Everyone who responded to last month’s Natural Mystery identified these tracks to family—though we had a range of guesses for the species. Congratulations to Kate Campbell, Collin Arnett, and Erin Anderson for correctly identifying these tracks to species.
These are the tracks of a domestic cat (Felis catus).
Let’s start with Collin’s observations:
“I see two tracks with four visible toes each. Toes are arranged asymmetrically in an arc. One toe, the second from the right (which I suspect to be toe 3) leads the others. The palm pad is trapezoidal, and in the clearer track, the front portion has two lobes and the back portion has three. This track also has a generally C-shaped negative space between the toes. I don't see any claws registering. Overall, this track pattern suggests a felid.”
After also noting the asymmetry and trapezoidal palm, Erin points out that the size of approximately 3 cm suggests a domestic cat, and that domestic cats are common in the Metro Area. Collin notes that bobcats are rare in the Metro, and he and Kate also point out that their tracks are much larger.
Kate also explains that “other animals around this size, like gray fox or mink, have very different paw shapes. Weasels have five toes which are longer and thinner than these tracks.” While foxes have proportionally larger toes and smaller palm pads.
Though common in the Metro Area, these were the first domestic cat tracks I had ever seen within Ft. Snelling State Park. Troy Ellefson, who saw these tracks in the field, suggested it may have been a leashed cat out for a walk with its person. The trail is popular with dog-walkers. Perhaps it is becoming a spot for cat-walkers as well.
Congratulations again to Collin, Erin and Kate. And thanks to everyone who submitted an answer to this Natural Mystery.
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