🔹 Special feature: The tongue is covered with tiny, backward-facing hooks (papillae). These are made of keratin , the same material as claws.

🔹 Benefits of a rough tongue:

• Helps remove dirt & loose hair while brushing
• Makes it easier to pull meat from bones
• Creates a special drinking technique for efficient water intake

✅ Cleans the fur and removes dirt

✅ Removes loose hair and prevents tangles

✅ Distributes natural oils for a healthy, shiny coat

🔹 Problem: Licking causes the cat to swallow hair, which can lead to hairballs.

✔ Solution: Regular brushing & malt pastes help in shedding the hair.

✅ Helps to separate meat fibers from bones

✅ Supports grasping and moving food in the mouth

✅ Promotes digestion through saliva production

🔹 Problem: Cats with dental problems often eat less or avoid hard food.

✔ Solution: Soft food or special dental care snacks help with food intake.

✅ Cats drink with a unique technique:

• They dip their tongue into the liquid and, with quick movements, draw a column of water into their mouth.
• This happens up to 4 times per second !

🔹 Problem: Many cats drink too little, which can lead to kidney problems.

✔ Solution: A cat fountain or several water bowls motivate the cat to drink.

While the cat's tongue is a useful tool, it can also cause problems.

🔹 Cause: Swallowed hair while grooming

🔹 Symptoms: Gagging, coughing, vomiting hairballs

🔹 Cause: Sharp objects, hot food, foreign bodies

🔹 Symptoms: drooling, pain when eating, bleeding

🔹 Cause: dental problems, viruses, fungal infections

🔹 Symptoms: redness, bad breath, loss of appetite

💡 With these tips you can support your cat's tongue health:

Diet has a direct impact on dental health. Some foods can actually make dental problems worse, while others help reduce plaque, tartar and bacterial growth .

🔹 Little or no sugar 🚫

• Sugar promotes the growth of bacteria and can cause dental problems.
• Many cheap cat foods contain sugar – you should avoid these!

🔹 Little starch (e.g. grains, potatoes, corn) 🌾

• Starch is converted into sugar in saliva, which promotes tartar formation.
• Grain-free or low-starch wet food is therefore better.

🔹 High-quality animal proteins 🍖

• Cats are carnivores, so their food should mainly contain muscle and offal meat .
• Vegetable proteins (e.g. soy) are difficult to digest and can promote dental problems.

🔹 Calcium-phosphorus balance (approx. 1.2:1) ⚖️

• A balanced ratio strengthens the teeth.
• High-quality food contains natural sources of calcium such as bone meal or eggshell powder.

• Brush your cat regularly to avoid hairballs
• Long-haired cats need a lot of care

• Distribute several water bowls throughout the apartment
• A drinking fountain encourages many cats to drink

• Pay attention to symptoms such as drooling or bad breath
• An annual veterinary check prevents tooth and tongue problems

The cat's tongue is a fascinating tool. It helps with eating, grooming and drinking. But hairballs, injuries or dental problems can lead to problems.

💡 With the right care, the cat's tongue stays healthy - for a happy and vital cat life! 🐾