Pets

[peanut247]

one of our cats (a female) has a loose pouch beneath its tummy towards its back legs
does anyone know why?

[Fitzer]

All female cats I've had develop this after a certain age, I have heard it is connected to whether they've been spayed or not but since all of ours have been I can't say if it is connected or not. It doesn't seem to affect them adversely in any way.

[wildwood]

Copied from ehow.com.

The primordial pouch is a multi-functional flap. It provides a little extra protection against kicks, which are common during cat fights as a cat will try and rake with it's rear claws. In wild cats, the ancestors of domesticated felines, this pouch appears to be present to provide extra room in case the animal has the opportunity to eat a large meal and the stomach needs to expand. It's also been said that this stomach pouch allows the cat to bend and expand, allowing for faster running and higher jumping.