Ga. Tech Researchers: The Scoop On How Your Cat’s Sandpapery Tongue Deep Cleans

This undated photo provided by Georgia Tech this month shows a domestic cat grooming its fur. Using high-tech scans and some other tricks, Georgia Tech scientists are learning how those sandpapery tongues help cats get clean and stay cool. The research could lead to inventions for pets and people.

Candler Hobbs / Georgia Tech via AP

Cat lovers know when kitties groom, their tongues are pretty scratchy. Using high-tech scans and some other tricks, scientists are learning how those sandpapery tongues help cats get clean and stay cool.

The secret: Tiny hooks that spring up on the tongue — with scoops built in to carry saliva deep into all that fur.

A team of mechanical engineers reported the findings Monday, and say they’re more than a curiosity. They could lead to inventions for pets and people.