And the POLL results are . . . . . . . . . .

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

Not sure of the circumstance of these puds, but most of the cats coming into our have their names changed anyway. For medical and financial records, we need names to be individual and you'd be surprised how many Tibbles we take into care. 

Actually, even if a cat responds to its name, the association is with food. So puss thinks 'Tibbles' means grub is on the way. I have to say that only once have I known a cat to actually come over when its name is called, unless I'm simultaneously filling its bowl. 

To make you feel a little more comfortable, I did a straw poll of the kittens I rehomed last year. About half the owners have chosen to change the names I gave them. I was a bit upset as I thought I'd chosen names that really fitted them, but on the other hand I'm not having to live with those choices for the next 14-20 years. 

[Corporal Smokey]

I have two unusually named cats. Josh came to me with that name but is now nicknamed "Joshbot" for two reasons. One is the end of the show Lost when the little voice says "Bad Robot" we used to say "bad Joshbot" and then similar with the Fiesta "Stupid Dogbot" ads.

Smokey isn't my favourite name, I'm not a fan over overly obvious names so we added the "Corporal" bit because of the way he looks! He gets called Smoo Smoogoo Snooogy Smoogy Snuggly-buggly and many other such names. The thing he responds to instantly everytime is that "tutting" noise you do to random cats to get their attention. Because he always comes up to us in response, we always make sure there's a reward such as a snuggly bed or some nice food for him.

Josh responds on his terms-well he IS the boss.

I like the Freds' names but I like Rufus and Hector too.

[bunglycat]

Well,
Sophie- (blue persian ) named when i got her and it stayed and she responds to it ( also "old girl "as she is nearly 14)

Bungle - ( blue and cream persian) - named and tried to change it to Blosom, Bonnie, -but would only take notice if i called her Bungly - also Cheryl said not to change her name !( also gets called bungly bum, + grumbly )

Winston  - ( Red and White persian) -was called Whisper - bit feminine for a BIG butch cat who ain''t quiet at all !!! - so tried to think of another name that started with W - came up with Winston which he answered to really quickly and he Loves his catnip cigars ( also gets called wee willy Winston, willy wobbly , willy wonka,wilikin cat , the ginger whinger, the ginger peril !!!!)

Smartie - (Blue tabby persian)  was called Sparticus !!- always knew he would be named Smartie and he also answered to this really quickly - (also called Smartie Pants, Smartie Martie, Martie  etc)

[Gillian Harvey]

Rufus and Bertie  (sorry, shortened Bertram LOL!)  - then they can be Rufie and Bertie LOL! 

[blackcat]

OK, then Hector or Rufus for Wlif, as Hector held the bridge and Rufus has a good steady sound to it. Tugby for Alfie, as it sounds similar. Mind you, my great uncle wilf was a good steady sort of man too, so am quite taken with Wilf as a name (we actually knew him as Uncle Blue as he had red hair, but that is another story ...)

[Den]

I like Rufus and Tugby 

[Harna]

Actually - here is the shortlist. Two of the following:

Rufus
Hector
Bertram
Tugby

These cats are BIG (over 6kg each) with personalities to match. Wilf is dark red, Alfie is more 'strawberry blonde.' Wilf is the more sensible, constant, calm one, whereas Alfie is a bit mad. (He is obsessed with sitting in the bath when it is empty, but jumped in with me and water in it this morning   - and he also licks plastic and runs around the house with a zoom ball in his mouth  . . . .)

I am desperately trying to upload some pics but it's just not happening. Here is the pic of them, caged at the rescue centre. They now look 100 times better, btw!!!

[blackcat]

most pet animals have alternate names, depending on whether they are in or out of favour, mine respond to anything from their name to the sound of a can opening ................... And Shadow is called shadow, smootch, puppy and a variety of other names all of which he is completely happy with. In fact if I call him shadow in a particular tone of voice it is time for the ears to go back, the tail to go down and the face to become incredibly cute and appealing....

[Harna]

Actually, come to think of it, we very rarely called our cats by their 'real' names!

Leo (name he had on adoption) was called: flo, liebs, liebling, flea-o (when we first got him!  )

Marble (name she had on adoption) was called: Marbyshire-Derbyshire (no idea why!  )  Marbs, Marby, but most often Bish

Anoosheh (named 'Marie' by RSPCA) is called 'Noosh, Noosh McSploosh, Sploosh, The Mighty 'Noosh, Floofster, Floof-Sploosh, etc

Mahla (named 'Duchess' by RSPCA) was called Mahla-Moo, Mooster, Moo- Moo,

As you say, it's more likely the tone of voice . . . . .




okay - the names that have been suggested by the rest of the family are:

Rufus

(this was actually going to be my daughter's middle name, had she been a boy!) which means 'red haired.' (Maybe I should point out that my OH, in the days when he had hair  was/is a redhead; that dark red 'titian' colour))

Bertram

(from a book my daughter read recently - quite a substantial name!)

or

Tugby

(when I was a kid in the 70's, my favourite book was about a gingerbread man band. The band leader was called Tugby. My parents passed this book on to my daughter and ever since we first read it to her a couple of years ago, my husband has always said that if we ever had a ginger persian, we should call him Tugby . . . .)

So, two out of the above, probably . .. .  .

[Gillian Harvey]

I'd rename them if you don't like those names and they're not responding to them. I adopted a sealpoint persian called 'Muppet'  and she was 15 years old when she came to me, but I couldnt see myself calling her that, so called her Millie, and she responded to that, although I think its more the tone of voice you are using rather than the actual name.

I mean my George was George right from when I had him as a kitten, but he responds to my silly voice calling him 'Kitty Cat' more than to George! Mine have all got nicknames anyway, so don't think any of 'em know what their proper names really are LOL! 

So what names you got in mind then?

[blackcat]

I have only rarely re-named a cat when it was adopted. Bob, because between his looks, voice and name he sounded like a girl, sofie, simply because I felt gertruded did not suit her. I suspect a lot of cats who come through rescues are simply named so that they are not referring to them as cat number 08/536. So, no, if they do not respond to their present names and you are uncomfortable with those names, then you should feel free to call them whatever you like. Bob was called dinar when he arrived. I called him Bobcat, two syllables, similar sound (when you vocalise it) and he came to recognise that as the sound that meant food. No problems. Names are a human conception, animals simply associate a particular sound with a positive (or negative) experience. In short, go for it

[candyshandy]

Before I got Foofoo I would definitely have said keep their names but not anymore.

Foofoo was a stray and obviously we didn't know her name, but she definitely responds to Foofoo/Foof when I call her.

Oscar (mum's cat) had the same story and he too reponds to his name 

Great news about your friend too!!

[Harna]

Okay, as many of you know, we adopted Wilf and Alfie on Tuesday. They are **phenomenal** and it feels like they have always been here; huge, friendly, confident, sociable and totally bonkers cats! 

Anyway, they came to us named but do not respond to their names *at all.* I know that this could just be because they don't know us yet  . . . but we could call them *anything* and they would run over to us!

My OH and daughter would like to give them different names. I am not sure about this. 

We adopted a pair of cats 18 months ago; strays with no known history, including their names. As they were both persian, we named them 'Anoosheh' (meaning 'happy and contented' in the old language of Persia) and 'Mahla' (meaning 'friendly.') Their names not only suited them well but they responded to them immediately. They were about 4 when we got them and so must have had different names before then . . . .

Would it confuse Alfie & Wilf to change their names? It didn't confuse 'Noosh and Mahla . . . . . We are not really 'Alfie & Wilf' people (if you understand what I mean . . . ) but I don't know whether changing their names would be the right thing to do . . . . out of our previous 4 rescue cats, we kept 2 of the names and chose 2 new ones . . . . .what should we do this time?!

I would really welcome some thoughts here  . . . . .. ! 

Thanks!

Oh - and PS: I took my lovely neighbour with me when I drove over to get the cats - I was worried about the long drive home and thought someone else in the car with the cats would be a help (it was!) Anyway, my lovely neightbour just popped round to let me know that after visiting the rescue centre, she is going to start looking locally for a pair of cats to adopt! Isn't that great?!