BBC Wildlife Magazine

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Why do cats stick their tongues out?

MEGAN SHERSBY ANSWERS

Ever seen a cat take a sniff of something and then look disgusted by it, with its mouth slightly open and perhaps its tongue sticking out? Or a horse with its front lip curled back and its upper teeth comically exposed? In both cases, it’s a behaviour called the Flehman response and it can be found in a wide variety of animal species. It occurs in response to a scent, and the aim is to expose the smell to

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