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Cats are cute and curious little creatures that often demonstrate behaviors that are downright puzzling to humans. One such behavior is sitting with their tongue hanging out. Although it isn’t abnormal for a dog to sit with their tongue out, it is much less common for cats to do so, yet you can sometimes watch your cat’s tongue pop out of their mouth.
Why is this? Why do cats stick their tongues out? There are four potential reasons for this behavior, all of which will be covered in this article. Read on to learn more.
The 4 Reasons Why Cats Stick Their Tongues Out
1. Picking Up Scents
One of the most common reasons why cats stick their tongue out is to explore the world via their sense of taste. This phenomenon is called the Flehmen response. Whenever your cat is using their vomeronasal or Jacobson’s organ, they will open their mouth, curl their lip, and stick their tongue out in a downright adorable and seemingly absentminded way.
Although this tongue position looks absentminded, it is quite the opposite. Cats can learn a lot about their surroundings based on scents. Cats’ tongues are also very sensitive, and they like to explore their world using their tongue.
So, if your cat seems to just sit with their tongue slightly hanging out of their mouth, it may simply be exploring in their own catlike way. Displaying this behavior is a sign that your cat is happy and healthy because the cat is still interested and capable of exploring its surroundings.
2. Poor Dental Health
Unfortunately, a cat sitting with their tongue out has some more sinister causes as well. Often, dental disease can cause cats to stick their tongues out. It will be accompanied by drooling, pawing at the mouth, and difficulty eating.
Dental disease is one of the most common cat problems, and it can affect cats of any age. If your cat seems annoyed or irritated by something in their mouth while sitting with their tongue out, take a second to peep inside the mouth to make sure you don’t see any signs of poor dental health.
3. Missing Teeth
Missing teeth can be another reason that your cat sits with their tongue out, especially if they are missing their canine teeth. Although cats without teeth can keep their tongues in their mouth, cat tongues are typically kept in place by the placement of the teeth. If certain teeth are missing, it is much more likely that the cat’s tongue will fall out.
If your vet has already checked your cat and you know they are missing teeth, there isn’t anything to worry about. There is nothing outright dangerous about the lack of teeth or the tongue falling out. However, if your cat’s tongue starts sticking out and you suspect they might be missing a tooth, don’t hesitate to consult with your vet.
Use discretion to determine if you should visit your vet due to a missing tooth. If you know the cause of the missing tooth, you probably won’t need to go to a vet. Visit your vet if the missing tooth has unknown origins.
4. Undiagnosed Health Problem
The last potential reason that your cat sticks their tongue out is undiagnosed health problems. Serious undiagnosed health problems can cause cats to do this as well as other unusual behaviors. Oral tumors, nausea, and neurological problems are all potential health problems causing your cat to sit with their tongue out.
If your cat shows other signs of disease or is acting strange, it’s essential to take them to a vet to ensure that the behavior is not rooted in a serious health condition. Undiagnosed health problems are likely the cause if your cat seems to always have their tongue sticking out.
When to See a Vet
If you notice that your cat’s tongue is sticking out, you don’t need to automatically panic. In the case that your cat seems to be picking up scents, you should not need to visit your vet.
That being said, you need to visit your vet if the tongue is outside of your cat’s mouth frequently and for long periods of time. Furthermore, visit your veterinarian if other signs of disease are found along with the tongue. For example, confusion, drooling, poor grooming, loss of appetite, and mouth sores are all signs that something more serious is to blame.
If you are unsure whether you should see your vet, a quick call shouldn’t hurt. You should be able to explain the scenario to your veterinarian, and they can give you advice as to whether a vet trip is worth it based on what you see.
Final Thoughts
Even though cats do not often sit with their tongues out, it isn’t abnormal for cats to do so on occasion. Healthy cats often stick their tongues out to explore the world. Sickly cats also stick their tongues out but for wildly different reasons. If you suspect that your cat’s tongue positioning is due to an undiagnosed health condition, take your cat to visit a vet immediately.
Featured Image Credit: Annette Meyer, Pixabay
