The cat tongue is covered in sharp, rear-facing spines called papillae, the precise function of which is a mystery. In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we use high-speed film, grooming force measurements, and computed tomography (CT) scanning to elucidate the mechanism by which papillae are used to groom fur. We examine the tongues of six species of cats from domestic cat to lion, spanning 30-fold in body weight. The papillae of these cats each feature a hollow cavity at the tip that spontaneously wicks saliva from the mouth and then releases it onto hairs. The unique shape of the cat’s papillae may inspire ways to clean complex hairy surfaces. We demonstrate one such application with the tongue-inspired grooming (TIGR) brush, which incorporates 3D-printed cat papillae into a silicone substrate. The TIGR brush experiences lower grooming forces than a normal hairbrush and is easier to clean.

猫舌被尖锐的朝后的棘突覆盖，称为乳突，其确切的功能是个谜。在这项结合实验和理论的研究中，我们使用高速胶片，修饰力测量和计算机断层扫描（CT）扫描来阐明使用乳头修饰毛皮的机理。我们检查了从家猫到狮子的六种猫的舌头，它们的体重跨越了30倍。这些猫的乳头每只在尖端都有一个空心腔，可自发从口腔中吸出唾液，然后将其释放到毛发上。猫乳头的独特形状可能激发了清洁复杂毛发表面的方法。我们用舌头启发式修饰（TIGR）刷演示了一种这样的应用，该刷将3D打印的猫乳头融合到了有机硅基材中。