Q: My female cat’s stomach started to noticeably droop down from her body after I had her spayed. My vet said it was to be expected and that all spayed cats are like that. I have not noticed other cats with this issue. Is it true? Or, is there something wrong with her? She is not overweight.
— J.I., Barberton
A: The belly flap. The spay sway. The belly droop. The cookie pouch. Or my personal favorite, the dust ruffle.
The phenomenon you’re describing goes by many names, but the most scientific one is the primordial pouch — it’s a flap of skin and fat that hangs between a cat’s rear legs. It is a normal part of feline anatomy — a breed standard for some purebreds, and seen in big cats (lions and tigers) as well. This extra skin is thought to have several purposes such as protecting the lower abdomen from “rabbit kicks” when cats fight and allowing the rear legs to completely extend at full stride. Once upon a time, it may have helped cats store more food by allowing their bellies to stretch and accommodate a gorged meal.
Your veterinarian is 100 percent correct in saying that this flap is most commonly noticed in female cats after being spayed. Surprisingly, the reason has nothing to do with the incision on the kitty’s belly. A spay is a complete ovariohysterectomy, which means all of the reproductive organs (both ovaries and uterus) are removed. This means the cat will not go into heat or have kittens. The removal of these hormones, however, does decrease a cat’s metabolism. The same is true when male cats are neutered.
The first place cats tend to store fat is in the primordial pouch. Therefore, both male and female cats, once “fixed,” are more likely to gain weight, and have a more pronounced “dust ruffle.”
There can be, however, a lot of variation in how large the pouch is from cat to cat — a very lean cat can still have a large “flap.” Keep up with veterinary exams to make sure your cat is at a healthy weight, but a swinging belly may just be more kitty to love.
— Dr. Meg Geldhof,
PetFix Northeast Ohio, Euclid