Edited by: Ingrid King. Last updated: February 1, 2023 by Crystal Uys
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The anatomy of the cat constantly fascinates me. Cats have unique anatomical abilities that they don’t share with any other species, and the same is true for their language. This sandpaper feeling is caused by one of nature’s perfect purposes: the cat’s tongue allows it to groom and consume its prey.
cat tongue anatomy
A cat’s tongue is covered with tiny, backward-facing barbs called papillae. These taste buds are made from keratin, the same substance found in human fingernails. These taste buds explain the rough feeling you get when your cat licks you. They are designed to help the cat pick up dirt, debris and loose hair from their coat during grooming. They also help the cat remove meat from the bones of its prey.
Georgia Tech researcher Alexis Neol was so fascinated by her cat Murphy’s tongue that she decided to study cat tongues by creating a model that mimics tiny beards. She scanned a cat tongue specimen and 3D printed the structure at 400% scale.
Keeping clean is a matter of survival
A cat’s tongue is a more effective grooming tool than any comb or brush. The individual spines are even shaped like miniature cat claws with a very sharp end,” Noel said. “They are able to get into any type of tangle or knot and untangle it.” Noel then put the cat’s artificial tongue to the test inside a machine that drags the model over a piece of faux fur. To clean a traditional hairbrush, you have to pluck the bristles between the bristles. Noel’s cat’s tongue model was much easier to clean: she simply ran her finger over the surface in the same direction as the spines. (Source: PBS Newshour)
Even though our domestic cats do not need to use their tongues to remove meat from their prey, you will notice that they groom themselves thoroughly after each meal. Post-meal grooming is a holdover from the cat’s wild origin, where keeping clean is a survival strategy: removing any trace of its meal’s scent will prevent other prey in the area from being alerted to the presence of the cat. cat, and will also prevent potential predators from sniffing the cat.
Grooming also helps the cat stay cool in hot weather.
Groom for comfort
Grooming can also be a self-soothing mechanism. Some cats will resort to grooming when nervous or anxious. Unfortunately, this behavior is sometimes taken to such an extent that they will groom all their fur on certain parts of their body. This excessive grooming is also called psychogenic alopecia (alopecia means hair loss). Cat sitters often don’t see the cat doing this, they just notice the bald patches. The cause of excessive grooming can be physical or behavioral.
Tongue helps cats drink
The tongue is also essential in helping cats drink. A few years ago, researchers at MIT conducted a study on the physical dynamics of how cats drink. They studied high-speed video of cats to show how they brush the surface of the water with the top of the tip of their tongue. According to the researchers, the upper surface of the cat’s tongue is the only surface to touch the liquid. Cats, unlike dogs, do not dip their tongues in the liquid like ladles. Instead, the cat’s lapping mechanism is much more subtle and elegant. The smooth tip of the tongue barely skims the surface of the liquid before the cat quickly moves its tongue up. In doing so, a column of liquid forms between the mobile tongue and the surface of the liquid. The cat then closes its mouth by pinching the top of the column for a good drink, while keeping its chin dry.
Cats can’t taste sweets
Cats have fewer taste buds than humans and they cannot taste sweets. For sweet-loving cats, this habit was likely created by feeding species-inappropriate foods that are too high in carbohydrates and sugars.
Image Credit: Pixabay
This article was first published in 2017 and has been updated.
Ingrid King is an award-winning author, former veterinary hospital director, and veterinary journalist with a passion for cats.
