Choosing a name that your pet will carry for the rest of their life is a big deal and this is why we want to help you in taking this decision with a guide on how to name your cat. The cat that is now a part of your family will certainly be unique and so a simple name like “Fluffy” won’t really do them justice. The name should be something that you will enjoy saying repeatedly and something that defines the cat in some way so here are some naming methods that you can apply.
Some Science
We should start by letting you know some things about how the brain of cats works. Cats seem to have selective hearing and many cat owners doubt that the cat even knows their own name, so you might ask yourself what is then the point of naming one at all?
Cats seem to respond more to some of the sounds humans make than to others. Their voice is usually high pitched when meowing and thus they will also be more responsive to high-pitched human voices, so they will prefer a woman’s voice to that of a man. The vowel “e” is the one that stimulates them the most so names containing it will probably get their attention faster.
From the research that has been performed it seems that cats really don’t respond to a name unless they have been trained to do so. They are more solitary than dogs and that is why they have to be socialized from an early age to interact well with humans. Training them to get used to their name will be necessary if you want to get a response otherwise they will respond to your voice no matter what you call them.
Discover The Personality Of Your Cat
Different breeds have different traits and habits but cats themselves vary a lot just like humans do so if you have a name in mind before you get to know the cat make sure it actually fits. Some cats are very active while others are more sedentary, some like to make a lot of noise while others are quiet. If you are thinking of a funny sounding name like Spazzy then it might work for a cat that likes to jump and attract attention a lot, but if you have a reserved cat then something a bit more royal or aristocratic will probably suit them better. Maybe even add a title in there like Lord or Lady.
The Appearance Should Help
Calling a white cat Raven or Shadow is probably not the best choice so use the physical appearance of your pet as a starting point. Sometimes you get an idea for a name by simply looking at a cat and if you have a Russian Blue or Burmese cat then their dark fur may inspire you.
If you manage to get a name that evokes both their appearance and their personality then your will be set. A name like Midnight is great for a dark colored cat while an orange one can be called Pumpkin or Ginger. Snowflake or something of this sort (Blanca maybe) works well for a white cat.
In the same manner, the cat’s breed will tell you something about their origin and thus you can draw inspiration from there. The history of the breed will tell you where they were originally bred and if you have a Persian cat then a name inspired from the Middle-Eastern region will be really suitable. One other breed that can give you ideas of names is the Burmese cat which is also called the Sacred Cat of Burma so a name inspired from religion can work well.
This approach also means that you can delve into your own past and maybe think of someone you really liked or a family pet that you used to have or enjoy spending time with. If you give your pet an easy to recognize name then you will feel right at home with them and it will be easier for everyone to remember that name.
Use Available Resources
There are many names that will be similar to the ones you think about and if Fluffy is used all over the place, you might prefer a name like Gossamer which signifies about the same thing. The best way to find out about these options is by using a thesaurus since they have a wealth of options and will certainly inspire you.
Also think about the characters that you enjoy from literature, films or cartoons as they can make you appreciate your pet more. Was there a superhero or heroine you admired when you were young or someone who makes you think of something special? Then why not put that on your list?
One other thing to consider is the fact that most of us have special places or memories from the unique moments in our lives. If you love flowers perhaps you can give your pet a flower name. If you love a certain place perhaps a name from that place will be better sounding to your ear. Put all of these on a list and you will already have a lot of choices.
The next place you will want to look is in a book of baby names and see what the ones that you like the sound of signify. Try to be original since a good name can be the start of a conversation and if you choose a very common name this will also say a lot about your own personality.
Making The Decision
If you followed the steps above you probably have a list of options ready by now and you only have to decide on the one you want. First you have to see how your cat responds to each of them, as we mentioned, some names will sound better to cats than others. Remove the ones that are too complex or the ones that have too many words.
Repeat the names out loud and see which of them flow off the tongue because some names look good on paper but might not be so good when actually pronouncing them. See what your friends and family members think and put their opinion in the balance too and in the end remember that cats respond best to short names so a name that can be shortened will be better (the cat from Tom & Jerry was named Thomas but we call him Tom).
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