How did your cats get their names?

[Ann]

I thought it might be interesting to know how everyone comes up with names for their cats. As those of you who've read about the boys at www.catsup.co.uk/authors.htm know, they were originally called Rameses and Pharoah. The nicknames came about when they were still kittens. A friend of their original owner likened Spock's ears to Mr Spock and Dracs's teeth to Dracula. The names stuck and that's all they'll answer to these days.

How about everyone else?

Ann

[Gaby]

Just lost my entire message...

Anyway, Lucy was Lady when I adopted her...and Rufus was Rufus from the word go...

[glow=red,2,300]TEXT[/glow]

[Maria]

I wondered how Spock and Dracs got their names!
My cats were being called Billy, Bobby and Bella by the shelter when I adopted them.
I called one Liffey, after the river in Dublin.  His full name, that he uses when he introduces himself to other cats, is 'Liffey Moonbeam'.
Pie was named because it suited him, because he's sweet!
Bella kept the name that she was given by the shelter, as it means 'beautiful' and I thought it couldn't be more appropriate. However, when she introduces herself to other cats she uses her full, grand name: 'Isabelle Giselle Lafayette'.
Maria

[Linda_Wells]

As mine are all rescues apart from Tia the kitten, I can't take credit or otherwise for Mr Sapphire, Peaches or Rosie. Tia was going to be Molly, her breeder called her something I can't spell - an Irish club/ walking stick Shillayleagh. I don't mind anyone who knows telling me how you do spell it! Oscar was Smudge when he first came.
Linda

[Deleted]

I have a large ginger puff ball of a cat called George Mellay.  He got his name because he looks exactly like one called Jelly (nope, don't know how she got her name!).  Then there is the crazy tabby and white called Tealeaf Tom - he looks like an old ex stray named Teabag (honestly it suited him!)  

[Ann]

Jan, Rita and Lisa,

Thanks for signing up. This should be a good one for you! How do you manage to come up with names for all your cats?

(For those who don't know them, Jan, Rita and Lisa are members of the Cat Register and Rescue in Falkirk.)

Ann

[Xinzerella]

Hi

I'm new to the Catsup group - your 12th member  

I like the names of your cats, especially Liffey Moonbeam, Tommy Tealeaf and Teabag! I think Liffey Moonbeam must have something in common with my Fredi Firebeetle.

I felt most unimaginative when naming my cats. Fredi Firebeetle was named by his breeder - he's a red tabby point Siamese.

'Loki' I picked myself because I felt a pleasantly 'bad' sort of name suited a cat.

'Shastri' again was named by his breeder - it's apparently an Indian dialect for 'little sparrow', and he's a chocolate ticked tabby Oriental (therefore he has sparrow-like colouring. His Mum's pet name is Sparrow).

Then we have 'Thor' - again I named him that as Thor was Loki's friend, and he has a Norwegian show name (Sira Eirik from the classic Kristin Lavransdattir). Also I had been looking all over for a Havana, and wanted a grand name for him when I got him! Thor isn't original but it's about as grand as you can get....  and he's certainly lived up to the name in size.

But I mustn't prattle on  

Bye for now

Sandra

[Lesley]

well well, catching up on posts here;
i must have the most boring cat names here!! cleo and coco are - named for cleopatra and coco channel - ok lame i know, but my 1st siamese was male - (as a child we only had male cats - no i don't know why, ask my mom that one!) anyway - his name was monty (as in monty python of course). but the girls, well i was stuck. cleo seemed liked such a pretty girl, so i thought it suited her. and coco, well ok, i have the perfume - but really it should be cocoa. you can never have too much chocolate. ;D
and does it matter? oh i know they have secret cat names for one another, but heck... they won't tell me. and after almost a year and a half with them they don't answer to their names! only the treat tin!  

[Silk]

Sorry to invoke my powers at writing, but after reading these  posts I kind of think this poem is rather apropriate, and as it is mine it should be okay to post it.  (don't you just hate it when people start mailing things with the credits snipped out)

Plus it is something that I do do when the naming of a cat comes into play (a very important ceremony).  8)

Lastly it just goes to prove that us cat-people are a cultured lot, with good taste, no matter what anyone else says. (Now where did I put those lime green flares and red kipper tie  ;D)


The Naming of Your Cat. [/b]
by Mark St Jefferson

Naming your cat is a most serious time
And choosing it wrongly considered a crime.
You may not consider this a serious matter,
But a badly named cat can go mad as a hatter.
So please read these words before you start mocking,
And the 'Cat Name Police' come round and start knocking.

Imagine for a moment, that you're a big tom,
Who can't understand where his owner went wrong.
You're out for your nightly business and ramble,
When the cat from next door asks for your handle.
Do you shout out your name with feeling and pride,
Or meekly squeak 'Tiddles' and then run and hide.

For a correctly named cat can afford to walk tall,
Not cower in shame at the thought of its call.
Give its name thought, and consider your feelings,
For its you that calls them in for the evenings.
So consider for a moment, as to whether you'll care.
When you're standing outside shouting 'Sonny' and 'Cher.'

Try something different when choosing a name.
For a cat who's called 'Snookie' will know whose to blame.
So dig out those books, from authors aplenty,
You'll find at least one, a dozen or twenty.
And if after reading, you're still not too sure,
Maybe it's time for some more literature.

Try something Biblical, from Gideons or James,
Such as Samson, Delilah, Salomé or Kane.
Jacob or Lazarus, the list just goes on,
Like David, Goliath or King Solomon.
Testaments, try both the old and the new,
Unless your cats Muslim or Orthodox Jew.

A good literary name for your cats not a sin.
So try Fagin, Aphelia, or perhaps Gunga Din.
Viola or Shylock may suit their charm.
You could even try Xanadu or Kubla K'han
And if Shakespeare or Dickens wont suit them either
Try a different approach, it may bring you nearer.

If your poetic puss's meow seems to rhyme
Then Byron or Keats may suit this feline.
Or if classical music is something they've wished,
Then try Mozart or Wagner, or perhaps even Lizt.
Faust or Saint Saens may seem a little too hard,
Though they may suit your cat if it likes the macabre.

If a historical tyrant reminds you of him
Then try Napoleon, Nero, Ghengis or Ming
You may question a name with despotic turns,
But surely only a cat, could watch while Rome burns.
But if chivalry seems more to their hearts,
Then Gwain or Gwuinivere might do for a start.

Now if your cats demeana has a criminal flair,
You could use Moriarty, but you better beware!
For a cat who's named Raffles will be a great thief,
And if you call him McCavity, he'll defy all belief.
For cats with such names stealth becomes habit
And might start stealing food, or dealing in cat-nip

So here's one word of warning, before you decide
On naming your feline Jekyll or Hyde.
A cat takes its name both in spirit and word,
And I know you may think, this is really absurd,
But to a cat its name is an identity label,
To which it will form itself if it is able.

So if after searching through closets and books
No name that you choose quite suits his looks.
And if after all this, you still haven't a clue,
There is still one more thing that you could do.
You could leave it simple and matter of fact,
And just call him Felidae, For he knows he's a cat.
[/color]
By: Mark St Jefferson.
Copyright: © Mark Jefferson August 99

[Ann]

Mark,

I've seen this before on my visits to your website, but it's always worth another read. I start laughing every time I get to the line about the big butch Tom being called Tiddles!

Everyone

Mark's website is one of my favourites, I've passed the url on so many times, that most of the current Board members have probably been there already. But just in case there's anyone who hasn't, it's www.cats-paw.co.uk Just make sure you have plenty of time to spare if you click through. It can be hard to drag yourself away from it!

Ann

[IggyAndBowie]

Hi!  I love the cat-paws website too.  It is so cute and imaginative!

My name is Christina and my two cats are named Iggy and Bowie.  We got the two little brothers at the same time so we knew we wanted to name them after a famous duo, but we couldn't agree on anything.

Then when we got them home, Iggy bounded out of the carrier immediately and was just acting crazy with excited energy!  So it seemed natural to name him after Iggy Pop.  And Bowie was so pretty but more reserved at first glance.  But once you get to know him he is the wilder of the two, so we decided to name him after David Bowie.  <br>
Now their names fit perfectly and we couldn't imagine we wanted to called them Ponch and Jon from CHiPS!

Christina

[Ann]

Welcome Christina,

I wondered how Iggie and Bowie came by their names when they entered their profiles in the Catsup Character!

You certainly took me back with Ponch and Jon! The way Siamese tear around when they're having their mad moments, it can sometimes feel as if they're on motorbikes!

Ann

[Miles]

Our kitten got his name from.....well, we were thinking and thinking...hitting all the pet name sites on the net we could find, didn't find ANYthing to our liking......we were heading to the liquor store to pick up a bottle of our favorite coffee creamer when it struck us.....

Our dear little Siamese kitten...you shall henceforth and forever be known to all mankind and felines alike as....Bailey....  

Miles

[Heather]

I liked the name Muffin, so when my first Muffin died I already had more cats with names starting with M. and decided
to name them all that way -We had Minnie, Mitts, Muggins,Mac Gillicuddy, Mac for short and she got her name from our nephew, when he was small. My husband used to kid around with him & call him MacGillicuddy, he would get cross & tell him -His named WASN"T MacGillicuddy. When a little stray turned up and we took her in , our nephew was there and I asked him if he wanted to help pick a name , at once he said name her MacGillicuddy, when I asked why, he said then uncle won't call ME that name.Now we still have some M's Misty, Muffinll and MaggieMay. I gave up on M's when I named Harley and Finnigan.

[Sissy_and_Libby]

  Hi everyone,especially Muffin and all the 'crew' at Chestnut Grove,our Mum writes to your Mom all the time.(We live in same Province in Canada)
Names....Actually Mum kept the names we had in the shelter we came from,Libby really suits me,I am a sort of old fashioned girl,quite demure most of the time,I can't say the same for Sissy! oh alright speak for yourself.....I could have been called a lot of things,(in fact I am at times!!) I have seven beautiful toes on each front foot,(Mum complains when she has to cut so many every two weeks,we do not go outside)I can climb to the top of doors and swing,in fact I really can do just about anything I put my mind to.Hmmm...think I will go peek at 'Pooh Bear'  she is one of 'the other kind'(you know God spelt backwards)two live here but P B goes nuts when she sees me,quite fun!!!(Mum keeps everything under control,darn it)Bye....Sissy and Libby.