A cat's tongue is covered in backwards facing spines, about 500 microns long. These are called papillae and they contain keratin (the same stuff your fingernails and hair is made of) making them quite rigid. These are used in grooming and act almost like a hairbrush. The big cats (tigers etc) also use their rough tongues to strip meat off the bone.
So there you go. Now you know why a cat's tongue feels like sandpaper.
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