PRIMORDIAL POUCH in CATS 🐈 Why Your Cat Has a Fat Pouch

Many cat guardians have looked at their feline and wondered what the little pouch of fat on their belly means. At Animal Wised we can tell you it's a primordial pouch and we also tell you what it's for in this new video. What is the primordial pouch in cats? The primordial pouch is located between the hind limbs. Although made up of skin and fat on the belly it's not related to being overweight. It's a flap of excess skin which swings and moves as the feline walks and runs. This primordial pouch usually appears in the adult stage of some cats or even from as little as six months of age. It can also appear soon after sterilization. This primordial pouch is a trace or genetic inheritance from their wild feline ancestry. It serves as a form of help to survive What is the pouch for? Although our domestic felines have their basic needs met by humans most maintain their primordial pouch. It's believed to be retained for the following functions. Firstly it acts as a food reserve. The primordial pouch stores a quantity of fat which is very useful for obtaining energy during times of food scarcity. The excess skin can also expand meaning they can store up during times of abundance without causing their body any damage. They can then maintain nutrition for longer. Wild felines still use this pouch during periods such as winter when it's more difficult to find prey. The pouch also facilitates movement. The excess skin can stretch out giving the cat greater agility when performing certain movements. These include running or jumping over large distances. Finally it protects the abdominal area. This excess skin and fat offers added protection to the vital organs which are vulnerable during attacks especially when other cats scratch with their hind limbs. Cat breeds with primordial pouches. Not all cats have a primordial pouch. It's a genetic inheritance which is not as common in certain breeds. Some breeds have a more pronounced primordial pouch than others according to their breed standard. These breeds include the Egyptian Maui, Japanese Bobtail, Pixie Bob and Bengal cat. Check the first info video above for more about the characteristics of the Bengal cat. Crosses of these breeds can also present a primordial pouch. However due to the evolution of the animal and the process of domestication it seems to be less and less common. Along with the domestic feline big cats such as the lion, tiger or jaguar also have a primordial pouch. How to differentiate a primordial pouch from being overweight. When a cat guardian claims their feline has a sagging belly they may be confusing the primordial pouch with obesity. If you have doubts you can go to a veterinary centre where they will examine, weigh and palpate your cat to determine whether this is the case. Find out when you should take a cat to the vet in the video above. At first glance an overweight cat will show excess fat in other areas as well such as the thorax, back, tail and thighs. In a cat with a suitable weight the dimensions of the rest of their body won't change. The primordial pouch will also sway in healthy cats. Excess weight in a cat can prevent this from happening. If you want to learn more curiosities about cats check out the playlist we share here. Tell us does your cat have a primordial pouch? Let us know in the comments and we'll see you next time.