mdolla: How to Choose a Pefect Name For Your Cat

Choosing a name for your cat is a big responsibility. It’s what they’ll be called for the rest of their life. You can choose a trendy name for your cat such as Lola, Ziggy, Willow, Luna, Finn or a name with more sentiment. For most people, a pet is a member of the family, so it’s almost as equally important as choosing a name for your child. Cats have an approximate lifespan of 12-15 years (sometimes longer) so it and you will hear this name for a long time. It’s the name that you’ll tell everyone when they ask about your pets, the name you’ll call out to get them back in for their food. It’s the name you’ll say as you greet them, or play with them. It is important to choose the name carefully and take the time you need to select a suitable handle that fits.

1. Appearance

You could decide to name your cat based on its appearance. When you look at your cat, does a name spring immediately to mind, does it just look like a ‘Max’? Or a ‘Wolfgang’? Depending on the color of fur or specific markings that your cat has, you could name your cat Ginger, Marmalade, Smokey, Misty, Patch, Tabby, Ghost, or Midnight. A cat with a mustache marking could perhaps be named Sherlock. If a cat has a lip that is raised on one side, you may decide to name him Elvis. You get the idea. You could also take into account the breed of cat, for example, ‘Russian Blue’ and select either a Russian sounding name or something based on the color ‘blue’ (and all the different names there are for certain shades).

2. Personality

The personality of your cat could also determine its name. One woman who had a very hyperactive, naughty cat decided to name it ASBO (Anti-Social Behaviour Order). Whereas a very regal and perhaps aloof appearing cat may want a name that is preceded by ‘Lord’, ‘Lady’, ‘King’, ‘Queen,’ ‘Prince,’ or ‘Princess.’ Naming a cat based on its personality may take a little longer rather than selecting an immediate name based on physical appearance. You have to get to know the animal. It can be all too easy to swiftly name your cat before you’ve had the chance to form a proper bond with them. Only to later learn their ways and unique personality, and regret the name you’ve chosen.

3. Based on Pre-Existing Name

Sometimes you may acquire a cat that is an older cat, perhaps from a Rescue Centre or from a family member or friend who is no longer in a position to care for it and that cat will already have a name. It could be a name that you’re not personally keen on, and you may wish to give it a new name to signify its new start in life. Some people will argue about whether this is the right thing to do, to change a cat’s name once it has got used to one. It could add to the confusion of changing to a new location and owner. However, if you do decide to do this, a key bit of advice is to select a name that is ‘similar’. For example, a cat that was named ‘Lala’ could become a name that has a similar amount of syllables and structure like ‘Laura’. It’s a change of name which may be pleasing to the new owners, but not so dramatically different that the cat doesn’t recognize who it refers to.

4. Literary Character, Celebrity or Historical Person

Depending on your interests you may decide to name your cat after a character from your favorite Television series. If you like The Big Bang Theory, you may decide to name your cat Sheldon or Penny for example. If you like the Harry Potter book series, you could name your cat Sirius, Lupin or Snape. There’s always musicians like Dylan or Hendrix and favorite authors: Ellison or Dickens. You may have a particular actor, singer, or person from history that you admire who influences your choice of name. You may decide to name your cat after a famous scientist, inventor, artist, or sportsperson.

5. Place Names

There are many locations that you could decide to name your cat after. A favorite home-town connection, a beautiful holiday destination, the place where you met your partner, the place where you went for a date or honeymoon. If you and your partner are buying a cat together, this could be a lovely way to make that connection stronger, with the constant reminder of a special place. It also makes for a nice story when people ask why you chose the name of your pet. There’s such a wealth of cities, towns, and states from all around the world, you’re sure to come up with some possibilities.

6. Techniques to choosing a Name

The above points give you suggestions about where to look for inspiration. But, if you’ve come up with a few names, how do you whittle down your list to the one that is correct for your cat? It is sensible to write your proposed names on a page or board. You could then rank them from one to ten to weed out less preferred names. If it really comes to a crunch and you have two names that are tied, then you could put both names into a hat and select one of them randomly. You could try calling the names to your cat, and seeing which one your cat responds to so that your cat has some say in the decision. You also should consider how your pets name will sound if you use a shortened version of it.

One bit of advice for when you’re choosing a name for your cat is to take your time to be as close to 100% certain as possible that the name you’ve chosen suits your pet. This article has covered naming your cat based on its appearance, its personality, making it similar to its pre-existing name, or naming a cat after a fictional, famous or historical character. Ultimately the choice comes down to you and your family. It would be nice to choose a name that is fairly original and suits the nature of your cat, which will have a unique personality all of its own.

When you’ve finally decided on a name, constantly use it when you feed them, when you shake treats, when you groom them, when you stroke or cuddle them, when you call them in from outside, so they learn that it refers to them. Do also remember to get the name put in the cat’s name capsule on its collar, and registered on a microchip with the vet. Choose wisely for your feline friend!

Featured photo credit: Pexels via pixabay.com

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