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The Scottish Wildcat
International Cat Day
Aug 8
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"Och, beware the Scottish Wildcat!
He fairly chills the soul!
Just give him room, don't pause to chat,
Such beasties lose control!"
~ Denis Martindale, 2014
Meow and Hiss! This progressive round the room jig will have you circling and stalking the namesake lake of in the style of Scottish Wildcat, also known as the "Highland Tiger," Scotland's only indigenous cat! This dance contains parallel reels, a "Skye Hold" (an outside hand lead for a couple which goes anticlockwise, followed by a "Wee Corrie" rounded figure to unwind! Loch A' Chait (Lake of the Cats), refers to a small upland lake on the edge of the Cairngorms, one of many place names in Scotland named for cats. There are three mountains called Beinn a’ Chait, half a dozen crags or hills called Creag a’ Chait, waterfalls, burns, and other landscapes, all most likely referencing the native Scottish Wildcat. Its current distribution includes the Cairngorms, the Black Isle, Aberdeenshire, Angus Glens and Ardnamurchan. Its endangered status has led to repopulation efforts and a namesake tartan in rich warm colours is available with proceeds directed towards conservation efforts. But be careful! If you see one, these cats are known historically for their ferocity. Just ask Clan Chattan! 😜 🐯 🐯 🐯 🐈 🏴
Lochan A' Chait
International Cat Day is a full 24 hours of recognition and veneration of one of humanity’s oldest and most beloved pets (and their larger and wilder cousins). There are more than 37 species of cats, including the big cats (lion, tiger, leopards, jaguar), the smaller indigenous cats (Canada lynx, ocelot, jaguarundi, Scottish wildcat and many more), and the domesticated cat. Indigenous cats feature strongly in historical names for many geographic features of landscapes, particularly in Scotland, including the title of this dance, Loch A' Chait (Lake of the Cats), referring to a small upland lake on the edge of the Cairngorms.
The Gaelic for cat almost always appears in the altered forms a’ chait (of the cat) or nan cat (of the cats).
There are three mountains called Beinn a’ Chait, half a dozen crags or hills called Creag a’ Chait, and other higher landscapes called Meall a’ Chait, Cnoc a’ Chait and Tom a’ Chait.
Sometimes cat names crop up in relation to water bodies, such as Eas nan Cat (the waterfall of the wildcats) in Kintyre and Allt a’ Chait (the burn of the wildcat) in Caithness.
Place names indicate a significant presence of this species in Perthshire in earlier times – there are no less than five lochans in the county named after the wildcat.
The earliest Gaelic name for the Shetland Isles was Insi Catt, meaning either the cat islands, or referring to a tribe whose totem was the wild cat. The name survives in Caithness and in the Gaelic name for Sutherland (Cataibh, meaning among the Cats).
For a fun look at domesticated cats with peculiar coat markings, click the photograph of Scottish Wildcat kittens, from the British Wildlife Centre.
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!