Pet Lovers

[ChiliPepper]

I don't remember if we've discussed this or not - not for a while anyways.

How do/did you decide on a name for your pet?

Did they come with one & you kept it? Or change it?

Do you pick a name you like or wait until you see their personality & then decide?

Do you use their given name but find you give them a nick name?

My daughter named each of our three cats.

Our big boys name is "Tiger" (original I know!) but we call him "Bubba" - because he's just a "Bubba" LOL!

Our first girl is "Dusty" because she is white & dusty grey but we call her "Sis" or "Sissy" from the song "Sister Golden Hair Surprise" which makes absolutely no sense I know. Nether does singing the song to her every time it comes on the radio. Sad I know LOL!

Our little girl is "Tater Tot" but we call her "Tate" or "Poop/Poopey" which makes no sense either but she looks at me with loving eyes when I say it!

How do you decide?

[StylishLady]

No particular reason. For a while we used French names like Fifi and Pierre. 

[QVCkitty1]

I had a beautiful, loving Siamese kitty named Maggie. She was named after Elizabeth Taylor’s character “ Maggie the Cat,” from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

[Lindaj46]

What a fun thing to talk about. I have often wondered how people decide on pets names. I love the names you have for your pets. My cat Sheila is 20 years old. My son got her when he was in kindergarten. He is now 25. When my son was little, we would go to the library for story time. And the lady who would read to the young children, her name was Sheila. She was a neat woman. So that is how we came up with the name for our dear sweet kitty. 

[ScarletDove]

Over the years our animals were usually rescues, strays or shelter animals and named by my son and/or daughter and it usually had something to do with how/where they were found.  There are many not listed below, these are but some over the many years. We used different fitting names, silly names and names from Irish ancestors.  There was my beloved Taylor (named after friends--found him at shelter day before scheduled to be killed--we saved each other since he came into my life during a difficult time--we loved each other dearly and he graced my life for 19 yrs), Morgan, Flanagan, Grace, Sophie (a tiny, very smart Tortie), MotherCat, BoyCat, Country (siamese kitten found abandoned in the woods; he was so smart and had him 16 wonderful yrs), Tommy (after a childhood friend), Dina (son found this kitten under his school in kindergarten--our beloved girl for 16 yrs); Sadie (12yr old Tonkinese adopted from lady who moved into Assisted Living and could not take her Sadie--this was one lovely, smart and precious little girl; she was raised with much love and I benefited during the 4 years I had to receive from and give love to her). I went back to my Scottish heritage for names for my current 2 cats...Maxwell Fergus, a rescued Norwegian Forest Cat who is loyal, smart and a very affectionate cat, much like a dog; then there is little Angus Duncan, found as a stray locally--he is a DSH brown tabby and loves his brother Maxwell.  The names fit their personalities to a tee!

[KingstonsMom]

My Kingston is an abused rescue (he was found in the street after having been set on fire) and his original name by the rescue was Landon, IMO a boy's name that didn't suit him at all.

The rescue group that I adopted him through was named 'One Love Animal Rescue'.

'One Love' was a hit reggae song by Bob Marley, who was from Kingston, Jamaica and I thought it was more regal, fit him better and tied in with the name of his rescue group. 

[Foolywooly11]

My son named our dog when he was a little boy. Bear was brown on one side & white on the other. My son said he looked half grizzly bear, half polar bear, hence the name.

[QVCkitty1]

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@StylishLady wrote:

No particular reason. For a while we used French names like Fifi and Pierre. 

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I had a poodle when I was a kid and named her Angelique, of course she was known as Angel.

[Annabellethecat66]

I've had lots of cats over the years.  I had a Fabio (called him Bo).  He was my late husband's cat.  We always say there are more pictures of my husband with the cat than me with my husband.  Fabio just showed up at my back porch one day and wouldn't leave.  I thought he was a girl and gave him a name which I can't remember.  Then one day I was bending down to feed him and saw the biggest set of .....you ever saw.  So I had him neutered, his tooth pulled (it was broken) and he became an indoor/sorta cat.

I've had a Penelope (Penny), Cleopatra (Cleo), Annabelle (Annie) Jackson (Jack) and now Bill and Katie.

Bill was named after my late husband.  I wanted to be able to say his name and have a response.  I've always loved cats and couldn't think of a better way of calling his name and having my beloved Bill (my cat) respond.  Bill the cat is amazing!  He is like a dog and a cat.  He sits on my chest (right under my neck) and gives me so much love.  Wherever I am, you'll find Bill nearby.  He follows me everywhere.  People who don't like cats, love Bill.  He's affectionate and is a very people kind of cat.

My other cat now is Katie (after my youngest daughter).  When she visits from Denver, she goes crazy because I'm yelling for Katie and she answers.  Ha!  But Katie the cat is afraid of everything and everyone.  She's hidden from everyone.  None of my family has ever even seen her....at all.  I've never been able to even pick her up.....after 7 or more years...never.  I have to trick her to get her in the cage for her checkups.  She vomits constantly.  Nothing wrong with her, she just vomits.  My best friend is a nurse for my Vet and she's been checked and nothing wrong...just sensitive stomach (long haired).

So, now you know.  Ha!  If you're still awake (after reading this boring post).  I salute you.  I typed it and I think I almost fell asleep after the first paragraph.  Ha!

[Krimpette]

When I adopted my two cats many years ago (they were kittems then and deceased now), they were naming some of the animals with the names of countries at the animal shelter.  One kitten's name was Korea.  I re-named him Kory.  The other kitten was a little "spit-fire" from the get-go.  I named him Spitz.  Two great cats.  I miss them to this day.