Scotland's feline connections stretch back nearly 2000 years.

Clan Chattan Motto and Badge, Scottish Highlands

This evening, I am posting information on Scotland’s historic and current connections with the feline community, viz:
  • Rare Scottish Wildcats (a separate breed from domestics and now endangered) can be viewed at the Highland Wildlife Park Kingussie in the Scottish Highlands.
  • Clan Chattan:A confederation of twelve Scottish clans which uses a cat logo.
  • Caithness: A region in the N.E. Scottish mainland. The name derives from a ( first millennium) Pictish tribe named the Cataibh who gave their name to Caithness which means ‘cat headland’.
  • Rare, Pictish carving of a cat in Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum Central Scotland. This dates from the late first millennium.
  • William the cat at Rosslyn Chapel, near Edinburgh.. A cat from the village of Roslin who has adopted the Chapel and, owing to the huge number of visitors, is probably the most petted cat in the world! William now features in various merchandising at Rosslyn Visitor Centre.
  • Roman-era statue of a Lioness from Cramond near Edinburgh. 
  • 1980s carving of cat incorporated in architecture, West George Street, Glasgow.
  •  Catlaw in Angus and Lochan a Chait in the Ben Lawers Corrie, Perthshire have cat (probably wildcat) origins.
  • Glenturret Distillery in Central Scotland has a long history of ’employing’ a cat for rodent control purposes.
  • Canvas panel featuring a cat in the Royal Collection at Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh. This was the work of Mary, Queen of Scots during period 1569-84.
An interesting, if somewhat eclectic mix of feline connections, stretching back almost 2000 years.

Carving of cat at Meigle Museum, central Scotland. From Pictish-era, late 8th-late 10th century.


Rare Scottish Wildcat at Highland Wildlife Park, Kingussie.


Feline architecture feature at West George Street, Glasgow

Cat (since deceased) at Glenturret Distillery

‘Eco’ cat at Findhorn Community, North Scotland

William the Cat, Rosslyn Chapel.

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