Catherine was born in 1791, the daughter of Alexander MacLeod and Effie Paterson of Borve and Ruisgarry. She married Donald MacLeod and lived with him and their nine children in Borve until 1854, when they were removed to Quay. Following her husband's death in 1857, she continued to live at Quay until the early 1870s, when she moved to Baile. There, living as a pauper, she was joined by her orphaned great nieces Catherine, Rebecca and Christina, who lodged with her.