mountain cat

Cats occur often in heraldry, but the wild cat or cat-a-mountain is almost certainly intended rather than the domesticated felines we might at first come to mind! A Glossary of Terms used in British Heraldry, J.H. Parker, Oxford, 1894, Entry:Cat It can appear in a variety of poses, similar to those of its larger relative, the lion, although we should be careful of stretching any meanings associated with the king of the beasts to their smaller brethren. Perhaps only an affinity with hills and the mountain country is intended.