- The Governor General of Canada
The contents of this Register are intended for research purposes only. The heraldic emblems found in the Register may not be reproduced in any form or in any media without the written consent of the Canadian Heraldic Authority and/or the recipient.
Alan Taylor Catto
Noranda, Quebec
Registration of Arms
January 15, 2024
Vol. VIII, p. 252
Click on each image to enlarge. The blazon and symbolism for each element will accompany the enlarged image.
Blazon
Arms
Or on a chevron between in chief two lymphads Sable sails Gules flagged Sable and in base a hand Gules, a cinquefoil Argent between four garbs Or, all within a bordure Sable;
Crest
A demi-wildcat guardant proper holding between its forepaws an annulet Argent;
Motto
TOUCH NOT;
Symbolism
Arms
The Canadian Heraldic Authority does not have confirmed symbolism for this emblem. The following comments are hypotheses only. The black chevron on a yellow field and the black sailing ships are common to Catto coats of arms. The flower is emblematic of Scottish Frasers, whose name is derived from the French word fraise, meaning “strawberry.” It likely alludes to the historical connection between Mr. Catto’s family and the Frasers, one ancestor having been the grieve, or estate manager, to the Frasers of Memsie, and Mr. Catto’s grandfather having come from Fraserburgh in Scotland before immigrating to Canada. The sheaves of wheat possibly refer to his oldest traceable ancestor in Scotland, who was a farmer. The border is a Scottish method of differencing that indicates that Mr. Catto is a younger branch of the family.
Crest
A wildcat is frequently found in crests of Scottish Catto families, as a pun on the surname. The ring is a distinct mark for Mr. Catto.
Motto
These words are taken from a longer expression used by Clan Chattan and affiliated families, including Cattos, “Touch not the cat but a glove.” The glove refers to the pads of a wildcat’s paws when its claws have been retracted. The phrase is therefore a warning not to engage with the members of the clan – represented by the wildcat – when they are “ungloved,” or ready to fight.
Background
Canada Gazette Information
The announcement of the Letters Patent was made on January 1, 1900, in Volume 0, page 0 of the Canada Gazette.
Artist Information
Creator(s)
Original concept of the Court of the Lord Lyon, Edinburgh.
Painter
* Not applicable / Sans objet
Calligrapher
* Not applicable / Sans objet
Recipient Information
Individual
The recipient’s emblems were originally recorded in the records of the Court of the Lord Lyon, Edinburgh, Scotland, 11 November 1966.