The Coon Kitties with Garfield
Good day readers. Today I'd like to talk about cat names and the important decision on what to name your cat. This is one of the most important decision you will ever make for your cat. After all, you'll be calling your cat by this for hopefully the next couple of decades.
I realize there are many sites online that will help you choose a cat name. Many give the meaning and origin of the name and some even offer a horoscope option. These are all fun to look at as you're faced with this tough decision.
One thing I've learned through thirty years of experience in naming cats is to not use the same name more than once. I learned this the hard way. I've had at least three Smokey's. All Russian Blue's and all beautiful. My dilemma now is when I look at photographs of Smokey, I have no clue which Smokey I'm seeing.
It's really rather, I don't know the proper term for it except bad taste, to give a new cat the same name as one who has gone over to the Rainbow Bridge. We don't do that with children. It's rather bad form when you think about it. You can't replace one cat with another even though they may be identical in appearance. Thus each cat deserves its own name.
Now I'd like to explain the unusual way I have of naming a new cat. Many of my rescues already come with a name. Many times I leave the cat with its shelter name as it seems a good match. Unless the name is too difficult for me to remember and then I do change it.
On Wednesday I adopted a Maine Coon mix named Marley and her four unnamed kittens. These babies were on the euthanasia list where I rescue and weren't even important enough to anyone to give them a name. So the task fell on me.
All except for the solid black kitten whom my daughter Laura immediately named Midnight. The two tabbies are now Romeo and Juliet. Juliet almost became Carmen, but Laura said she couldn't remember that name. So Juliet it will stay.
One of the kittens, a serious and sad looking little guy who is almost identical to Furby, quickly became Junior. Except that didn't feel right. Have any of you ever tried to name a cat and then changed it soon after because the name just didn't fit the cat? That's what happened to me on Saturday. I was driving home from work when the name Shakespeare just popped into my head. He looks like a Shakespeare. He thinks deep thoughts. I only hope they're good thoughts.
So now we are the proud parents to Midnight, Romeo, Juliet and Shakespeare. Marley will keep her name as it suits her.
My question is whether any of the readers at pictures-of-cats.org experienced this odd way of naming a new cat. Do you play around on cat name sites or does a name just pop into your head and you know it's right?
It's my belief this isn't a coincidence. I'm totally convinced my cats put the name's they want to be called by directly into my head through their telepathic cat powers. Those are the same powers used when a cat sits in front of you and you instantly know what it wants.
There is no way to protect yourself from these cat telepathic powers, whether it's name picking or human servitude. We must do as the cat orders.
Have any of the readers here just known what their new cat would like to be called? Just curious.
These powers extend far beyond deciding on a cat name. My cats will even tell me when and if they want a family of their own. Many have chosen to stay with me, but many have also expressed the desire for a family of their own. Perhaps I'm just gifted and pick up on the thoughts of cats. I think a lot of the readers will know where I'm coming from with this.
I'd like to introduce you to my kittens Midnight, Romeo, Juliet and Shakespeare. Their mother Marley is recovering from mastitis. We don't know at this time who will be staying and who will be leaving us. Especially little Shakespeare, who sits and stares and is wise beyond his age.
Please keep in mind these babies were all on death row. Beauty means nothing in a shelter. Please spay or neuter your cats.
Elisa
P.S. Michael's attempts at Burmese Cat Names
