The cat tongue is covered in sharp, rear-facing spines called papillae, the precise function of which is a mystery. In a combined experimental and theoretical study, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology explored how cats groom fur using these fine structures. Dr. Noel and Dr. Hu discover structures on the cat tongue, hollow spines that they call cavo papillae, shared across six species of cats. Image credit: Pavel Kessa. Domestic cats,...
