#papillae

2025-08-12
Lucy ...again ... on the driveway ... again ... 😅 But it's #TongueOutTuesday and there are teeeeef and a spiky #tongue and that two-tone nose 😻

Speaking of tongues, did you know that the spines, or #papillae, on a cat's tongue are made from keratin? Their hardness is similar to human fingernails. They're basically tiny brushes (and massage tools for blood circulation) #cats use for grooming. They're U-shaped so that saliva is retained and deposited right down to the skin, helping cats to cool off. Enzymes in their saliva also dissolve blood and other debris, so they can stay clean and healthy. And of course, the rough texture of a cat's tongue aids in drinking and eating.

(Wow, I really did go down a rabbit hole for this post!)


#gingerCat #orangeCat #CatsOfPixelfed #CatsOfMastodon #CatsOfFediverse #PixelCats #Katze #Katzen #KatzenContent #yawn #yawning #gähnen #Zunge #Papillen #cat #kitty #animal #pet #animalPhotography #animalPortrait #Caturday #WhiskersWednesday
A very low-angle close-up of a ginger cat lying on its back on a grey paved surface, with its mouth wide open in a large yawn. Its pink tongue is visible, and its sharp teeth can be seen. The cat's whiskers are long and white, fanning out from its face. Its front paws, with cream-coloured toe pads, are relaxed and outstretched. Blades of green grass are visible along the bottom of the frame, separating the paving from the ground.

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