Cat language. Why do cats have a rough tongue Structure of the tongue of a cat

Do you have pets? Many people who have pets say that their lives are enriched. Whether it's a dog, cat, turtle, fish, or something more exotic, pets can make life more fun and exciting.

For example, when you return home after a hard day at work, nothing compares to an excited dog happily waiting for its owner. This wagging tail can turn even the worst day upside down. And dog licks won't leave anyone dry.

Of course, if you have a cat, she is unlikely to greet you with a wagging tail. Instead, she may climb onto her arms in search of tender hugs. And you probably don't want a cat to lick you! Why? Have you ever felt the touch of a cat's tongue? He's rough as sandpaper!

A cat's tongue is covered with papillae, which are small, hook-shaped, sharp projections. They are directed towards the cat's larynx. Papillae are similar to hair because they are made of keratin, the same substance that makes up our nails.

Under a microscope, a cat's tongue looks like a rough surface filled with thousands of tiny teeth. Although they make the cat's tongue very rough, papillae play an important role in the life of these animals.

Cats tend to take great care of their coat and spend a lot of time doing it. And how do they do it? Like this! They lick the fur with their tongue, and the papillae act in the same way as a regular comb.

Unfortunately, papillae have a disadvantage. Because of their shape, papillae tend to accumulate hair. What gets stuck on the cat's tongue is usually swallowed. This is why many cats sometimes have to regurgitate balls of wool that accumulate in their throats and stomachs.

The papillae are also important in hunting and eating. Although cats have strong jaws, papillae help cats hold prey in their mouths. When it comes time to eat, the papillae also allow cats to pick up small pieces of food that might otherwise fall out.

How do cats drink water? Slow motion

Many people believe that the cat's tongue is also used as a spoon to lap up water. Although the tongue is an important part of the drinking process, it is only recently that scientists have made an incredible discovery about exactly how the licking process works.

Using high-speed photography, scientists were able to understand what happens when a cat drinks water. Instead of twisting their tongue into a spoon, cats actually twist the tip of their tongue in the opposite direction and then quickly strike the surface of the water with it.

This particular action causes a column of water to rise from the surface. The animal then quickly closes its mouth, just in time to catch the water before gravity brings it back to the surface. How fast is all this happening? Very fast! A cat is able to dip its tongue into water at a rate of about four times per second, which explains why the process is invisible to the naked eye.

Cats are remarkably clean creatures. Almost all the time, free from sleep, walks and food, they take care of their fur. One has only to slightly ruffle the fur coat of the purr, and she immediately begins to put it in order. The most important helper of the mustachioed clean in the matter of bringing beauty and cleanliness is their rough tongue. If a pet, in a fit of gratitude for affection, licks the owner’s hand, then this is unlikely to give him a pleasant feeling. Rather, there will be a feeling as if sandpaper was run over the skin. Why and why is the main tool of personal hygiene of all the purr - so rough and hard?

How is language structured?

In cats, the tongue is flat, elongated and very mobile. Remarkable dexterity in a variety of manipulations - from lapping liquid to combing wool - this organ is provided by several muscle groups. In addition, the entire surface of the tongue is covered with special growths called papillae. They are what make it rough. As many as four types of these “devices” help the animal retain water in its mouth, move food down the throat, comb its fur, recognize the taste of food and the texture of different surfaces. Due to its structure, the language performs several completely different functions.

care tool

Thanks to the hard filiform papillae growing in the opposite direction, towards the pharynx, the cat's tongue is a kind of brush. It allows you to comb the wool in the right direction, straighten the hairs that have strayed into lumps and at the same time remove all foreign objects tangled in the fur coat.

However, individual, too lazy or spoiled specimens do not bother with tedious hairstyles, leaving this function to a caring owner. In this case, it is necessary to regularly inspect and tidy up your pet so that its fluffy coat is not covered with tangles.

The owner must take care of the hairline of his pet even if his breed is distinguished by thick and long hair. Careful licking of such a rich fur coat is difficult for even the most hardworking cat to handle. In addition, hard papillae collect faded hair, which the cat is forced to swallow. Long hairs form whole lumps in the stomach and intestines of the animal, which often it is not able to burp, as all purrs usually do.

A buildup of hair in the digestive system can cause serious health problems for your pet. Therefore, regularly comb out the fallen hairs, especially during molting. By doing this, you will save the animal from unnecessary suffering, and yourself from worrying about the well-being of your pet.

Source of taste experiences

The tongue serves cats not only for caring for their own appearance. It allows them to enjoy food or determine its inconsistency with their taste preferences, which are very selective. The slightest change in the consistency or temperature of the food, not to mention the change in its variety, can lead to a categorical refusal to eat.

In addition, the location of the papillae and the amazing flexibility of the tongue allow the purr to easily capture even liquids and mushy food, using this organ like a spoon.

Natural "refrigerator"

The language for a cat is simply indispensable in hot weather. Licking the surface of the fur coat, the purr reduces the air gap between the skin and the surface of the fur, thereby contributing to a better cooling of the body. When it becomes completely unbearable, the animal sticks out its tongue and begins to breathe frequently. Moisture evaporating from the surface of the tongue helps to further reduce body temperature.

The cat has a multifunctional organ of taste. It differs from the dog in its roughness. No wonder V. Dal called him a grater in his "Explanatory Dictionary". Roughness is due to a specific structure. If you look at the tongue in close-up, you can see a lot of sharp tubercles that cover the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe cat's organ. These irregularities are called "capillary papillae" and are of great help to the animal in personal hygiene.

The structure of the organ of taste in cats

The rough tongue in cats consists not only of capillary, but also elongated and mushroom-shaped papillae. They are located on certain parts of the body of the cat. Taste buds are found in these papillae.

The pet cannot detect the sweet taste of the product.

The animal has a long and very mobile taste organ. It is flat and can take any shape: when a pet laps up milk, the cat's tongue resembles a kitchen ladle. Horny protrusions, which can only be seen in detail under a microscope, help to cope with licking wool and eating meat located in hard-to-reach places of the bones.

Pets tend to swallow their hair, threads and other small items, since the capillary papillae are directed to the larynx and it is impossible to separate them, so the owner should regularly comb the cat and prevent it from playing with small materials at hand.

The cat's taste organ is made up of muscle tissue and a mucous membrane that covers the muscle. The scales help hold food that the animal licks off and clean the fur of dirt when the cat washes its tongue.

Veneration of the cat in ancient Egypt - interesting facts

Functions

In addition to holding food, combing and cleaning the cat's fur, the tongue of a pet performs a number of the following functions:

Thermoregulation of the cat's body. In hot weather, the pet actively licks the fur and the tip of its nose so that saliva, evaporating, lowers its body temperature.
Health indicator. White color - a violation of the functioning of the digestive system. Black - lack of vitamins in the diet of the animal. Gray or pale brown - problems with the cat's respiratory system. A yellow coating indicates a disease of the liver or kidneys of the animal. Pale tongue - diseases of the heart or blood vessels. Ulcers, spots or other formations are a reason to take your pet to a veterinary clinic.

Cats are amazing creatures, they are very affectionate and kind animals. They show love for the owner in different ways: they sleep on his lap, curled up in a ball, meet at the door and lick with their rough tongue. Probably every person, at least once in their life, thought about why they have such a language?

The tongue of cats is unique, its surface is covered with small "spikes" called papillae. It is these "thorns" that form the rough surface, and the cat's tongue acts like a brush when the pet licks the fur.

The cat language has several functions:

Help with daily care
Removing food debris from the mouth and muzzle
food tasting
Measuring food temperature
For swallowing food and drinking water

A completely healthy cat's tongue should be pink, if it has changed its color, then you need to contact your veterinarian. Any deviation from the norm is very bad, and if the disease is detected in time, then everything can end well.

Why do cats have a rough tongue?

As already mentioned, the roughness of the tongue is formed due to the so-called papillae. There are four types of papillae:

Cone-shaped papillae (filamentous) are the most common form, they grow in the opposite direction to the palate and thus help the cat to groom the coat. The papillae are located on the anterior half of the tongue.
Foliate papillae are the largest papillae of all species. On either side of the tongue, they form two groups in front of the gutter papillae.
Fungiform papillae - located on the sides of the tongue and shaped like a mushroom.
Grooved papillae - These are located behind the fungiform papillae on the back of the tongue.

Taste sensations of a cat

The sense of smell in cats is much more developed than in humans, but there are an order of magnitude fewer taste buds. In humans, there are 9000 of them, and in cats there are only 473. Taste buds are located on the trough, foliate and fungiform papillae of the tongue. On threadlike ones, unfortunately, they are not.

Scientists still don't know if cats taste sweet? Some say no, while others say yes. Be that as it may, many pets eat ice cream or delicious cookies with great pleasure. Although they are strictly forbidden to give such products.

Cats have a very sensitive tongue and prefer to eat food that has a temperature of 30 degrees. That is why many cats do not eat food from the refrigerator. If you can, take your cat food out of the fridge ahead of time so it has time to cool to room temperature.

Diseases of the tongue in cats

There are several diseases of the cat's tongue:

Glossitis is an inflammation of the tongue.
Ulcers are usually caused by viral infections.
The foreign body is bones, and other hard fragments can injure the tongue.
Cancer – Cats can have tongue cancer.

With any disease, you can not self-medicate - it can harm your pet.

Why do cats stick out their tongue?

Many people have noticed more than once that after a cat licks its fur, a piece of the tongue remains sticking out. In this case, you should not worry - the pet simply forgot to put it back in. Cats with short jaws, such as Persians and Exotic Shorthairs, tend to do this quite often. This happens due to a discrepancy between the length of the jaw and tongue. It looks very cute, and it seems as if your beloved pet is sticking out its tongue at you.

However, if your pet constantly sticks out its tongue and you observe any other symptoms, then seek the advice of a veterinarian.

When caring for a pet, it is very important to monitor deviations in the behavior of the cat, because this can indicate various diseases of the animal.