Are cats 'vegan' meat eaters? Why isotopic signatures of feline fur could trick us into thinking that way

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February 3, 2026, 5:00 AM

• •Cats' hair showed unexpectedly low TDFs for nitrogen isotopes, resembling vegan diets.
• •Cats efficiently process meat protein, leading to minimal isotopic changes in their hair.
• •The study challenges long-held assumptions about carnivore isotope signatures.
• •Further research is needed to understand the underlying physiological mechanisms and to explore other tissues.

Researchers investigated nitrogen isotopes in cat hair and whiskers, revealing unexpectedly low trophic discrimination factors (TDF) compared to humans. The study found that cats' hair isotope values resembled those of vegans, challenging assumptions about carnivore isotopic signatures. This discrepancy suggests cats efficiently process proteins from their meat diet, leading to minimal isotopic changes in their hair. The findings highlight the need for alternative methods to accurately assess an animal's diet.

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