Tracking cats revisited: Placing terrestrial mammalian carnivores on δ ²H and δ ¹⁸O isoscapes

Abstract

The relationship between hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopic compositions in environmental water and hair was investigated for both domestic cats ( Felis catus) and dogs ( Canis lupus familiaris). A strong, but different, covariance was measured between the hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopic compositions of local precipitation and hair keratin from both cats and dogs. These isotopic differences are most likely a result of the differences between the dietary and drinking water needs of cats compared to dogs. Moreover, the δ ²H and δ ¹⁸O values of hair from captive and wild felids and canids, such as cougars ( Puma concolor), bobcats ( Lynx rufus), and wolves ( Canis lupus) are broadly consistent with these measurements. This evidence indicates that while the water budgets of terrestrial mammalian carnivores need to be considered in isotopic applications, it is clear that felids and canids may be placed on tissue–specific hydrogen and oxygen isotopic landscapes for ecological, provenance, or forensic studies.