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Why does my cat stick out its tongue?
It’s common knowledge that dogs usually stick out their tongues as a process to cool themselves down but, what about cats? Here we will discuss the reasons why do cats stick out its tongue.
Because he is Relaxed
As you probably already imagined, one of the main reasons why a cat sticks out its tongue is because he is relaxed, calm, and in a moment of maximum pleasure. Above all, it usually appears between its mouth when the animal is deeply asleep and, then, its jaws relax, causing its tongue to escape from its mouth.
It is a normal habit that indicates that he is very calm in your house with you and, therefore, he does not have to be alert. His relaxation is such that he can lie down for hours with his tongue hanging out and can even wake up without realizing it. It is also possible that when he is purring or rubbing with your leg, his tongue also slips out, and this only indicates that he is relaxed and calm.

You may be nervous or worried
But if you see that your cat sticks out its tongue at other times of the day when he is not relaxed, then the meaning of this gesture can be quite another. For example, if you see that he is staring out the window and his tongue is sticking out, it is not that he is calm looking at the landscape but that this gesture may be indicating that he is a little nervous and not entirely sure. There is something in the animal that is causing you concern and, therefore, it is recommended that you be aware of it and follow some techniques to relax it.
Some of the ideal methods to relax a cat is that you play with him, pick up his favorite toy and spend a few minutes encouraging him to have fun; You can also choose to brush it with its special brush because, in addition to removing excess hair and reducing the presence of hairballs in its stomach, the animal will calm down and experience a moment of comfort.

Are you suffering from any disease?
Another reason that can help you understand why does your cat stick out its tongue is that you are suffering from some alteration in your health. Having your tongue out may be a sign that you it’s hard to breathe, that his mouth hurts or that he is a little upset, so at OneHowTo we recommend that you observe his habits and see if there is anything out of the ordinary: does he eat normally? Does he rest the usual hours? , is he affectionate?, etc. Assess its behavior and if you detect any anomaly, go to the vet because it is likely that, with this gesture, the animal is indicating that it is not quite well.
There are several health reasons that can cause the cat to have its tongue out, such as, for example, that have an ulcer or wound inside the mouth or on the tongue itself and who wants to ventilate it to calm their discomfort. But if you notice that he is drooling and that he has reduced his desire to eat and/or drink, then it may be a somewhat more serious situation, such as a neurological disorder.
In either case, it is best to visit a vet to examine the animal’s mouth and detect if there is any wound or object that is causing pain or, if not, you will have to perform some tests to determine what is happening.

Teeth are coming out
And, finally, another of the reasons why a cat can stick out its tongue is because it is a puppy and teeth are coming out. Just as when a baby’s first milk teeth appear and they spend the day biting or with sore gums, the exact same thing happens to cats and they will feel severe discomfort so, in addition to biting, it is likely that finish by sticking out your tongue to soothe the pain and relax.
This situation especially occurs when the cat is teething from the front and, then, the animal will stick out its tongue to rub the area and feel a little calm; it may also be for light biting to ease the pain of teeth coming out of your mouth. In this OneHowTo article we tell you how to take care of a cat’s teeth.

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