This month’s article is about unique things you might not know about your dog or cat. A cat question: Is Your Cat Fat or does it have a Primordial Pouch? If your cat has a loose, “jiggly belly,” you might think he simply needs to lose a few pounds. However, that flap of skin may be something called a primordial pouch, and the size varies from small to a large flappy pouch that may even swing when they run. Not all cats have one, but many cats do and it’s completely normal. A primordial pouch can appear on all cats, regardless of whether they’re slim or a bit chunky. If you have a young cat, you may not notice the pouch, as they usually start developing around six months of age, or as they mature and age. Even experts aren’t quite sure why cats have primordial pouches, but they have a few theories. One theory is it may serve as protection in a fight, as it shields vital organs from an attacking cat’s sharp claws. Another theory is it exists as extra storage during a feast allowing their stomach to expand comfortably. Wild cats don’t know when they’re going to find their next meal (unlike some of our spoiled pets), and they often gorge themselves, so they have extra fat storage. Another explanation is that it allows cats to fully stretch and extend their bodies out more when they run. All cats – domesticated pets, lions, tigers, cougars, etc. – have primordial pouches.
You want to make sure you’re taking the best care of your cat’s health, which means helping him maintain a healthy weight. There are certain visual cues that can indicate whether your cat is at a healthy weight, regardless of the size of his primordial pouch. Looking down at your cat, you should be able to see an indentation at their waist, they shouldn’t have a ‘barrel’ shape to their body when you look at them from above. From the side, you should also see a slight abdominal “tuck,” and feel your cat’s ribs easily which should feel dense and hard rather than soft and “squishy” even if they have a primordial pouch.
Cats and dogs drink differently. Cats sip, dogs slurp. If you have both a cat and a dog, this information probably isn’t surprising. You probably have needed to mop up puddles of water around your dog’s bowl, though your cat rarely spills a drop. A dog’s tongue acts as a backwards-facing ladle, scooping water into its mouth – while splashing all over the place. The rough top surface of the cat’s tongue just barely touches the water, and then draws up a column of water that defies gravity for just a moment thanks to the power of inertia. At that moment, the cat closes its mouth around the top of the column, taking in water as the remaining drops fall back into the dish.
Cats can smell the air. Your cat sometimes has a look on his face as he sniffs the air? He’s not sneering at you, but he is checking the air. Through a controlled method of breathing known as ‘taste-scenting’ your cat uses an organ located between the roof of the mouth and the nose’s septum to taste the scent of another cat in the air, or other things. Dogs do this through a different mechanism. The wetness on a dog’s nose is actually a layer of mucus used to absorb scents. Dogs then lick the scents off of their noses to taste whatever is in the air.
Cats remember, dogs forget. Cats are “famous” for being hard to train, while dogs seem smarter, taking on life-saving jobs, assisting the blind and finding victims of natural disasters trapped under rubble. So, it’s pretty surprising that a cat’s short-term memory is 200 times better than a dog’s. A dog will forget a recent event within 5 minutes. If he had a bath earlier today, your dog has already forgotten about it – but he may have negative associations next time he sees the tub or smells the shampoo bottle. Cats, however, have a short-term memory lasting up to 16 hours – exceeding that of monkeys and orangutans. Cats also have twice as many neurons in their brain as dogs. It’s possible that they are smarter, even though it’s harder to get them to show off their intelligent abilities.
Both dogs and cats have a third eyelid at the inside corner of their eyes, which has one of the most important tear glands attached at its base. Other species that have a third eyelid are polar bears, sea lions, aardvarks, camels, kangaroos, beavers, horses, alligators, lemurs, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Unlike “normal” eyelids, which move up and down, this third eye membrane tracks across the eye from side to side, functioning as a shield for the cornea, and keeping the eye moist and clean by “sweeping” across the eye.
The third eyelid should not be seen after the animal has awakened and is bright and alert. There are several possibilities for prolonged membrane exposure that range from ocular problems to more systemic autoimmune or neurological disorders. If your cat/dog has been given anesthesia or sedation for a medical procedure, the third eyelid will be visible and partially cover the eye due to the extreme physical relaxation. The effect may last for several hours after waking up but should gradually disappear.
Cherry Eye- Some dog breeds are prone to prolapse of a gland found in the dog’s third eyelid—a condition known as “cherry eye” mostly because of its bright-red presence resembling a cherry in the corner of the dog’s eye. This is a congenital disorder found commonly in certain dog breeds such as cocker spaniels, beagles, Boston terriers, and bulldogs. It happens when the cartilage responsible for supporting the membrane folds over, causing the third eyelid to no longer work well as a “windshield wiper.” This results in the gland now being exposed and potentially inflamed. An animal that is malnourished, dehydrated, has lost weight or generally not feeling well may manifest protrusion of the third eyelid. If your pet’s third eyelid is visible for an extended period of time, or if a “cherry eye” is seen, take your pet to your veterinarian to find out the reason.
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