Cat Tummy Pouch?

[yogakitty]

Hello all!

Just curious what this is. My parents cat also has it. She is a female and my little guy is a male. Both are fixed. My guy is just under a year. The other cat is 13 years old. I don't know what this is. My little guy is lean and it just looks like a pouch or sagging skin. I noticed some cats have it and some don't? Does anyone know what it is? What it's caused by? Do your cats have it? Sometimes it jiggles a little when he walks lol.

 

[jcat]

That's what's called the primordial pouch. It serves to protect the stomach during cat fights, and the loose skin is a stretching aid.
Three Theories about Primordial Pouches

 

[foxxycat]

all my girls have this. Honeybee looks funny when she's running across the lawn and her little belly is swinging-we recently shaved all her fur off=so it's much more noticeable. Yes it's normal!

 

[Gizmobius]

My previous cat, before I had adopted her, had two litters of kittens and I'd always assumed hers was leftover saggy skin from that. But then my male kitten got one around 6 months old and I started googling wondering what it was! Now I just call him jelly belly and he lets me jiggle it when I pet his tummy.

 

[ReallySleepy]

That pouch is probably the reason why people ask whether my cat is pregnant.
So I have to tell them, 'No, HE is not pregnant.'

 

[kashmir64]

In the Egyptian Mau, that pouch is used for balance when jumping. I'm sure that's not the only use though.

 

[abyeb]

In the Egyptian Mau, that pouch is used for balance when jumping. I'm sure that's not the only use though.

It also gives them more flexibility in their hindlegs, which amounts to a longer stride and higher speed.

 

[kashmir64]

It also gives them more flexibility in their hindlegs, which amounts to a longer stride and higher speed.

Thank you. I knew there was another reason, but it's so hot my brain is melting and it's hard to think straight.

 

[IndyJones]

Ever watched a cat gallop at full tilt? You'll notice they move like an accordion when they stretch out I think this flap of skin helps with this gallop.

 

[abyeb]

Ever watched a cat gallop at full tilt? You'll notice they move like an accordion when they stretch out I think this flap of skin helps with this gallop.

Yeah, it gives them more flexibility to extend their hind legs out. Here's a video of cats running on a wheel where you can see how far they can extend their hind legs. The first cat who gets on is at more of a relaxed jog, a faster cat gets on at around 1:10.

 

[yogakitty]

Is there a reason some cats have it and some don't? I'm on Instagram and usually, and not surprisingly, follow cats. It seems like so many also don't have this pouch? Some of the more agile breeds, like the Abyssinians, especially don't seem to have this?

 

[abyeb]

Is there a reason some cats have it and some don't? I'm on Instagram and usually, and not surprisingly, follow cats. It seems like so many also don't have this pouch? Some of the more agile breeds, like the Abyssinians, especially don't seem to have this?

Most cats do have a primordial pouch, to some extent. It's not always visible because it doesn't always sag below the waistline. Without the primordial pouch, really just extra skin below the rib cage, cats would have the abdominal "tuck up" of the Cornish Rex.

 

[banana queen]

Im glad all cats have this, I was wondering when I first noticed that my cats had them.

I refer to them as Flop Flaps and like to jiggle them.

 

[IndyJones]

I found a better video demonstrating the accordion action of the pouch. This is a cat running full speed slowed down

 

[abyeb]

I found a better video demonstrating the accordion action of the pouch. This is a cat running full speed slowed down

Yeah, that's a better video than I found. Our furbabies have the same stride as a cheetah!