Your cat’s tongue is covered in tiny, backward-facing barbs that act like a comb to collect loose hairs and debris from your cat’s fur. These barbs are made of keratin, the same protein found in human fingernails and hair. This rough tongue also helps a cat to remove debris from its fur and to keep its fur clean.

When a cat licks its fur, the barbs on its tongue scrape against the hair, catching loose hairs and debris. The saliva that coats the cat’s tongue also helps to loosen dirt and debris, and the cat can then swallow the loose hairs and debris.

Your cat spends up to half its waking time grooming its fur, so having a tongue specifically adapted to the task is essential. Your cat’s tongue is also used for other things, such as eating and drinking, but it’s clear that keeping its fur clean is one of its most important functions.

Here are some additional details about your cat’s sandpapery tongue:

- The barbs on a cat’s tongue are called “filiform papillae”.

- Filiform papillae are about 2-3 millimeters long.

- There are about 500 filiform papillae on a cat’s tongue.

- The filiform papillae are arranged in rows on the cat’s tongue.

- The filiform papillae are shed and replaced about every two months.

- The filiform papillae are part of the reason why cats have such rough tongues.

- The filiform papillae help cats to groom themselves and to remove loose hairs and debris from their fur.

So, next time you see your cat licking its fur, remember that it’s not just keeping itself clean, it’s also enjoying a bit of self-massage!