Cat-facing
Cat-facing
Type of damage to tomato fruit
Cat-facing, or catfacing, refers to a type of physiological damage affecting tomatoes and represented by scarring and cavities near the blossom end.[1] It is the abnormal development of plant tissue affecting the ovary or female sex organ (pistilate), which results in the flower, followed by the fruit development to become malformed. It is called "cat-facing" because the abnormal cracking and dimpling on tomatoes, peaches, apples and even grapes, looks somewhat akin to a small cat’s face.
This condition is usually caused by unfavorable growing conditions like drops in temperature and poor soil.[2] Cat-facing appears when part of the fruit develops before the rest, disease, or by insect adults and nymphs feeding on the surface of the fruit as indicated by unsightly dimpling, deformity, and deciduous scarring.[3] Similar damage can also appear on fruits such as peaches, apples and grapes.
Fruit that has catface abnormalities can still be eaten but is not necessarily marketable.[4]