Cat Primordial Pouch, Abdominal Fold or Belly Flap

The cat's Primordial Pouch, Abdominal Fold or Belly Flap are three terms for the same thing found on domestic and wildcats. The belly flap is loose skin over the belly area. I suppose it doesn't look all that great on a fancy purebred Bengal cat, for instance, but it is natural and so should be accepted.

I have read about it being more noticeable or present on purebred cats that resemble the wild cats such as the Bengal cat (a wildcat hybrid), Serengeti cat (domestic cat hybrid) and the Egyptian Mau (naturally occurring and refined domestic cat) a very long established cat indeed and also a feral cat in Egypt. But it probably exists on all domestic cats to a lesser or greater degree. You can see it in this feral Egyptian Mau picture for example. And in this article on the Egyptian Mau belly flap.

I has the appearance of being loose skin as if the cat was overweight and has then lost weight or been pregnant. I read that its purpose is one or all of the following:

-- to allow flexibility in the stomach to store food after a large kill. The large wildcats eat irregularly and this flap is a throwback to the wild cat

-- to allow greater flexibility in running. The Bengal can certainly run fast.

-- to give extra protection in that area from savage kicking in cat fights

When cats with the Cat Primordial Pouch, Abdominal Fold or Belly Flap are overweight it can be referred to as "spay sway" reflecting the fact that spayed female cats tend to put on weight. The flap is often seen on F2 Bengals it seems (i.e. cats nearer the wild cat ancestor the Asian Leopard Cat).

Primordial Pouch, Abdominal Fold or Belly Flap to Bengal Cats for Sale