Good Cat
Names
Choosing a name for your cat is always a tricky thing. You want to be sure that the name you choose reflects his character, but if you are bringing home a kitten, you may not know enough about his character yet to choose a great name. Don’t feel like you have to give kitty a name on the day he comes home. Enjoy him for a few days and watch him. Good cat names can be any name that describes your cat and his new position in your family.
As you watch your cat over a period of time after bringing him home, remember that his true personality may not come out for a day or two as he gets used to his new home.
Also keep in mind that giving your cat a name tells people as much about you as it does about the cat. Choose wisely.
Here is a basic list of things to consider about your cat before settling on a name. Think first about gender. One of the funniest things I have experienced with children naming animals is that they don’t always recognize gender. I have had my daughter try to name a male cat Tinkerbell. While the cat may not know the difference, my husband sure was not happy about the option.
The second factor to consider is the cat’s size. It is not particularly applicable to call your enormous cat Tiny. It’s sometimes hard to know exactly how big your kitten will get, but doing some research on the typical traits of your cat’s breed will help you if you decide on a name that indicates size. If you have a mixed breed cat, you may just decide to forego the size factor in naming your cat!
A third trait is the cat’s activity level. I remember bringing home a kitten that seemed so calm and mild mannered. As we were about to settle on a name, three days after bringing him home, he came out of his shell and made our house his home. He has since become an absolute mischief maker! We settled on the name Taz because he tears through the house leaving a path of destruction behind him.
You might have a funny experience to use to name your cat. My friend had a kitten that walked through her children’s finger paint papers before they were dry. They had kitty paw prints all over the kitchen floor. She called him Picasso. Another friend played the piano, and her cat would sit at her feet every time she played. She ended up calling him Mozart and his brother Amadeus. If you have a cat who loves to attack the balls the children hit while playing t-ball, you may consider your favorite baseball player’s name.
Other factors to consider are the length and color of your cat’s hair. Chances are that by the time you bring your kitten home, those two factors are pretty well determined. I know someone who had a long-haired grey female cat. She was quite the prima donna. She would only sleep on a particular pillow. She was very picky about her food. And she would only spend time with certain people, snubbing others as she walked past. This cat was aptly called princess.
Another thing to remember is that while your cat’s name is permanent, they will also learn to respond to nicknames. You want to give your cat a name that fits him, but you will also find as he grows and his personality and appearance changes, that other names would have been appropriate.
Nicknames can also be important in identifying your cat. Don’t be discouraged if you find the name you settled on six months ago is not the best one you could have chosen. Your cat will respond to you with a nickname if you continue to use it when communicating with him.
Naming your cat is an important part of making him part of your family. Settling on a name gives the cat and the family a sense of the cat’s permanence in his new home. Let the kids make suggestions about what might be good cat names. Consider the cat’s gender, size, activity level, and physical appearance. Watch how he plays and what his likes and dislikes are. Don’t feel like you have to decide today what to name kitty. Kitty will work for a few days until you decide on a name that fits. As you settle on a name, enjoy your new pet, and create a loving home where you and your family and your pet are all happy, healthy and thriving!
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