Wemyss Ware Cat Trail

Wemyss Ware® Cat Trail

A playful public art trail featuring colourful cat sculptures inspired by Wemyss Ware® cats.

KEY FACTS

Sculptures stand at 1.7m tall.

16 uniquely designed cats to discover.

Wemyss Ware® pottery is loved by the Royals.

The Wemyss Ware® Cat Trail is an exciting new visitor trail in Kirkcaldy, launching in April 2026, featuring sculptures inspired by the iconic Wemyss Ware® Cats designed by Griselda Hill Pottery in Ceres.

Each cat has been uniquely designed by local artists, celebrating creativity, heritage, and nature. From whimsical woodland designs and botanical motifs to bold fairground patterns and poetic illustrations, every sculpture tells its own story.

The Wemyss Ware® story

Wemyss Ware was first produced in Kirkcaldy by the Fife Pottery (located in Pottery Street) in 1882. Their pottery cat became an iconic shape and was decorated in many different patterns. Few original cats survive, and those that do fetch thousands of pounds. Wemyss Ware® has many collectors including King Charles III and Elton John. You can see original Wemyss Ware in the Kirkcaldy Galleries and the Friends of Kirkcaldy Galleries have even adopted a Wemyss cat as their logo.

Wemyss Ware® was revived 40 years ago by Griselda Hill Pottery in 1985 and they now own the trademark. So, it seemed fitting that Griselda Hill (based in Ceres) was asked to decorate the first cats in traditional Wemyss Ware style to launch this project, including the Wemyss Roses Cat, the Thistle Cat and the Galle Cat.

Griselda Hill has been making Wemyss Ware® for over forty years from her quaint pottery in Ceres and has designed and painted three of the cats in this trail.

Look out for Wemyss Roses Cat at Auchtertool Village Hall, Galle cat at Kirkcaldy Galleries and Thistle Wemyss Cat at the pottery in Ceres.

Dysart Cat

Local artist Yolande was inspired by Fife’s picturesque coastline for Dysart Cat, sponsored by Welcome to Fife.

“Dysart is a quaint coastal community, adjacent to Kirkcaldy, yet the hustle and bustle of the urban town feels many miles away.

Boats sit still in Dysart’s quiet harbour. Gulls soar overhead. Dogs are walked alongside the picturesque row of white-washed terraces which front the rocky shoreline. Cormorants stand looking out to sea, whilst hanging their wings out to dry.”

The world carries on, yet Dysart seems to sit eternally in its own space; a place of peace and tranquillity.”

Sponsored by Welcome to Fife.

Meet the cats

Pineapple Botanicals – Botanical designs featuring opulent gold with pineapples, ferns, and lilies.

Lynx cat - Fluffy, majestic and bit cheeky, bringing a spot of beauty and pride to the town.

Poppies Lino Cat – A linoleum-inspired colourful cat.

Lino the Kirkcaldy Cat – A mid-century linoleum patterned cat with a Kirkcaldy heart.

Fun Guy – A whimsical botanical design.

Show Cat – A fairground-inspired vibrant cat, celebrating Kirkcaldy’s Links Market.

We Are Amused – Bold geometric messages of “Peace, Love and Hope”.

A Queer-like Cat – A playful Scots-language illustrated cat.

Love Cat – Decorative, word-filled design inspired by The Cure.

Wild Meadow – A wildflower-inspired cat.

Pit Cat – A tribute to Fife’s coal mining heritage.

Women’s Wark Will Ne’er Be Done – Celebration of women in linen, fishing, and coal.

Wandering Whiskers

And keep your eyes peeled for Mystery Cat!

This roaming sculpture will make an appearance at various locations along the trail. Mystery cat is covered in colourful foil wrappers like the iconic Scottish Tunnock’s Teacake, to create shimmering, intricate patterns that turn this playful cat into a striking, ever-changing work of art.

Where to spot the Wemyss Ware® cats?

Here’s a list of locations on the trail, but keep your eyes peeled for Mystery Cat, who’ll be making an appearance at various locations and events over the next few months.

Auchtertool Village Hall

Griselda Hill Pottery, Ceres

Linton Lane

Burntisland Links

Kinghorn monument

Auchtertool Village Hall

Rejects

Kirkcaldy Esplanade

Volunteers Green

Mercat Centre

Victoria Hospital

Kirkcaldy Galleries

Adam Smith Theatre

Kirkcaldy Town Square

"Follow the trail on foot or by bike and discover Fife through this playful and inspiring collection of public art, each piece offering a glimpse into the creativity and heritage of the region."

Highlights along the trail

For more information visit adamsmithglobalfoundation.com/cattrail

DAY 1

9AM

Start your adventure in Ceres and explore this picturesque village, visiting the Griselda Hill Pottery to see Thistle cat. If you're feeling peckish Ceres is blessed with some lovely cafes for brunch, coffee and cake or lunch. Don't miss the Fife Folk Musuem which is a free attraction to see how Granny used to live!

1PM

Head towards Kirkcaldy stopping off at Dysart harbour, an Outlander film location, to see gorgeous Dysart Cat on the trail, before crossing through Ravenscraig Park into the Lang Toun for some more cat spotting in town. If you're in need of a pitstop, there are some lovely cafes including the Merchant House Cafe, the second oldest town house in Scotland!

6PM

End your day with dinner at the Dean Park Hotel, serving an ever-changing menu of dishes using fresh local produce.

STAY

Dean Park Hotel, Kirkcaldy

Kingswood Hotel, Burntisland

Banchory Farm, near Kinghorn

Pettycur Bay, near Kinghorn

DAY 2

9AM

Why not start your morning with a brisk walk along the Kirkcaldy Esplanade taking in a Queer Like Cat by the love heart, Lino the Kirkcaldy Cat at Volunteer's Green and Poppies Lino Cat. Head along the Fife Coastal Path, Scotland's longest continuous coastal path, past Seafield Tower and along to Kinghorn, where you can see the opulent gold Pineapple Botanicals Cat.

1PM

Head back to Kirkcaldy for the afternoon and enjoy visiting some more Cats along the trail. Why not visit Kirkcaldy Galleries, a free attraction and home to a Wemyss Ware collection as well as Galle Cat. Enjoy an afternoon cuppa at the cafe there, or The Spinning Top at the Adam Smith Theatre, where We are Amused Cat resides. If you fancy a spot of shopping, then The Mercat Centre is home to many shops and Fun Guy Cat. Or popular Rejects department store on St Clair Street is home to Love Cat.

6PM

End your day in Burntisland to see Lynx Cat on the links. But first we recommend an ice-cream from Novelli's.

STAY

Dean Park Hotel, Kirkcaldy

Kingswood Hotel, Burntisland

Banchory Farm, near Kinghorn

Pettycur Bay, near Kinghorn

More fife icons

Fife 191

Your adventure starts here.

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