Does your cat have a sagging belly? Many cats have a big sack of jiggling belly that looks a bit like udders on a cow. We have had two white cats who both had pronounced pouches and we lovingly called them “cow cats.” We looked into having our first cat get a tummy tuck until we realized the important functions this pouch has.
My “cow cat” proudly displaying his primordial pouch
The pouch has some weight to it and sways when a cat walks or runs. They are found in both male and female cats, and can be more visible and pronounced in individual cats. Some more “hefty” cats may have more pronounced bellies, although having a pronounced pouch does not mean a cat is overweight.
You may have noticed when playing with your cat, then when you touch their belly area, they go into a “bunny kick” and may even grab onto your arm and bite. By doing this they are protecting a vulnerable area.
The Primordial Pouch
This is actually a useful part of your cat’s body. This is an extra layer of skin and fat that serves a few purposed ranging from protection to health. Click on the video below to see the primordial pouch in action!
What is the purpose of the pouch?
- Serves as protection to internal organs during playing and fighting
- Gives cats some extra stretching ability when jumping & running
- As cats age, the pouch may become more pronounced as their body metabolism slows and excess fat is stored here.
Genetics vs. a modern cat syndrome?
I started to search out wild cat photos to see if the primordial pouch was found in different populations of cats. For lions and tigers most showed slim abdominal body shapes, although captive ones in zoos seems to have a bit of a pouch.
Captive tiger primordial pouch
Smaller cat breed such as the Scottish wildcat (photo below), South African wildcat, and bobcat seemed to show more of a pouch, as did cougars and leopards.
My theory would be that our more sedentary kitties may have more of a pouch due to their lifestyle, diet, and changing genetic pool that is becoming more domesticated.
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