"My cat's tummy is hanging out" is a statement many feline caregivers can make to themselves by looking at their cat's anatomy and it has a name: bag or primordial sack. This primordial bag is inherited from the wild ancestors of the cat, since, due to the functions of fat storage, protection and ease of movement, it allowed felines to survive in adverse conditions. Most of our little felines currently do not need this structure and therefore not all cats have it, but only those that inherit its genes or belong to certain breeds whose purity requires it.
What is the primordial bursa in cats?
The primordial bag in cats, primordial sac, Cat Belly Flap, Primordial Pouch or Felline Pouch is located between the hind limbs. This hanging belly in cats is due to excess skin and fat not related to being overweight. It is something like a flap or skin that swings and moves with the movement of the little feline.
This primordial bag usually appears in the adult stage of cats or from 6 months of age Sometimes it also appears after sterilization Although it can be related to being overweight or that the cat was overweight, he has lost the extra kilos and has left the hanging skin, as it happens in people, actually has nothing to do with it.
This primordial bag is a loophole or genetic heritage of the first feline races in the wild. It served as a form of help to subsist in the face of the needs or calamities that could happen in a free state.
What is the primary pouch used for in cats?
Not all our cats have a primordial pouch, but in cats that have inherited it, it begins to develop after 6 months and will remain throughout life, regardless of whether the cat has all its needs covered or whether every day life is at stake in the environment. So, if you are wondering why your cat has a sagging belly, as you can see, it is genetics and now we will see its main functions.
Despite the fact that today our domestic cats living in a warm home do not need this primordial bag, among the functions that the primordial sac has been assumed to have in felines we find the following:
- Food Store: The primordial sac stores an amount of fat that is very useful for obtaining energy in times of scarcity. In addition, since they did not know if they were going to eat the next day, this excess skin allowed the stomach to expand more by filling it with large pieces in order to have energy and nutrition for a longer time. It is thought that it was a clear function for the wild ancestors of our domestic cats in times of food scarcity such as winter.
- Facilitates movement: by having excess skin, the primordial sac allows greater elasticity by having a greater amount of tissue to be stretched and extended before movements such as jumping or extending the limbs to run. Thus, thanks to this structure, cats can make larger, higher or more extensive movements than other animals.
- Protects the abdominal area: this excess skin and fat offers added protection for the vital organs found in that area of the abdomen before threats, blows or attacks. For example, when cats fight each other they often use their claws and hind legs to attack each other, often hitting the abdominal area, but if they have that layer of skin and excess fat, the interior is better protected.
Primordial Pouch Cat Breeds
Not all cats have a primary pouch, as we have mentioned, nor does it depend on sex, age, race or mestizo, or individual conditions or the environment in which they live. It is a genetic inheritance that can touch or not depending on the cat. However, there are some feline breeds that need to present a primordial bag to be considered pure in their standard. These cat breeds are:
- Egyptian Mau
- Japanese Bobtail
- Pixie bob
- Bengali
These races retain many traits of the wild cats, not leaving this gap behind. Mixes of these breeds may also have primordial bursa more frequently. However, due to the evolution of the species, today's cats are losing it more and more.
Regarding the primordial bag, there are people who think that cats that have it have a "warrior gene" that gives them courage, determination and qualities above and beyond what is currently believed. can expect from a cat. The primordial bag is not only exclusive to cats, big cats such as the lion, the jaguar or the tiger also have it and fulfill the same functions.
How to differentiate a cat with primordial pouch from an overweight cat?
It is sometimes difficult for some caregivers to distinguish between being overweight and the presence of a primordial bursa in their cats. When they say "my cat has a hanging belly" you can be confused and think that he is overweight when he may not be. If you have any doubts, you can go to a veterinary center where they will observe, weigh and palpate your cat and they will tell you what his condition is.
At first glance, an overweight cat will also have excess fat in other areas, such as the chest, back, tail and thighs. In a cat of adequate weight the angles of the body will be noticeable and the primordial bursa will swing like a pendulum as it moves, while an overweight cat will have a hard round abdomen and will not move in this way.
Being overweight is not desirable in cats, as it predisposes to diseases and reduces quality of life, so you must keep your cat active and with an adequate amount of food according to its individual characteristics. In the following article we deal with this topic and detail what to do: "Obesity in cats - Causes and treatment".
