Before discussing why the cat's tongue is hot, let's first understand the characteristics of the cat's tongue. Cats have many small protrusions on their tongues, called mastoid spines, which can help them comb their hair and remove dirt and impurities. In addition, the cat's tongue is covered with a layer of keratinocytes, which can effectively clean the teeth and mouth where they eat.
Causes of tongue fever
A cat's tongue consists of bones, muscles, blood vessels and nerves. When they open their mouths, lick their fur with their tongues or drink water, saliva will be secreted from the surface of their tongues and moisten the surface of their tongues. While secreting saliva, the heat generated by the metabolism of the cat's body will also be transferred to the saliva through the blood, which makes the saliva warmer than the body temperature and presents a hot state in the cat's mouth.
Effect of tongue heat
It is one of the most important behaviors for cats to lick themselves and other animals. Licking cats can remove hair, dander and dirt, and also help cats keep clean and healthy. The heat on the surface of cat's tongue can make the heat in saliva promote the melting of dirt and grease when licking fur, so it is easier to clean up.
Tongue thermal adaptability
The heat of a cat's tongue can adapt to various environments and scenes. In hot weather, cats will sweat to dissipate heat, and a warm tongue can help them keep their body temperature balanced. In a cold environment, a warm tongue can also bring them some warmth. In addition, in the process of eating, cats can secrete more saliva, so that the heat on the surface of the tongue will increase, which can better promote the digestion of food in the mouth.