People are ‘disturbed’ after seeing what a cat’s tongue looks like up close

• Registered vet technician Peter Carlos, from Florida, shared close-up on TikTok
• READ MORE: Here are the signs your cat considers you its MOTHER

Cat lovers know that a lick from your feline friend can feel rather scratchy, even if it’s meant to be affectionate, thanks to their rough tongues.

But now a close up video of what it actually looks like, originally shared to TikTok by registered vet technician Peter Carlos, from Florida, has left people stunned to see just how spiky it is. 

The clip, which now has over 4.1 million views on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed how a cat’s tongue is covered in backwards facing spines, also called papillae.

If your cat has tried to groom you, then you’ve probably noticed these papillae roughly pressing against your skin.

The video shared by registered vet technician, Peter Carlos, has sent people into a frenzy, as many are perplexed by the papillae on a cat’s tongue

But why is a feline’s tongue covered in these backward facing spines? 

Firstly, it’s an efficient way for the hunter to remove meat from bones, whilst also getting the most nutrition in a fast and effective way, according to Cat Protection.

Thanks to the papillae cats don’t need to dunk their head into a water bowl, they can rapidly dunk their tongue back and forth into the liquid as the papillae pulls up the water from the surface.

The little spikes also make the perfect comb, with cats often using their tongue to groom their fur.

The backward facing alignment of the spikes mean a feline’s tongue is able to dust away any loose fur and dirt with ease. 

The backward facing spines on a feline’s tongue helps them to get the meat from a bone, whilst getting the most nutrients, in the most quick and efficient way

A cat’s tongue plays a key role in allowing the solitary animal to live independently with no-fuss.

But not everyone was familiar with the spines that run across the animal’s tongue, and many people flooded the comments of the viral video to express their horror.

‘Up close, it’s disturbing. And my cat loves to lick me, especially my hair,’ wrote one shocked cat owner.

Another queried: ‘Are those papillae hooks made of bone? Are they like teeth?’

A third furiously chimed in: ‘Another reason to hate cats!’ 

‘Great so my cat is trying to eat me and lick my bones clean in the middle of the night,’ one user quipped.

People on X, formerly known as Twitter, expressed their shock at the spiky texture of a feline’s tongue

One joker commented: ‘I just thought of how would we feel if we also had teeth on our tongue. Dental insurance would’ve been pretty expensive then.’

But not everyone was freaked out by the eerily looking tongue, with a pet owner adding: ‘My cat has the habit of lick my nose every morning. Best exfoliating treatment ever.’

Another said: ‘That’s why it feels tingly when my cat licks my arm.’

‘Cats are truly amazing hunters,’ noted one feline admirer, adding: ‘It’s fascinating how they’ve evolved to efficiently extract every bit.’

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