Have you noticed that flap of skin hanging from your kitten’s belly? Maybe it swings sometimes when they’re trotting around your home. Does this mean that your young cat is overweight or obese?
The flap you’re noticing is called the primordial pouch, and it’s a normal part of cat anatomy. In fact, even your cat’s wild cat relatives have a primordial pouch! Let’s review what the primordial pouch is and how it should look and feel in a healthy cat.
What is a primordial pouch?
The primordial pouch is the name for the flap of skin that runs along your cat’s belly, usually becoming more pronounced around the cat’s back legs. This skin flap contains mostly fat and usually becomes more pronounced between 6 months and 1 year of age.
The exact purpose of a primordial pouch isn’t known, but several theories exist. One theory is that the pouch may store fat to be used as extra energy if food is scarce. Another theory is that the extra cushioning can serve as protection in fighting situations. It may also add extra flexibility by allowing the abdomen to stretch as the cat stretches, climbs and hunts. For your well-fed indoor kitten, the primordial pouch may simply be a leftover evolutionary trait from wild ancestors.
How should my young cat’s primordial pouch look and feel?
Your cat’s primordial pouch can actually be quite large, even in a cat that’s a healthy weight. Your cat’s genes, breed and age all impact how the pouch looks. As a cat ages and loses muscle mass, the pouch may appear to hang a little lower.
A prominent primordial pouch that swings when the cat walks can actually be a sign of a cat that’s at a healthy weight. An overweight cat’s primordial pouch may be obscured by the appearance of their round belly. When you feel the pouch, it should feel like a hanging bag of loose, floppy skin. You may feel some fat within the pouch. You shouldn’t feel any lumps or masses in the primordial pouch, though a pregnant cat may have prominent mammary glands in the area.
Regardless of the size of the primordial pouch, a young cat at a healthy weight should have a visible waist when viewed from above and should have ribs that are easily felt without applying much pressure, though the ribs shouldn’t be visible. Your cat’s body condition is a much better indicator of whether they’re at a healthy weight than the appearance of their primordial pouch.
Find out how to body condition score your cat to monitor their weight.
