2006-06-09 05:00:52 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
The cat's tongue has sharp spines, or papillae, useful for retaining and ripping flesh from a carcass. These papillae are small backward-facing hooks that contain keratin and assist in their grooming.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats#Physical
2006-06-09 05:12:28 · answer #1 · answered by Stick to Pet Rocks 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
One of the reasons is to help kep themselves clean. The rough tongue will pull up shedding and unwanted hair along with the dirt or anything else that may be there. That's why they're able to keep themselves so clean and why cats do not need to be bathed with few exceptions.
2006-06-09 05:03:52 · answer #2 · answered by animal_medic2001 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the purpose of the rough design is not just for pulling meat off bone or groom but if you take a carfull and close look you would notice that it is excactly designed like a comb . for the reason of grooming mostly . and combing out smallinsects and taking out loose hairs , thats why they get hairballs ...
2006-06-09 05:11:37 · answer #3 · answered by jack jack 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is used to clean itself off. The rough tongue takes un-wanted dirt and hair off. it is also used when they drink water or milk, it holds the liquid. But the wild cats have rough tongues to take the meat off their prey's bones.
2006-06-09 05:20:09 · answer #4 · answered by Animalover 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The roughness you feel on a cats tongue are all the little cup shaped holes in his tongue used for him to drink . They fill up with each lap of their tongue and then they swallow it. They are too tiny to see with the human eye but you can definitely feel them.
2006-06-09 05:04:42 · answer #5 · answered by curiosity 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A cat's tongue is rough for when a cat is eating, it can "rub" the meat off the bone.
Pretty cool ehh!
2006-06-09 05:03:15 · answer #6 · answered by cedykeman1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It cleans itself with the tongue. It's like using a hard brush on your hair. It needs to get into the fur to get the dirt out.
2006-06-09 05:04:05 · answer #7 · answered by cucumberlarry1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They comb out loose hairs when they're grooming themselves with their tongue. It's covered in little backward facing hooks that grip loose hairs.
2006-06-09 05:40:41 · answer #8 · answered by leblanc_christine@rogers.com 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is used to groom themselves now but when they were wild it was used to pull hair of their prey. It also helped them to pull meat off of bone.
2006-06-09 05:03:34 · answer #9 · answered by jenny h 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's there to catch the fur that comes off when they lick themselves. It prevents hairballs.
2006-06-09 05:04:29 · answer #10 · answered by T W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋