If you’ve ever seen your cats sticking their tongue out, you probably laughed or tried to take a picture. Some cat parents freak out that something is wrong. There are many reasons why cats stick their tongue out, so it’s important that we’re able to decipher what’s going on.
A cat’s tongue is rough in order to groom and remove meat from the bones of it’s prey. It’s covered with sharp keratin sheath and feels like sandpaper when they lick you. The roughness also helps kitties trap items they shouldn’t be eating!
Anyway… there’s some fun facts for you.
Here are some reasons why your cats are sticking their tongue out.
- If this is happening all the time and is accompanied with drooling, it’s time for a vet/dental checkup. Periodontal disease is common in cats that are not taken to the vet for dental cleanings every year (which is most indoor cats). This can sometimes be a sign of other illness as well, so get it checked out quickly. Cats mask their pain, so if your cat’s tongue is hanging out like this, the pain is real. Make a vet appointment asap.
- If your kitty just finished grooming and the tongue is sticking out just a little, it’s a derp. We call it a derp, at least, but this is when your cat just gets lazy or doesn’t notice that he didn’t pull the tongue all the way back in. Take a picture and post to social media. You’ll get lots of Likes. 🙂
- If your kitty is smelling something intensely, it’s the Jacobson’s Organ. Cats have a scent organ at the top of their mouth that provides more information about the smell than their nose does. When they are trying to deciphor certain scents, they’ll hold open their mouth and slightly stick out their tongue. Don’t you feel smarter now?
So there you go. Some fun and not-so-fun facts about cats sticking out their tongue. You’re welcome.
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