Is there something unique about a cat's tongue? If you ever had the opportunity to take a serious look at the tongue of a cat, or if you've ever been licked by a cat, you would be aware that the tongue of a cat is quite rough. This roughness of a cat's tongue is primarily due to the existence of papillae on the surface of their tongue. These papillae are structures that are barb-like and they are made of keratin which is the same protein substance found in claws and hair.
A cat's tongue is quite unique because it has both prehensile and sensory abilities. The rough, barb-like papillae in the tongue allow the cat to scrape off meat from bones and it also assists the cat in pushing the food further into the cat's esophagus. The papillae can act as bristles too, allowing the cat to use it as a grooming tool, removing dirt, loose hair, and debris when they lick their coat.
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