In it’s complete rendering the motto has existed for 300 years or more as “Touch Not The Cat Bot (But) A Glove”. This is often understood as meaning “Touch not the cat unless you are wearing a glove” – however, the ancient interpretation is that the word “Bot”, meaning “without”, relates solely to the cat and not to the person so warned. A cat is said to be without a glove when the claws are extended beyond the soft under part of the paw.
The cat is then on the defensive and dangerous to tackle, so the meaning would be “touch not the ungloved or unsheathed cat”, or “don’t try to tackle a MacGillivray with his claws showing”.
It is unfortunate that no MacGillivray chief, despite the well documented charges in the 16th century seals and the 18th century headstones, bothered to matriculate with Lyon Court. In fact, there were very few matriculations for the Clan Chattan clans before the end of the 17th century. In 1967, when arms were matriculated in the name of Farquhar MacGillivray of Dunmaghlas, VI Chief, c.1672, the attitude of Lord Lyon was to limit the complete motto to the chiefly line of Mackintosh and Macpherson, and he ruled that our MacGillivray Motto would be “Touch Not This Cat”.
This wording fits well with the favourite type of highland motto which is a warning or cautioning, such as “tak” care, be mindful, touch not, all being synonymous with the well known Latin motto on the Royal Arms of Scotland “Nemo me impune lacessit”, or it’s more earthly equivalent “Wha duar meddle wi me”.
Information taken from the Clan MacGillivray Society of Australia