Cat

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A "lion passant guardant" is the same as a "heraldic leopard", distinct from a "natural leopard" or "African leopard" which would have spots.

Herissony - "Herissony means back arched and spitting, a very catty position. WVS [11] [LoAR 13 Feb 80], p. 3" - http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/wilhelm/wilhelmcombined.html#herissony

See also:

Examples:

Period:

House cats, leopards/lions:

	File:WB-BayerenLeopards.jpg
The arms of De Gatonis and De Gatono	Wapenboek Bayeren, c1400, Netherlands, leopards/lions

German cats:

Siebmacher 1605, die Katzen arms, a cat salient and a cat sejant with a mouse	Siebmacher 1605, die Dietzel arms, a cat rampant	Wappenbuch besonders deutscher Geschlechter BSB 308, folio 141, a cat rampant and a demi-cat erased

BSB312 Scheibler f49, a cat rampant	Detail of Scheibler cat

Tyger, cat herissony:

File:Heraldic-Imagination tiger.jpg	Armorial
"The arms and crest of Thomas Sybell of Aynsford, Kent, from the Visitation of the county in 1531. In spite of its colour the beast is obviously a Tyger, because it is gazing at its reflection in a looking-glass. (Coll. Arms ms. D.13, f. 2) per Sir Roger Dent in The Heraldic Imagination	Armorial le Breton, 13th-15th C., lion herissony?

An Ordinary of Siebmacher's Wappenbuch

by Sara L. Uckelman (Aryanhwy merch Catmael):

• http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/heraldry/siebmacher/lion-1-gules-pass.html
• http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/heraldry/siebmacher/lion-1-or-pas.html
• etc.

From Insignia ... V. Insignia urbium Italiae septentrionalis: Nobilium Mediolanensium -

BSB Cod.icon. 270 [S.l.] Italien 1550-1555 [[1]]

Modern:

Pictorial Dictionary, 3rd edition:

• Cat; Lynx. For related charges, see lion], panther, tyger].

Vector Graphics:

• Book of Traceable Heraldic Art - http://heraldicart.org/

Annotated Pennsic Traceable Art Project

• Cat's head - mountain (couped)
• Cat (couchant)
• |Cat (couchant guardant)
• Cat (herissony)
• Cat (passant) - page 1
• Cat (passant) - page 2
• Cat (rampant) - page 1
• Cat (rampant) - page 2
• Cat (sejant) - page 1
• Cat (sejant) - page 2
• Catamount (passant)

Sources:

Academy of St. Gabriel "Medieval Heraldry Archive" - http://www.s-gabriel.org/heraldry/
Archive of St. Gabriel reports - http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/archive.cgi
Laurel Armory Articles - http://heraldry.sca.org/laurel/armory_articles.html

New Heraldic Primer (Heraldry for Non-Heralds) - http://heraldry.sca.org/armory/newprimer/
Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry (PicDic), 3rd Edition - [2] (in progress)
Period Armorials

Parker's Heraldry - http://karlwilcox.com/parker/
Riestap's Armorial Général - http://www.euraldic.com/lasu/bl/bl_a_aa.html

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Precedents:

Precedents of the SCA College of Arms - [[3]]
Morsulus Heralds Website - [[4]] (to search the LoARs and Precedents)
Use the above links to be sure any precedents listed below haven't been superseded by newer precedents.

Definition/Defining Instance:

June 2021 CL - From Wreath: On Bengal and Natural Tigers

On the March 1997 Cover Letter it was ruled "We are also no longer going to register Bengal tigers proper. They must be in a standard, heraldic tincture (with or without markings). We have registered as proper both gules and Or Bengal tigers, leaving them with no default tincture. Plain natural tigers proper, are still Or, marked sable." However, there is no distinction between a Bengal tiger and a natural tiger.

That precedent is hereby overturned. We will register a Bengal tiger or a natural tiger proper. Proper is an orangish-Or marked sable. Like charges that are grey proper they will be considered light (and conflict with Or) on a dark field or dark (and conflict with gules) on a light field. Bengal or natural tigers proper on a neutral field or on a fieldless badge must be a shade that is clearly light or dark.

There are currently no natural tigers proper registered. As for the Bengal tigers proper registered, we ask Morsulus to note the following in the O&A:

Gabrielle de l'Ambrosia, (Fieldless) A Bengal tiger rampant to sinister guardant, tail coward, proper, the tiger is light and will conflict with an Or cat.

James Bancoth, Azure, a Bengal tiger [Panthera tigris] statant guardant proper, in chief two mullets of eight points pierced argent, the tiger is light and will conflict with an Or cat.

Michael MacNaughton of Loch Ness, Sable, a Bengal tiger's head cabossed proper, ruffed argent, and on a chief triangular argent a mullet of six points sable, the tiger's head is light and will conflict with an Or cat's head.

Michael MacNaughton of Loch Ness (for the Brotherhood of the Stalking Tiger), Gyronny of six raguly sable and argent, a Bengal tiger's head caboshed proper, the tiger's head is light and will conflict with an Or cat's head.

Roxane of Barnby Moor, Argent, on a fess sable between a Bengal tiger passant proper and a bell Or, fimbriated sable, an arrow reversed Or, the tiger is dark and will conflict with a gules cat.

Sean FitzWallace, Gules, a Bengal tiger rampant guardant proper, within a bordure counter-compony argent and azure. [Leo tigris], the tiger is light and will conflict with an Or cat.

William of Fairhaven, Azure, a Bengal tiger's head erased contourny proper between three mullets argent, the tiger's head is light and will conflict with an Or cat's head.

Yaroslav the Persistent, Per bend sinister gules and argent, a phoenix within a serpent involved in annulo Or and a Bengal tiger salient contourny proper, the tiger is dark and will conflict with a gules cat.

https://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2021/06/21-06cl.html#10

August 2013 - natural cats:

From Wreath: Lions and Ounces and Catamounts, oh my! ...Lions have manes, and distinctive tufted tails. Lynxes have much shorter tails, and tufted ears. Ounces are typically defined as maneless lions. Natural panthers also have no mane and smooth tails, as do wildcats and domestic cats. Leopards and natural tigers are additionally distinguished by their markings. Parker decidedly conflates catamounts and wildcats, and even lynxes to an extent, although the latter he also lumps in with panthers and ounces. Guillim and Legh mention both lions and leopards, but no other type of cat. ... As we cannot readily distinguish between natural panthers, domestic cats, catamounts, wildcats, and ounces with smooth tails, we will accept any of these blazon terms. [[5]]

January 1971 - leopard defined:

The College defines "leopard" as a lion passant guardant . Should the spotted cat known in modern times as a leopard be desired as a charge, it will be blazoned as "an African leopard." (Cf. "a tyger" -- "a Bengal tiger.") (HB, 1 Jan 71 [10], pp. 4-5) http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/early/ltop.html

Registerability:

(Restricted, Reserved, SFPP, OOP)

January 2013 - ginger cats not registerable as "orange"

Cobflaith ingen Sitriucca meic Ímair. Device. Argent, a domestic ginger cat sejant erect affronty proper playing a lute Or, a bordure purpure semy of domestic cats sejant affronty Or. This device is returned for the use of tenné (orange), a tincture which is not listed in SENA A3B1, and which has long been forbidden. A properly colored "ginger" cat would be considered Or, not a tincture that blurs the difference between Or and gules. https://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2013/01/13-01lar.html#328

Conflict:

August 2013 - cats is cats (natural):

From Wreath: Lions and Ounces and Catamounts, oh my! Several submissions lately have raised the question of the difference between a catamount, an ounce, or any other type of cat. Fundamentally, we grant no difference in SCA armory for the difference between any type of cat, from lions to domestic cats. Still, these are blazonable differences. ...Depending on precise proportions of body parts such as heads, shoulders, limbs, and so forth to one another when defining charges is contrary to heraldic style. As we cannot readily distinguish between natural panthers, domestic cats, catamounts, wildcats, and ounces with smooth tails, we will accept any of these blazon terms. [[6]]

February 2004 - lynx vs natural leopard:

"There is no difference for changing the type of feline from a lynx to a natural leopard" [2004 LoAR]

February 2003 - heraldic panther vs lion:

"There is one CD, but not substantial difference, between a heraldic panther and a lion" [2003 LoAR]

February 2003 - tyger vs lion:

"there is only one CD between a heraldic tyger and a lion" [2003 LoAR]

November 2002 - domestic cat vs natural panther:

"There is no type difference between a [domestic] cat and a natural panther." November 2002 LoAR

May 1995 - snow leopard vs unspotted cats:

[a snow leopard spotted vs various unspotted cats] [There is a CD] for the addition of the spots (effectively a semy, and worth the same CD as any addition of a tertiary charge or tertiary charge group). (Marke von Mainz, 5/95 p. 2) http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/daud2/daud22combined.html

August 1994 - panther vs lion:

[a panther rampant guardant argent spotted sable incensed gules vs. a lion rampant argent] There is a CD for type for the difference between the cats, but that is all. [I.e. there is a significant but not a substantial difference.] (Ulfhethinn the Bold, 8/94 p. 15) http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/daud2/daud22combined.html

November 1993 - alphyn vs tyger:

"the visual similarities of the primary charges [an alphyn and a tyger], combined with the lack of a clear heraldic difference in period, is too strong to grant the necessary second CD." [1993 LoAR]

March 1993 - spotted ounce vs lion:

[An ounce rampant Or spotted of diverse tinctures] The creature is not a panther, as blazoned on the LOI (for it isn't incensed of flame), but an ounce or maneless lion. As such, it gets no difference from a standard lion; and its spots here count for no more than the spots on any other spotted cat (e.g. a natural leopard). If she resubmits with a genuine panther, charged with large roundels --- better yet, with a Continental panther --- it should [be a CD from a lion]. (Alysandria of the Fosse Way, March, 1993, pg. 22) http://heraldry.sca.org/precedents/bruce/beacon.html

Collected Precedents:

2nd Tenure of Elisabeth de Rossignol (April 2011 - August 2011) - BEAST - Cat], BEAST - Tiger see BEAST - Cat] 1st Tenure of Elisabeth de Rossignol (May 2005 - July 2008) - BEAST -- Cat], BEAST - Panther see BEAST - Cat] see also MONSTER - Panther], BEAST - Tiger see BEAST - Cat]

The 2nd Tenure of François la Flamme (October 2004 - May 2005) - BEAST -- Cat, Lion and Tiger The Tenure of Shauna of Carrick Point (May 2004 - August 2004) - Cat, Lion and Tiger] The 1st Tenure of François la Flamme (August 2001 - April 2004) - [BEAST -- Cat, Lion and Tiger] The Tenure of Elsbeth Anne Roth (June 1999 - July 2001) - [BEAST -- Cat, Lion and Tiger] The Tenure of Jaelle of Armida (June 1996 - June 1999) - Beast-Cat & Lion] The 2nd Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (November 1993 - June 1996) -

• the 1st part] (Nov 1993 - June 1994) and
• the 2nd part] (July 1994 - June 1996)

The Tenure of Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme (June 1992 - October 1993) - BEAST -- Cat, Lion and Tiger] The 1st Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (June 1990 - June 1992) -

• the 1st year] (June 1990 - June 1991) and
• the 2nd year] (July 1991 - June 1992)

The Tenure of Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane (September 1986 - June 1990) - Beast - Lion and Cat] The Tenure of Baldwin of Erebor (August 1984 - August 1986) - [Single HTML Document] The Tenure of Wilhelm von Schlüssel (August 1979 - August 1984) - CAT] The Tenure of Karina of the Far West (December 1975 - June 1979) - CAT] The Early Days (June 1971 - June 1975) - CAT]

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In the Ordinary

(includes bengal tiger, cheetah, cougar, feline, leopard, lion, lioness, lion cub, lynx, mountain lion, ounce, panther, puma, tiger)

• Beast - Cat - 1 - Argent - Couchant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Argent - Passant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Argent - Rampant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Argent - Sejant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Azure]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Fur]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Gules]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Multicolor]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Or - Couchant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Or - Passant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Or - Rampant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Or - Sejant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Purpure]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Sable - Couchant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Sable - Passant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Sable - Rampant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Sable - Sejant]
• Beast - Cat - 1 - Vert]
• Beast - Cat - 2 - Argent]
• Beast - Cat - 2 - Azure]
• Beast - Cat - 2 - Fur]
• Beast - Cat - 2 - Gules]
• Beast - Cat - 2 - Multicolor]
• Beast - Cat - 2 - Or]
• Beast - Cat - 2 - Purpure]
• Beast - Cat - 2 - Sable]
• Beast - Cat - 2 - Vert]
• Beast - Cat - 3 or more]
• Beast - Catamount - see Beast - Cat]

WARNING: Do not cite this page as a reference. This page is on this wiki only to make the content "searchable" and easier to find. If you find the information you seek here, go to the original sources (generally linked) to verify the information and use them for your documentation.