Chattan
Clan Chattan Tartan Collection
Celebrate the great Clan of the Cats with the Chattan collection — the mighty confederation of Highland families of Badenoch and Strathspey, led by the Mackintosh chiefs, whose wildcat warning rings out: Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove.
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About the Clan Chattan Tartan
Clan Chattan is one of the most remarkable institutions in all of Highland history — not a single clan, but a great confederation of families united under one captain. Its name comes from Gilliechattan Mor, the "Great Servant of St Catan," and its emblem is the fierce Scottish wildcat. From the 14th century the chiefs of Clan Mackintosh led the confederation as Captains of Clan Chattan, and the Clan Chattan tartan is worn across the many families of the kindred.
Whether you bear a Clan Chattan name — Mackintosh, MacPherson, Davidson, MacBean, MacGillivray, Farquharson, Shaw and many more — or simply admire one of the great alliances of the Highlands, this collection brings the Clan Chattan tartan into wearable apparel, accessories, home decor and meaningful heritage gifts.
Clan Chattan Tartan Pattern & Colours
The Clan Chattan tartan is a striking sett of blue and green crossed with black and lifted by bold lines of red and white — a dignified pattern shared across the confederation, uniting its many clans under a single cloth while each keeps its own tartan besides.
Who Is This Collection For?
The Clan Chattan collection is a meaningful choice for the many families of the confederation, descendants of Badenoch and Strathspey, those drawn to the Clan of the Cats, and anyone proud of one of the great alliances of Highland Scotland.
- Clan Chattan families & septs
- Badenoch & Strathspey roots
- Mackintosh & MacPherson kin
- Clan gatherings
- Birthday & Christmas gifts
- Everyday tartan style
Clan Chattan Heritage
The confederation took form when Eva, heiress of the old Clan Chattan, married Angus Mackintosh in 1291, bringing the captaincy to the Mackintoshes. Over the centuries at least seventeen clans gathered under the Chattan banner — the "blood" clans such as the MacPhersons, Davidsons and MacBeans, the Mackintosh kindred including the Shaws and Farquharsons, and allied families like the MacGillivrays and MacQueens. The most famous episode came in 1396, when thirty Chattan champions fought thirty of Clan Cameron before the king at the North Inch of Perth.
Clan Chattan was broadly Jacobite: in 1745, while the Mackintosh chief served in the government army, his wife "Colonel" Anne Mackintosh raised the clan for Prince Charles. The confederation suffered heavily at Culloden. In 1942 the Lord Lyon separated the chiefship of Clan Chattan from that of Mackintosh, and the leadership passed to the Mackintosh of Torcastle line. The wildcat crest and the motto Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove warn that the cat, like the clansman, is dangerous when provoked.
Clan Chattan Tartan FAQ
Quick answers about the Clan Chattan tartan, who can wear it, and why Chattan products make meaningful Scottish heritage gifts.
What is Clan Chattan?
Clan Chattan is a great confederation of Highland clans — including the Mackintoshes, MacPhersons, Davidsons and many more — united under one captain, traditionally the Mackintosh chief.
Who can wear the Clan Chattan tartan?
Anyone of a Clan Chattan family can wear it, as can anyone with Badenoch or Strathspey roots. Each member clan also keeps its own tartan.
What does the motto mean?
Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove means "touch not the cat without a glove" — a warning that the wildcat, like the clansman, is fierce when its claws are unsheathed.
Which clans belong to Clan Chattan?
The confederation includes the Mackintoshes, MacPhersons, Davidsons, MacBeans, MacGillivrays, Farquharsons, Shaws, MacThomas, MacQueens, Cattanachs and others.
Who is the chief of Clan Chattan?
Since 1942 the chief of Clan Chattan has been of the Mackintosh of Torcastle line, separate from the chief of Clan Mackintosh.
Is Clan Chattan tartan a good gift?
Yes. Clan Chattan products make a meaningful gift for the many families of the confederation and for those with Highland heritage.
Celebrate Your Clan Chattan Heritage in Style
Discover Clan Chattan tartan apparel, accessories and meaningful Scottish-inspired gifts that honour Badenoch, the Clan of the Cats and the motto Touch Not the Cat Bot a Glove.
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