?

The primordial pouch is an abdominal flap of the cat that swings from side to side when cats are walking around, and it's part of the body structure. Both males and female cats have this saggy belly skin hanging around, and some felines might be saggier and could increase the whole body's weight. You might have wondered how cats have these flappy abdominal skin, and the answer is it is made up of extra loose skin and some fatty tissue. The excess skin and fat developed since they were a kitten around six months, and it kept expanding as time passed. Furthermore, different breeds of cats can have various sizes of pouches. All kinds of cats, including lions and tigers, have primordial pouches.

Why do Cats have Primordial Pouches?

There are many reasons why cats have pouches. Some theories and facts show the purposes of the primordial pouch. First, the particular part of the body can protect the cats, especially their inner organs. For instance, big cats like tigers could have an aggressive fight with each other, and the loose skin could protect them from injury when they got kicked by sharp claws or bite by their enemy. There's another theory that the pouch can help the felines move faster and give them the ability and flexibility to escape from their enemies or predators or catch their prey. Since cats are known for having powerful hind legs for running, having a loose belly would allow them to stretch and extend their body and leap higher into the air. Another reason is that the pouch can be food storage. As cat owners, you always fill the food bowl, and your felines keep eating. That's why the loose belly can help store the big meal. They store fat that can last for long days. For example, wild cats like tigers or lions tend to have one big meal after they catch their prey, so having a big pouch would allow them to expand their stomach and store their food until having the next meal.

What Causes the Cat to have Primordial Pouches?

Primordial pouches can be discrete or prominent, and many factors cause the flap skin on the feline's abdomen. First and foremost, genes and breeds can be one of the most important factors influencing the size of the saggy belly. Some breeds might have a small size pouch or more expansive pouches. Furthermore, it depends on the mixes of the breeds, and the sizes can vary.

The other most common factor is weight. The shape and weight of the cats can also affect the pouches' look and size. If the cats are overweight, they look more prominent, while the thin cats are more likely to be prominent and small. This is because the extra skin would not show much on the skin and small felines. Sometimes when cats are obese, people cannot differentiate whether the cats have a large Pouch or are overweight. Since overweight cats have a lot of fats in their abdomen, the fats would not sway much when they move. The pouch is extra saggy skin, so when the cats move, they tend to sway side to side.
Furthermore, the difference between an overweight cat and a primordial Pouch is that when you touch the cat and can feel the ribs or the bones, the cat is not obese. However, if you can not touch the ribs, the cat's tummy is full of a thick layer of fat. However, when cats put on too much weight, it causes a whole problem for their health. Just like humans, having too much fat in the body is unhealthy, and the weight would make it difficult for them to move around.

You will see wrinkles and saggy skin on your arms, legs, or abdomen when you get older. Hence, aging could also cause the belly of the felines to expand, and the skin would sag more. Besides aging, surgery such as spaying or neutering might cause weight gain because they will overeat after the surgery. However, the whole surgery process does not affect or cause the pouches. As mentioned, weight gain makes the skin elastic and develops more excess skin. However, for female cats that have not been spayed yet, you should be careful with their big stomach because sometimes they might be pregnant, not the excess skin belly.

Do all Cats have Pouches?

All cats that are born naturally have primordial pouches. However, if they are bred in the lab, sometimes they are permitted not to have the pouch, so that some mixes can have no primordial pouch.

Can the Primordial Pouch be Removed?

Since the saggy belly is developed naturally, it can not be removed. Even if you take them to the vets and do surgery to remove them, it would be unethical. Unlike humans, they can perform surgery to get rid of their excess skin to look younger and beautiful, but it's unethical to do so on animals. Furthermore, their skin would keep extending as they age. The pouch also helps the cats in many ways, as mentioned above, so keeping it would be the best way.

Don't worry too much about seeing a big saggy belly on your cats. Sometimes it's just their pouch. However, check with vets for their health and wellness because sometimes the saggy stomach can be caused by being overweight, which could harm their health. Checking in with the vet is the best way to be concerned about your cat's health.