My Cat Has a Sagging Belly - What Does This Mean?

If your cat is a healthy weight but has what looks like a saggy belly, don't worry - this is normal!

Sagging bellies on cats are primordial pouches designed by nature

This pouch, comprised of fat, skin, and fur, sits below the internal organs and is there for protection of those organs during fights, to help cats move faster with greater flexibility and to store the “leftovers” of a big meal for future energy.

Both domestic and wild cats have primordial pouches. Domestic cats begin to develop theirs at around 6 months of age

It’s important to recognise the difference between a primordial pouch and an overfed belly on cats

Primordial Pouch or Belly Fat?

It’s important to know whether your cat has an obvious primordial pouch or is overweight.

Your cats shape is the first clue, since overweight and especially obese cats have rounder bodies, whereas normal weight cats with large pouches do not.

The belly of an obese cat pretty much starts under the neck and continues all the way to the backend, whereas primordial pouches start farther back.

Another way to tell if your cat is overweight is to look down at him and check for a waist or an indentation at the hips or press gently on his sides to feel for his ribs.

If you can’t feel them, he’s probably overweight. Perhaps the best way to tell if your feline BFF is sporting a primordial pouch or excess belly fat is that the former swings when kitty walks or runs, while the latter doesn’t.

If your cat needs to lose weight then check out our advice here

You can also see our cat recipe plan and program here