Why do cats have rough tongues?
For grown-ups: the science
Cats have tiny backward-pointing bumps on their tongues that help them comb fur and scrape food.
Cat tongues are covered with keratinized, backward-facing spines called papillae. These structures help cats groom by removing loose hair and debris, and they also assist with scraping meat from food; keratin is the same tough protein found in claws.
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Transcript
A cat is washing its fluffy fur with little licks. Why does its tongue feel so rough?
A cat's tongue has tiny backward-pointing bumps. They are made from the same tough stuff as claws.
The bumps act like a comb as the cat licks. They pull loose fur, dirt, and tangles from its coat.
The tiny bumps also help a cat scrape meat from food. A rough tongue helps a cat stay clean and eat.
So a cat's rough tongue is a built-in comb and scraper. It helps with grooming and eating.